I support the 2nd Amendment and recognize the need to address gun violence as a public health issue.
The debate should not be between gun control versus gun rights. We should be discussing ways in which we can work together to prevent gun violence and preserve the 2nd Amendment.
This topic engenders strong emotions because so many Americans have been the victims of—or have lost loved ones—to gun violence. And gun-rights advocates view firearm ownership as a fundamental American civil liberty.
I support the 2nd Amendment.
At the same time, it's crucial to recognize that gun-related deaths and violence in the US claimed nearly 21,000 lives, and suicide by guns claimed 25,000 last year. We have a problem in this country.
There is also an epidemic of mass shootings — incidents in which a shooter claims the lives of at least four victims. Denying this as an issue does not help the Nation. Nearly one-third of the world's public mass shootings occurred in the US, and 2021 saw 693 mass shooting incidents, up from 417 in 2019.
Mass shootings account for only a small fraction of gun-related deaths. As the numbers demonstrate, domestic violence, police shootings, gang activity, and accidental deaths make up the majority of non-self-inflicted, gun-related casualties.
My support of the 2nd Amendment — and the right to bear arms — does not exempt me from supporting proven measures to address curbing gun violence. Evaluating our current practices is vital if we are to actively manage the heart of the issue.
The gun control controversy centers on a disagreement over the legal implications of the Constitution's 2nd Amendment and the ongoing public health crisis of gun violence.
In addition, it centers on the debate that any more restrictions around gun manufacturing, sales, and ownership is unconstitutional, or a disagreement over whether or not stricter rules would lower the occurrence of violence.
We need to:
Identify the problem of gun violence.
Research the facts — What prevents gun violence?
Democrats and Republicans have been in a stalemate over how to prevent gun violence for years. But, new research could help avoid partisan gridlock and find bipartisan solutions to preserve the 2nd Amendment and save thousands of lives.
Explore acceptable bipartisan solutions to address gun violence.
Move forward.