Might tighter gun control laws help to mitigate this crisis? Perhaps; but we must also consider the importance of mental health care reform. In order to prevent gun violence, we need to understand (and address) the cause. We therefore need funding for mental health services to assist those who are at risk for harming themselves and others.
Instead of solely viewing gun control as a yes-or-no issue, we need to examine the intersection between mental health and violence. While our mental health care system is not equipped to help everyone, we need to acknowledge that gun-related deaths are preventable—and we need to make the choice to invest in that prevention.
Thus far, the ongoing debate about gun safety has largely centered around the Second Amendment, which has a two-fold obligation: the right of US citizens to be protected from violence and the right of the people to bear arms. Proponents on both sides of this polarizing issue have rallied to support their position; this often takes the form of shouting and counter-shouting (and sometimes threats)—and we make no progress on the core issue, which is that too many people in this country die because of gun violence.
We stand at the crossroads of realizing that something must be done. Share your reasoned suggestions (no rants, please!) for how we, as a nation, can combat gun violence and gun-related deaths with me at NPeditor@mdedge.com.
