What do we do now?

Dear President Trump,

On a seemingly normal Monday morning, Oct. 4, I opened up my phone to the terrifying news that a concert in an open and supposedly safe area had turned into a bloody nightmare. But what may be even more horrifying is how commonplace shootings are in the U.S. On Nov. 2, a shooting in a Colorado Walmart took the lives of three innocent people. In the same day, a high school student in Florida shot another student at a bus stop dispute. Three days later, the Sutherland Springs church shooting in Texas took the lives of 26 more people. On Nov. 11, a gunman shot four people, two of which were elementary school students, and wounded at least 10 in Northern California. I cannot help but worry: Am I safe from gun violence? Will any of my own friends or I, myself, become another victim in a growing list of them?

When Stephen Paddock murdered 58 people and injured 527 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said that discussing gun policy is “premature”— that it is “not the place that we’re in at this moment.” I must respectfully disagree. Avoiding the gun debate does not alleviate fears about my safety, the safety of my school, my community. Our country must take action against gun violence, and the first step is to discuss gun policy. While we stay silent, shootings have continued happening.

Before this topic fades into the background again, let’s talk about it. We, as Americans, are desensitized to these shootings in part because of our government’s dismissive attitude. I am chilled to know that in many parts of the country an individual can buy military-grade firearms on the internet without a background check, that countless Americans—like Stephen Paddock—own dozens of guns. I am terrified knowing that Congress is considering loosening restrictions on gun silencer sales, that the U.S. has a homicide by firearm rate of about 31 per million, which far exceeds that of any other developed country. I am saddened that just earlier this year, two students at my school were detained on suspicion of plotting a school shooting. Laws may not stop all crime, but the consequences are much worse when the laws are loose.

What guarantees safety in public spaces in America today? As one of 50.7 million students in unprotected, vulnerable American public schools, I am concerned about the safety of our learning environments. Many students at my school agree; over 80 percent who responded to a survey said that current gun legislation is inadequate. You once criticized the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990, arguing that teachers should be allowed to carry guns in school. But who wants to go to school every day in the presence of lethal weapons? I want to go to school feeling safe, not compelled to practice self-defense.

Public spaces, especially schools, must be safer. So, Mr. President, for how long does the White House plan on dismissing gun policy—along with the fears of students? What will you do to ensure our safety?