LEGISLATIVE:

Leaders from various GVP organizations are encouraging the following legislative bill actions: 1) Safe storage; 2) Banning guns from polling places; 3) Repeal of the PLCAA-Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. This act gives arms manufacturers immunity from lawsuits resulting from the misuse of their products-guns. Some Constitutional scholars say this would be a game-changer; 4) Banning weapons of war (AR-15 style); 5) Reporting of lost and stolen weapons; 6) Establishing an Office of Violence Prevention; 7) Medicare reimbursement for CVI.

PERSONAL:

(From an article by Marc Gorelick) Three simple things we can do to prevent another child from dying from a gun: 1) You may be surprised that, despite all the active shooter drills children practice at schools, almost 90% of child (0-12) gun deaths happen at home. That’s why all guns must be stored safely: unloaded and locked. Thankfully, gun locks are free and easy to use; 2) This is even easier than getting and using a gun lock: regularly asking about the presence of guns. It is routine for parents and caregivers to discuss allergies and food preferences when sending a child to someone else’s home. It needs to become routine for parents and caregivers to also inquire about guns, whether they are in the home and if so how they are stored; 3) Spread the word. Gun deaths are the leading cause of death for children. They are also 100% preventable.

WHY THESE ACTIONS? (From: Protect Minnesota)

Daily Gun Violence in America: One American dies by gun suicide every 22 minutes. Black Americans are 2x as likely as Whites to die by GV.

Gun Violence in Schools: 1) In 80% of school shootings, the weapon was obtained from home, or a friend, or a relative; 2) In all school shootings, there were warning signs displayed beforehand: withdrawal, bullying, making threats, etc.; 3) In 77% of school shooting incidents, others were aware of the shooter’s plan in advance.

Nationwide and Large Scale: 1) 4.6 million children live in a home with a loaded and unlocked firearm; 2) The USA accounts for 35% of all firearm suicides, despite accounting for just 4% of the world’s total population; 3) In 2021, a record 48,830 Americans lost their lives to GV; 4) The USA has more guns than people.

Root Causes of GV: 1) Employment instability; 2) Lack of access to transit; 3) Substance abuse disorder; 4) Housing and food instability; 5) Lack of mental health services; 6) General and historical trauma; 7) Lack of safe and secure firearm storage; 8) Hesitancy of leaders to discuss and address GV; 9) Easy access to guns for people in crisis or with ill intent; 10) Lack of access to education opportunities and after-school programs.