By Gillian Crist
Editor-in-Chief
First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to the children who have laid down their lives for my right to buy an AR-15 rifle. I served my time in school, practicing active shooter drills and reporting threats made on social media. It’s an integral part of every American’s life.
We could argue the morality of valuing guns over children, but I’ve already prayed for these children. There’s nothing else that can be done.
As hard as it is seeing children violently murdered, the thought of losing my precious assault rifle ENRAGES me. I’m all for saving the kids UNTIL I lose my God-given right as an American citizen.
Sure, Fletcher Merkal, 8, Harper Moyski, 10, Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, Rubi Vergara, 14, Mason Schermerhorn, 14, Christian Angulo, 14, Amhir Jolliff, 11, Evelyn Dieckhaus, 9, William Kinney, 9, Hallie Scruggs, 9, Alexandria Bell, 15, Nevaeh Bravo, 10, Jacklyn Cazares, 9, Makenna Elrod, 10, Jose Flores Jr., 10, Eliahna Garcia, 9, Uziyah Garcia, 10, Amerie Garza, 10, Xavier Lopez, 10, Jayce Luevanos, 10, Tess Mata, 10, Maranda Mathis, 11, Alithia Ramirez, 10, Annabell Rodriguez, 10, Maite Rodriguez, 10, Alexandia Rubio, 10, Layla Salazar, 11, Jailah Silguero, 10, Eliahna Cruz Torres, 10, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Tate Myre, 16, Hana St. Juliana, 14, Justin Shilling, 17, Gracie Muehlberger, 15, Dominic Blackwell, 14, Jared Conard Black, 17, Shana Fisher, 16, Christian Riley Garcia, 15, Aaron Kyle Mcleod, 15, Angelique Ramirez, 15, Sabika Sheikh, 17, Christopher Stone, 17, Kimberly Vaughan, 14, Alyssa Alhadeff, 14, Martin Anguiano, 14, Nicholas Dworet, 17, Luke Hoyer, 15, Gina Montalto, 14, Alaina Petty, 14, Helena Ramsay, 17, Alexander Schachter, 14, Carmen Schentrup, 16, Jaine Guttenberg, 14, Cara Loughran, 14, Joaquin Oliver, 17, Meadow Polluck, 18, Peter Wang, 15, Bailey Holt, 15, Preston Cope, 15, Casey Marquez, 17 and Francisco Fernandez, 17, just to name a few, would still be alive, get to walk across the stage and start their future, but it would be the cost of my personal liberties, something I will NEVER give up.
Granted, it’s only luck that our names aren’t on that list since gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S., but there’s absolutely no solution that doesn’t require me to give up my 2nd amendment.
Maybe one day we will find a solution so everyone has the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but for now, we can only hope and pray.
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