Thoughts and prayers do not work. God is not even proven. However, what is proven is that guns take lives and destroy families and communities. In fact, I think ‘thoughts and prayers’ make gun violence worse by fostering complacency and preventing action.
Just yesterday, on August 27, 2025, a shooter identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman walked into a Catholic school carrying three different guns. He opened fire, killing two children and injuring seventeen others, including fourteen children and three elderly parishioners. Before we get started, one has to ask: what was a 23-year-old doing with three guns? And he purchased them all legally.
This shooting in Minneapolis comes just a month after the mass shooting in New York City, showing once again how relentless and devastating gun violence has become in America.. Governance has to start caring more about protecting citizens than protecting dangerous guns.
Even if there were no bad guys, no mentally ill people, and no terrorists, there are still way too many guns in circulation. And there are way too many types of guns that should never have been in circulation in the first place.
The gunman left a manifesto, apologizing to his parents, siblings, and friends for letting them down and not turning out the way everyone had hoped. He wrote that he could not take the pain anymore and felt that life was not worth living. Apparently, Robert was a transgender woman and legally changed his name to Robin in 2017.
His parents were supportive of the name change and of his gender identity. Yet Westman remained a troubled person, with mental health issues dating back to 2018. One might ask why he did not just take his own life? Did he need to destroy families and an entire community? No, he did not. But mental illness alone does not explain what happened.
Here is the point: there will always be mentally ill people in society, and that is not unique to the United States. We must address the GUNS.
The United States has an addiction to guns the world has never seen before. And like with any addiction, until it’s acknowledged and treated, it will continue to wreak havoc on anyone and everyone. The US is 4% of the world’s population and yet owns 40% of the world’s guns. That math is insane on it’s face. Guns are everywhere, and people have easy access to them.
Is it any wonder the US has over 40,000 gun deaths a year? Japan has only 10 deaths a year. Yes, just 10.. Even one death is too many, we know that. But 40,000 gun deaths? Some might say, “But the US is twice the size of Japan.” That’s true, but with that logic, the US would have around 20 gun deaths a year, not over 40,000.. The United States continues to put “Profits before Lives.” It’s supposed to be the other way around.
People should Not have to live like this. – There is a better way. – Stay with me.
Westman purchased all three guns legally and had no criminal record. This is a perfect example of why we need to crack down on guns and ban many types of firearms from being sold in the first place.
There is a Solution:
The United States needs to approach guns the way it does with cars and the Department of Motor Vehicles.. If someone wants to use a gun, they should get a license. If someone wants to own one, it should be registered. If someone wants to operate one, they should be required to carry gun insurance. Just like we do with cars. We should also follow Japan’s example, where strict gun safety laws have virtually eliminated gun violence. Japan makes it difficult to own a gun, not easy. Finally, we need to ban assault rifles and other military style weapons. This is how the United States can dramatically reduce gun violence, if not eradicate it altogether.
LOOK at how JAPAN MASTERFULLY handles gun violence below:
“If people want to own a gun, they must attend an all-day class, pass a written test, and achieve at least 95% accuracy during a shooting-range test. Then they have to pass a mental-health evaluation, which takes place at a hospital, and pass a background check, in which the government digs into their criminal record and interviews friends and family. They can only buy shotguns and air rifles — no handguns — and every three years they must retake the class and initial exam.”
Lastly, the Second Amendment should be removed from the Constitution. It gives guns an unfettered protection and reverence they should not have. Guns should not be revered. They should be frowned upon. The Second Amendment is a major contributor to the mass shooting epidemic, constantly shielding this gun violence under the ‘right to bear arms’ argument. When will the United states put lives before rights and profits?
Sincerely,
Scott Smith
Excellent article and perspective. I like the way you have so thoughtfully outlined a real solution. And it goes beyond “thoughts and prayers” as obviously thoughts and prayers are not working.
Hi Kathleen,
Thank you for your comments on my article. I really appreciate it. Yes, common sense and practicality are the only way out of this endless mass shooting epidemic. It is very clear to other countries all over the world, but the United States keeps prioritizing rights and profits over the actual lives of its citizens.
Also, I don’t mean to insult thoughts and prayers across the board. I know thoughts and prayers can be well intentioned. I understand that religion can bring people together and offer a sense of community. I get that. But I also know that actions speak louder than words. And this is literally a matter of life and death that we are all at risk from. I just do not see any actions seriously contending with this gun violence epidemic. It has been decades already, and it should not be like this.