Please note that these articles ONLY reflect the viewpoints of those who wrote the article. These articles do not reflect of the views of the newspaper advisor, The Pritzker Press, Pritzker College Prep, or the Noble Network.
By Dania Herrera ‘19
So far, everyone has a different viewpoint on how they perceive Nikolas Cruz. As some of you might know, Nikolas Cruz is a 19 year old student, who was charged with killing 17 people, at Stoneman Douglas high school in Florida. Clearly, this incident was really disastrous and it has affected numerous individuals to speak out against gun violence in relation to Cruz’s behavioral/mental problems.
Gun control has been a highly controversial topic before and especially after this tragic event that has sparked outrage. The survivors of the shooting demanded action at a town hall held by CNN where they were able to directly ask question to lawmakers and the NRA spokesperson, Dana Loesch. The NRA is the National Rifle Association where they stand with the right of possessing a gun. Having a discussion about gun control is a good first step, but this conversation should have been talked about before, not just now that a tragedy occurred.
Various students and witnesses posed questions to their politicians such as: “ Why do we have to speak out to the capitol, why do we have to march on Washington, just to save innocent lives?” Another student that was directly affected said in grief, “Today would have been Carmen’s 17th birthday. But sadly we are having to celebrate her life, instead of celebrating what a new year might bring.” It is really sad yet empowering at the fact that students lost loved ones but, at the same time, these young people are starting to make a difference by speaking out.
The criminal’s health problems also played a huge role in the discussion on gun control. Cruz would get into fights and hurt small animals that no one was surprised to find out that he was the one that caused the shooting. The NRA spokesperson stated, “This individual was nuts and I, nor the millions of people that I represent as a part of this organization that I’m here speaking for, none of us support people who are crazy, who are a danger to themselves, who are a danger to others , getting their hands on a firearm.” The NRA is clearly pro-gun and the majority of the audience present in the town hall were anti-gun. Many individuals argued that there should be more regulation over the purchase of a gun by including tests and background checks. Others argued that guns should be prohibited at all times and that that is the only solution for less violence and less tragedies. However, having guns taken away completely is taking the rights of others. Supporting universal background checks and mental illness tests is the least we can do that pleases both sides. It’s all about compromising. People may able to have a gun, but they have to have proof that they are able to act responsibly with that gun in hand without harming others. Taking several tests to check your health is definitely worth doing than losing a life that is potentially in danger.
At the end of the day, it’s not about who’s pro-gun or anti-gun, democrat or republican, but the thing that matters is the lives of individuals, so another misfortune does not occur.
