Imagine your child was about to graduate from high school with their whole life ahead of them. Next year they will go to college and you will watch them blossom into the wonderful person you know. Now imagine the horror of learning that your child was shot and killed while at school. It's hard to imagine the enormous amount of grief and anger that would flood a person's body in a situation like this. No one should have to endure such suffering. Now imagine how much this pain would be intensified if there was a possibility that the entire incident could have been avoided. This scene is all too familiar in this country. A kid who, for whatever reason, is angry at the world, goes to school with a gun and kills innocent people. If you think this could never happen to you, ask the parents of the victims of the Columbine High School incident. They will tell you they never imagined this would happen to them either. Isn't it reasonable to say that we should do everything in our power to prevent this kind of thing from happening again? This is exactly why we desperately need to close the legal loophole for gun shows. Unlicensed dealers and private collectors who sell guns at the thousands of gun shows in this country each year should be required to ask for identification and ask licensed dealers to run background checks before selling. sell weapons to potential customers. If these measures are not required, anyone – including convicted felons, minor children and even terrorists – will be able to obtain firearms at any local gun show. This gives rise to nightmares not only about Columbine, but also about innocent civilians killed by terrorists with weapons they purchased at gun shows in the United States....... middle of paper . ...... If there are so many guns sold on this unregulated market, that the administrative formalities for background checks on those who buy these guns would be unmanageable, doesn't that prove how much the gun show loophole is a problem and how desperately does it need to be closed? No one wants to think about taking away “inalienable” rights from law-abiding American citizens, which is exactly what this type of legislation would not do. The only people who might be affected by such legislation would be athletes, and if you have any questions on your mind about this, ask an athlete this question: "What is most important? for you, being able to buy a weapon a little more expensive? faster or do everything possible to avoid receiving a call that your child has been shot? I think any sportsman's answer will settle your lingering questions.