To the Editor:

It is essential to consider the importance of gun control in order to reduce gun violence. Having more restrictions on people's access to guns will make our communities safer.

Opponents to gun control strongly resist attempts to limit access to guns. It is felt gun restrictions are a violation of the Second Amendment and that limiting legal access to guns will only reduce the number of law abiding gun owners. Gun control opponents agree people purchasing guns should not have a history of violent or drug related crimes and are not severely mentally ill.

It is obvious the current gun control laws are not good enough. Consider the mass shootings of Connecticut and Colorado. These tragedies spotlight the fact that people who legally buy guns are not always appropriate to own them. Guns not only present a greater risk to others, they also create a greater risk to self. Guns are the most common method of suicide. Guns should not be readily available to high risk individuals.

There are changes proposed to address the need for tighter gun control. President Obama has proposed strengthening background checks, restricting access to assault weapons and making better emergency response plans and ensuring quality mental health treatment.

It is important that increased gun control laws be passed in order to reduce the potential for gun related crimes and unnecessary deaths. The highly publicized mass murders, as well as everyday gun crime and deaths, confirm there is a need for more restrictions on gun purchase and ownership. Steps need to be taken to keep guns out of inappropriate hands.

Erin Schmick

Emmaus High School