The effects of gun violence in our country are truly agonizing. Please, let’s get real and serious about solving this problem. Let’s call out and expose the bad faith and dangerous lies that surround and cloud this issue. For example: nothing will help (in fact, many, various steps taken together would help a lot); good guys with guns can stop bad guys with guns (not a reasonable, realistic solution to this problem!); Americans have an absolute right to buy, own and carry any type of gun, and the extremely high number of guns we have is not the primary reason why we have so much gun violence. False!
Now is the time to do something to turn back the tide of violence and killing. Truly, there exist many good ideas to help prevent deaths, and, taken together, they can make a difference and save many lives. Various policies and strategies will need to be implemented, for example: strong, universal background checks, “red flag” laws, research to determine what policies would be most effective, and voluntary gun buybacks.
Shouldn’t negligent gun sellers or owners who provide guns that are used in crimes or in other ways cause injuries or deaths be held liable for their negligence? Perhaps people who promote “personal responsibility” as a way of ordering society but tend to resist any type of gun regulation could accept and agree to this idea?
How could anyone in good conscience oppose this idea? We must seriously and in good faith debate possible solutions, hammer out agreements, and implement steps, one after the other, to begin to reverse the tide of gun violence and promote gun safety. Please, everyone, demand that your elected officials take a stand to make America safer.
Sandra Merrick
Mount Vernon
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