If I could vote in this November election, I would vote yes on I-594. I-594 enforces background checks and having to report who has guns, and when they change possession.

To me, I think people would be a lot safer with the restrictions and guidelines set on the guns. With the increases in school shootings, like the one last week at Marysville-Pilchuck, and other gun-related crimes, I do think it would make our society safer to have certain regulations on guns. It would make the amount of school shootings and other gun related crimes less common in our communities.

With more incidents like this, it raises the question whether or not schools are prepared or not for gun related episodes. I think there are only so many ways a school can be prepared. Sure we practice lock-downs and we know what to do in an emergency, but do we really know what to do? There is no exact answer for what we can do, because every situation brings new challenges that no one can prepare for. We can only prepare enough, and react accordingly.

If a person with a loaded gun walked into a classroom, it would be complete chaos, because there is no way to really know what to do, and that is what makes these so scary. They are fearful obviously because guns are very dangerous machines, but also because someone specific has an immense amount of control over people’s lives.

I am not saying that having a gun, in my opinion, is a bad thing, but being informed on who can get access to a gun would be very beneficial in society. From knowing someone who has been murdered due to a gun related crime, it makes me more passionate about knowing who is in the possession of guns, and others should be as well. Children have had accidents with guns in the past, and have brought them to school. And other people have gone to schools and killed children.

It is our responsibility as a community to ensure the safety in our schools and in our society