Our country is going nuts with guns, and the rest of the world is laughing at us. After every mass shooting, we hide behind the Second Amendment, mental illness, vigils and prayers. This has not worked. I don’t believe America has more mentally ill people than the rest of the world. There are no known links between mental illness and mass shootings. People kill because they have access to guns, and killers are not always under 21.

The Second Amendment refers to a well-regulated militia. Mass shootings have not been committed by members of regulated militias. In the name of the right to bear arms, our country has become a culture of guns, and we are killing each other mercilessly.

President Trump suggested adding 600,000 more guns by arming 20 percent of the nation’s teachers. The best solution we can come up with is more guns?

The time has come to fix the country’s sickness by following the lead of our youth and joining their “never again” movement. For the movement to gain thrust, we need to understand the right to bear arms as the Second Amendment defines it. “Never again” is not achievable until we have a national conversation about reinterpreting or, better yet, repealing the Second Amendment.

Arming teachers is not the answer. Assault weapons need to be limited to law enforcement and the military. We should start calling out politicians to consider public safety first as they plan their re-election campaigns.

Zenebe Abebe
Indianapolis