Having regulations for each individual state has the potential for terrible things. A gun can be smuggled across state lines, and if it's illegal in one state, it's easy to go to another to purchase it. Background checks should be required no matter where you are with a gun, even at gun shows. All guns must be registered in the United States, because there are currently no laws preventing anyone from traveling to another country and bringing back firearms. Furthermore, having weapons in public places should be illegal, as schools are not the only targets. Think of it this way: It's illegal to yell “Fire” in a public place, so it should also be illegal to have a firearm in public. Finally, military-type weapons, such as snipers, automatic weapons and machine guns, should not belong to anyone, there is no need for such heavy artillery. A world with stronger gun restrictions and a more careful distribution process will be a safer place for everyone. Let's hope that our country's leaders can realize the severity of the current crisis and pass legislation to put an end to this evil. In the last sixteen years there have been more than two hundred and sixty-five school shootings in the United States (Roberts). This alarming average of nearly seventeen school shootings per year since the spring of 1999 should be enough to justify calls for some serious gun regulations in