By H.R. Brown, Special to the Leader

As a free-spirited country child, raised in a nurturing home with a chainsaw-wielding, gun-shooting daddy and stay-at-home mom, I always felt safe. My parents instilled independence and self accountability in my two brothers and me.

A rebellious streak has followed me around all my life, but the national debate about school safety and gun control stopped me in my tracks, causing me to re-examine my support for the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

All anti-establishment and firm in my opinion, I believe the government should take a step back and stop trying to fix this issue with more regulations, but why, I couldn't have said a week ago.

I started surfing the internet, trying to see down every facet, collect all the statistics and review all the facts. I talked to several other people to hear their take on the issues, too.

I went through moments of being able to possibly see both sides. There is no denying that on the surface, semi-automatic weapons seem to be a little excessive, but if target shooting is a hobby of choice, you can't not have one to complete the collection. They are certainly entertaining firearms to shoot. So it comes down to the fact that, rapid-fire guns only become dangerous when in the wrong hands, just like all guns, and those hands will not likely consider the laws when trying to acquire them.

In 2009, Mark Overstreet, a research coordinator for the National Rifle Association, figured the "estimated production of AR-15 type rifles from 1986-2009 and concluded that nearly 1.97 million had been manufactured." To try and take those type of weapons out of American homes seems a little rash considering the few, though no less tragic, that are used for violent purposes.

Something that I found interesting while researching is that in the last 12 years there have been 48 primary school related attacks around the world, according to Wikipedia. Of those, 12 have been on American soil while in China, where gun ownership is strictly regulated, there have been 21 attacks. Nearly double the violence we've experienced.

It would be great if increasing awareness and availability of mental health care could solve the problem, but because of citizens' civil rights, in order for that to work individuals must be willing to get help. After spending some time working in the social services system I learned that the ones who need the help often believe they don't. Most of the time, with these tragedies involving guns, the only tool we have to stop them is hindsight.

Thoreau once wrote, "There are thousands hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root." Guns and mental health are just branches. A root is personal accountability: how we conduct ourselves, secure our personal property, and support each other in times of crisis.

Because tragedies will come, and our nation will experience sorrows. Pointing the finger, creating an even bigger divide, only increases discord and in turn makes us weaker as a whole.

H.R. Brown was born and raised in Washington County. She is a professional hair stylist who lives near Gales Creek and spends her free time exploring life through travel, photography and writing.