52,670. That’s how many gun-related incidents there were in 2015. 

13,350. That’s how many gun-related deaths there were in 2015. 

The United States has seen 330 mass shootings and almost 2,000 accidental shootings in the last year. I won’t even mention how many children paid for them.

What was the cause of all these violent acts? Was it the hideous lack of background checks? Was it too many firearms laid too close to toddlers? Was it the infamous gun show loophole or the disgusting scarcity of resources for mentally ill people with gun permits? We can go further and talk about institutionalized racism or domestic terrorism but there’s only so much legislation can control.

Now that we look to 2016, there’s hope for change. Or is there? The American people are now hearing phrases “executive order” and “background checks” on a daily basis. Don’t these words sound familiar? Well, the only reason everyone from Wiz Khalifa to my grandmother is familiar with these terms is the fact that until 2016, that’s all they were: words. However, after countless innocent lives were lost and a frustrating legislative tug-of-war with the  Republican-controlled Congress, President Obama has enacted his executive order.

This order seeks to accomplish several things. The first priority is to keep firearms out of the wrong hands via background checks. Seems fair. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is laying down some serious law. They say, “If you’re in the business of selling firearms, you must get a license and conduct background checks.” It doesn’t matter if you sell from a shop or at a gun show– vendors need to be licensed and look at complete criminal histories before selling their products.   

Another aspect of this order is to increase mental health treatment. The Obama Administration proposes a $500 million investment towards mental health care. This would fall to the Social Security Administration and The Department of Health and Human Services. They will create and finalize rules to keep these dangerous weapons out of the wrong hands.

The last goal is to invest in gun-control technology. The Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security have been appointed to conduct and sponsor research into gun safety technology to “reduce the frequency of accidental discharge or unauthorized use of firearms and improve the tracing of lost or stolen guns.”

Though the decision to enact an executive order wasn’t sudden, the shooting in Oregon, one of five as of 2016, not only brought the president to action but to tears. He, like the rest of the country, is too tired of this endless cycle. And not only are the American people used to such horrors but have also grown desensitized to it. Even though the numbers are starting to climb yet again, maybe 2016 will put gun violence at a standstill.