As we approach the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting, we examine how mass shootings have become unfortunately commonplace in American culture, with a total of 31 mass shootings since the Columbine shooting of 1999.

The shootings prompted action by President Barack Obama, who assured to make a push to restrict the flow of firearms into the hands of questionable individuals.

Despite the promises surrounding the tragedy, no legislation was passed until this past Tuesday. The U.S House voted for a 10-year extension of a current federal gun bill that bans guns by metal detectors and X-ray machines, according to usatoday.com.

The gun law was called the Undetectable Firearms Act, that was first enacted by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, according to usatoday.com.

“Gun control is something which many feel very strongly about,” Jim Hilley, 45, a social service major from Bensalem said. “No, the government can’t do anything because people need guns for protection and hunting.”

Hilley offers a different perspective to gun laws; there are plenty of people who use them for sport. It would hinder those who enjoy using these weapons for their sport if more legislation were passed restricting gun ownership.

Although mass shootings have been around as long as firearms themselves, mass shootings did not gain much traction on the national scope until the Columbine shootings in 1999. Despite the missing spotlight, there were nine major shootings in America between 1984 and 1999’s Columbine.

“As sad as it is, there is really nothing we can do except hope that something bad doesn’t happen every day that we wake up,” said Andrew Zyck, 19, a sports management major from Warrington.

The fact that unhinged individuals inhabit the same society as the rest of the population brings worry on unsure individuals.

“Yes, it’s a scary thing,” Kevin Trearty, 19, a business major from Chalfont said. “I don’t let it affect me because there is no point of being paranoid every time you walk outside your house, you just have to enjoy life while you can.”

There are some less concerned students out there that believe that we have nothing to be worried about.

“Even though there are shootings going on all the time around the country, it is one of those things where you just have to look at it like it is rare that you will encounter such a horrible event like that,” said Nick Swinehart, 20, a criminal justice major from Warwick.

Despite the attention required by the complexity of gun control, it appears that priority has fallen from lawmaker’s thoughts and desks. The last piece of legislation successfully passed regarding gun control was the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which made it impossible for victims of shootings to sue manufacturers and dealers of firearms. The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act was passed in 2005.

Since the Sandy Hook shooting, there have been efforts to repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act so that victims of shootings may hold manufacturers and distributers accountable in a wider array of instances.

With the passing of recent legislation, it may open the door for future lawmaking.