In the state of Kansas, it’s possible to buy and own a gun without a license.

It’s possible to carry and conceal a weapon without a permit.

It’s possible to own a gun without a background check.

Gun control is one of America’s most controversial issues.

Many Americans — 47 percent, according to abc.com — feel that stricter gun laws are needed in this country. Others think any form of gun control is unlawful and goes against the Second Amendment.

The truth is, the need for gun control becomes more prevalent every day.

Gun users say they need protection, but that’s what the law officials are for. If someone’s robbing your house, having to open your (hopefully) locked gun container, loading it and then potentially using it takes more time than calling 911 and locking yourself in a room.

Some Americans cite target practice or hunting as the main reason for their gun ownership.

If your need for a gun puts our         country and our society in danger, it’s time to find a new hobby. Using an assault weapon is not a sport.

I’m all for compromise.

If every state had comprehensive background checks and psych evaluations prior to purchasing a firearm, that would be ideal. Outlawing the use of automatic or semi-automatic weapons would also make me and half of the U.S. feel safer. Before buying a gun, classes on responsibility and use of a firearm should be required.

The most frustrating part of the gun control argument is that background checks and psych evaluations are considered too much to ask for. In reality, it will make everyone safer by keeping people like the San Bernardino, California, shooters the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater shooter, from getting their hands on firearms.

They wouldn’t have passed psych evaluations and therefore would have had less of a chance to kill people.

Enforcing background checks, psych evaluations and training isn’t taking rights away from Americans. A gun is not a toy — it’s not something that
every person should have access to.

More guns equal more homicides and suicides — 80 percent of mass violence incidents in the U.S. utilize guns as the medium to hurt people.

More than half of all mass shootings involve a semi-automatic weapon — meaning that just a few restrictions on what kinds of guns that can be used and who can use them would have prevented at least some of these shootings.

Through these steps, prevention of mass shootings is possible.

Australia outlawed the use of semi-automatic rifles and shotguns and pump action shotguns. Since 1996, only five mass murders have happened, which is far less than the 62 mass shootings — not including school shootings — and over 450 deaths America has faced since then, according to time.com.

Some Americans might feel safer owning a gun or find hunting or target practice fun, but assault rifles are used in war zones, and semi-automatic guns don’t belong in the hands of civilians.