GUN CONTROL AND GUN SAFETY
The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement this month reaffirming their longstanding position on gun control. They would like to see handguns and semiautomatic assault weapons banned and a much stricter regulation of the manufacture, sale, purchase, ownership, and use of all firearms. The rationale for this position is that firearm related deaths are at such a high level that this is a public health problem. In 1997, 32436 deaths resulted from firearms, including 4223 deaths in children under 20. In 1997, firearm related deaths accounted for 22.5% of all injury deaths in children and adolescents. Handguns are responsible for the large majority of these deaths in children and adolescents. The United States has the highest rates of firearm related deaths among all industrialized nations. The overall rate of gun related deaths in children under 15 in the U.S. is 12 times greater than that in 25 other industrialized countries, and the rate of gun related homicide is 16 times greater than all these other countries combined. In addition, approximately 20,000 people are left paralyzed by a bullet from a handgun each year. This is comparable in number of lives changed and medical costs to the polio epidemic of the 50’s.
We are aware of the argument that people kill people, not guns; but it is hard to imagine that the American people are 12-16 times meaner than all these other countries. These other countries do not have the availability of firearms that the U.S. does. The argument that we need guns to protect our families actually has proven to be an invalid argument. Guns are 43 times more likely to kill someone who is known to the family than to kill an intruder. The constitutional argument that it is a right to own guns is certainly a debatable issue because the intent of the founding fathers was to insure the ability to establish a “ state militia” not to guarantee the personal use of firearms. I recognize that winning an argument to control guns, even handguns, in rural Kentucky is unlikely. But the tragedy of gun related deaths is real, and we have to do something to change this trend.
There are a number of things that are not so controversial that most of us could agree to.
1. If you are a gun owner, please lock all your guns and be sure the ammunition is also locked. This is especially important if young children live in or visit your home. Use trigger locks on all handguns. If you have an adolescent who is depressed or who has an aggressive tendency or violent temper, get help for his depression or his behavior, BUT FIRST remove all guns from your home.
2. Teach your children about gun safety. Hunting is a big sport in Kentucky, and children need to learn the rules and safety procedures more than any other sport. You rarely get a second chance with a gun accident.
3. Discourage the watching of violent TV shows or movies. Don’t buy violent video games. Young minds exposed to this onslaught of violence tend to become numb to the reality of the destructive power of violence, and often don’t recognize what guns really can do.
4. Let your legislators know about your feelings about gun safety. There are a number of non-controversial issues that can protect our children and not infringe on gun ownership rights. Assault weapons have no purpose other than killing people, and should be banned. Trigger locks and other safety measures should be required. Push for stricter enforcement of the existing laws. Crimes committed with guns should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Gun toting criminals need to be off the street.
5. Schools should introduce more programs on conflict resolution to teach children to settle disagreements in a nonviolent way. Schools have to become more aware of children and adolescents who are at risk for violent behavior and insist that they receive help for their behavior or temper.
There are lots of things we can do now to decrease this epidemic of gun related deaths and injuries. Talk to your children about the dangers of guns and protect your children from injury by locking your guns safely away from children and adolescents. Censor the type of TV shows and movies they watch. Lets do all we can to protect our children from this wave of violence.