UNITED STATES—We have to have a serious discussion about gun control inAmerica. We’ve talked about mass shootings the nation has encountered in the past 2-3 years, but 2014 has seen more mass shootings than I can count. Just in the past month we’ve had at least three shootings that I can recall that have shocked the nation.

It’s almost like this has become a trend in our nation; expect a mass shooting at least once a week. The scary factor is that we’ve almost become numb to the notion, as it’s occurring on a continual basis. In the past two weeks, we’ve had two additional shootings take place on school campuses. One in Oregon and the other in Washington, where lives were lost before the shooter was also killed.

So why is this issue such a concern? Because we have to implement more restrictions to halt gun access in America. It’s like anyone, at any given time can walk into a store and purchase a gun and commit heinous acts against innocent people.

My biggest gripe is the ever-evolving issue about Americans wishing to be armed with guns. Yes, we have a second amendment that states you have the right to bare arms, but as a nation what cost is that to our safety and the safety of those that we care about. In some cities, it’s a question of survival; it can potentially deter a criminal from engaging in criminal activity if he or she knows the intended target is packing heat.

The recent shootings have all taken place close to school or college campuses, which raise a larger question of the safety in the educational arena. If there is one place, where children, teens and college coeds should feel safe, it’s on school grounds. I’m not so sure about that nowadays. So precisely what can we do to halt the ever-growing level of violence inAmerica? We first have to address the issue of mental illness in America. We have yet to have an open discussion about getting help to those who need it before some heinous act is committed.

We tend to keep sweeping the issue of mental illness under the rug, without acknowledging this could be a primary problem. In addition, those who are licensed to sell guns to Americans need to have a lengthier evaluation of those interested parties looking to purchase a firearm.

Let’s have a mental evaluation for anyone requesting to purchase a gun, prohibit the use of weaponry that should only be used by the U.S. military. I mean why in the world would the everyday person need an automatic machine gun or weaponry that screams something is not right. That should be a red flag to perhaps hold out on selling a firearm to an interested party, but it continues to slip through the cracks.

More and more Americans have this thirst to be armed out of fear that something bad will happen to them. I’m starting to fear that in the near future young teens will have the ability to walk around and carry guns without a question in the world. We are becoming a country where firearms are taking over our lives more and more each day. Which begs me to ask the question when is enough, enough? I’m tried of turning on the news and hearing about a mass shooting. Aren’t you?