Assault weapons and handguns are seen on the market at Capitol Metropolis Arms Provide, Jan. 16, 2013, in Springfield, In poor health. Seth Perlman, Related Press
What has change into of us?
A 16-year-old honor scholar is shot when he by accident knocks on the fallacious door.
A younger lady is shot when the chums she is with by accident pull into the fallacious driveway.
Two highschool women are shot when considered one of them by accident will get into the fallacious automobile, pondering it's hers.
A 6-year-old woman is shot whereas retrieving a ball from a neighbor’s yard.
All inside one week. In the USA of America.
Have we change into so fearful, so simply enraged, so enamored with our weapons that we've fully misplaced our means?
How will we repair this? It’s clear that speeding to our respective political corners and hurling phrase grenades at one another each time one other horrific taking pictures hits the information cycle isn’t going to do it. In truth, we have to cease viewing this as a political difficulty in any respect. It’s not political; it’s ethical — and our propensity towards division and apathy is, fairly actually, killing us.
We're, most of us, good folks. We care about one another. We cherish our kids. We're affordable and wise. We're able to understanding that wise rules on gun gross sales, gun storage and assault-style weapons don't in any means infringe upon our constitutional proper to bear arms.
Let’s take a tough have a look at some exhausting info:
As of this writing, there have been 167 mass shootings within the U.S. this 12 months alone. And it’s solely April.
U.S residents are 10 instances extra probably to die by gun demise than residents in another developed nation on the planet.
Firearms are actually the main reason behind demise for youngsters between the ages of 1 and 19 in our nation. The main reason behind demise for our kids.
These aren't statistics that I'm prepared to reside with. Are you?
Please, be part of with me in claiming our duty as residents to do one thing about gun violence in America. We are able to’t await another person to repair this as a result of it gained’t occur until a crucial mass insists on options. Our strategy will have to be multifaceted as a result of the issue itself is multifaceted and sophisticated.
Be a part of with me in doing no matter we will to counteract worry with love and with correct data. Be a part of with me in scrutinizing the tradition of violence we've created in our nation, together with by way of video video games and different media. Be a part of with me in refusing to see gun violence as a political difficulty and as an alternative discovering frequent floor with others from throughout the political spectrum. Be a part of with me in making certain that we do a greater job of figuring out and caring for the mentally ailing in our nation. Be a part of with me in acknowledging that wise gun rules aren't about proscribing freedoms, however defending them — particularly the proper to life.
Be a part of with me in placing actual and sustained stress on our legislators to cross the commonsense gun rules that a majority of People help and reminding them that they're beholden to us, their constituents, and to not the highly effective gun lobbies that too usually management their votes. Be a part of with me in recognizing that the NRA, which casts itself because the protector of the Second Modification, is definitely all for defending the billion-dollar firearms business. Be a part of with me and hundreds of thousands of others by supporting the efforts of nonpartisan organizations like momsdemandaction.org; bradyunited.org; sandyhookpromise.org; and everytown.org in order that we will attain that crucial mass that can result in actual change.
We are able to do one thing about this. For the love of God, nation and our treasured youngsters, we should do one thing.
Sharlee Mullins Glenn based Mormon Ladies for Moral Authorities in 2017 and served as its government director by way of 2019. She at present sits on the exterior advisory board of Brigham Younger College’s Workplace of Civic Engagement and volunteers with various humanitarian organizations. The ideas expressed listed here are her personal.