UNITED STATES—I am going to share something that many Americans including myself was baffled to hear. We have become desensitized to the notion of mass shootings in this country. It seems every so many number of weeks, a massive shooting transpires that leaves Americans on edge and wondering just how in the world could something of this magnitude transpire. I’m repeating this because this is no laughing matter anymore and we have to take action today, not tomorrow, not next week, not next year.The recent tragedy in Parkland, Florida where Nikolas Cruz shot and killed 17 students and injured a multitude of others last week is sending chills down the spines of many Americans.

There were plenty of signs pointing to the matter that Cruz suffered from mental illness. He was posting threats and rants on social media; there is even video of him depicting the notion of firing a gun. To make the situation worse, officials from the FBI were warned about a potential threat and still allowed the ball to drop, preventing a mass shooting that should have never transpired from taking place if they would have paid attention to the signs.

For me, this is sickening and I am tired of having these conversations where these mass shootings are almost second nature in America. We have come to expect them (which is beyond scary), but worse, they continue to get worse all the time. I mean after that devastating shooting in Las Vegas back in October, one would expect the President of the United States and members of Congress to take some sort of action to fix a problem that is increasing in intensity in our country: gun control.

I am not even going to go into a rant about the Second Amendment because anyone who tosses that crap about having the right to bare arms can kiss my you know what. Everyone wants everyone to just have a gun and if we had teachers and students able to carry weapons it can prevent such incidents from transpiring. Hello, please readjust your brain! That is NOT the solution to the problem. I DO NOT want my preschooler to be in a classroom where someone who has a license is carrying a gun. All sorts of terrible things can happen, and the thought of a child getting their hands on a gun and shooting someone leaves me shaking just thinking about it.

I mean the Sandy Hook Massacre which transpired several years ago, was a gut punch that left me reeling. Just the shear thought of 6 and 7 year-olds, precious beings, unable to defend themselves or process what is happening, as a coward unleashed gunfire on them killing more than 2 dozen kids was horrific to say the least. For some its not a big deal, but for those who have kids its a parents worst fear.

I do not want to hear another member of Congress taunt some BS about we need to take a second and think about things before rushing to make rash decisions (pointing to you Mr. Paul Ryan).

What the hell is there to wait for? Until we have another tragedy, until someone gets their hands on a semi-automatic gun and fires upon more innocent children, middle schoolers, high school students, college students or worse on a major city.

Laws need to be enacted to restrict the ability for individuals to get their hands on semi-automatic and dangerous weaponry. YOU DO NOT NEED SUCH WEAPONS TO HUNT OR PROTECT YOUR FAMILY! Please don’t attempt to rationalize or make an argument on this matter. We already know most politicians are puppets for many members of the National Rifle Association, but you don’t just represent the NRA, you represent America. The fact of the matter is you should be CONCERNED that people want to get their damn hands on such weapons. Those weapons are made for WAR, WAR, WAR! Why is that so hard for a vast majority of Americans to comprehend or actually understand?

Perhaps, all those people who are so desperate to get their hands on weaponry that is so dangerous and that has been used to take countless, innocent lives should be thrown into the battlefield and forced to fight on the battlegrounds to under the significance and the nature of the issue at hand. We have talked about the issue of mental illness, which just raises the question for me where were Nikolas Cruz’s parents? Did they not see their son needed treatment or help? Were they completely oblivious to what was going on and the fact that their son was making such threats?

I mean listening to survivors pinpoint they were 100 percent certain it was Cruz before even knowing it was Cruz is a tall tale. In this age where social media seems to dominate most people’s lives, it seems more important now more than ever for parent’s to monitor their children’s social media habits. Gosh, I hate even saying this, but I WISH social media didn’t even exist. More licensed physicians should be in school to monitor behavioral issues that may be prevalent with some students in addition, to the question of potentially having metal detectors in all schools. Yes, it seems more commonplace in inner cities, but why should they be installed in schools in the suburbs. I mean you can’t bring a weapon into school, if the metal detector detects it beforehand.

A ban needs to be placed on all weaponry that can cause significant damage and has the potential to take out a mass number of individuals with a single shot. Stop talking and start taking action Congress. Who gives a crap that some people are going to pissed? We are dealing with a major crisis at this point. What is it going to take to see change? Another major mass shooting, members of the NRA seeing their kids or loved ones killed, members of Congress dealing with the grief that so many other parents have dealt with in the past and are currently dealing with now.

I mean this is a legit question, when is enough talk already. We are getting to a point where we have become desensitized to such incidents. This is NOT something we should expect, and now it’s time to start doing something within the law. Perhaps altering the age where one can get their hands on a gun is a solution? I don’t really know, but something has to be done. The idea that you can purchase a gun before you can actually purchase alcohol, in what world does that actually make any sense America? Anyone, anyone out there please explain that to me, because I’m having a difficult time following.