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During my children’s spring break, we visited the zoo. I purchased tickets ahead of time due to limited capacity for social distancing. I ensured they wore their masks—despite my son’s belief that it’s “the most uncomfortable thing ever.” We sanitized and washed our hands before and after our visit. I took every precaution to shield them from the ongoing pandemic.
As we watched the lions, my phone buzzed with a news alert—another shooting. Innocent lives lost in yet another city. Instinctively, I scanned the surroundings to keep my kids safe. Despite all my efforts, the reality is that they aren’t truly safe. In addition to the pandemic we’re all trying to navigate, there’s a pervasive gun violence epidemic that no amount of masks or handwashing can protect them from. The stark reality is that, in America, children visiting a zoo may not be secure. If such violence can erupt in a grocery store or a nightclub, it could certainly happen here.
It feels like we barely finish offering our “thoughts and prayers” for one tragedy before another strikes. Just recently, on the night of April 15, a gunman unleashed chaos in an Indianapolis FedEx facility, killing eight and injuring several others. This incident follows a string of mass shootings in recent weeks, including the horrific attacks in Atlanta, Colorado, and Southern California, resulting in numerous deaths.
The widespread nature of gun violence is what brought together former U.S. congresswoman Gabby Giffords, executive director of Giffords, Peter Ambler, co-founder of the Giffords Organization, and former South Carolina state senator Greg Gregory for a discussion with the Washington Post about protecting children from this epidemic, both physically and emotionally.
Gun Violence Is Rampant
The statistics are staggering. Between 2015 and 2018, 35,000 children were shot in the U.S. before reaching adulthood. According to Ambler, firearms are the “third leading cause of death for young people” in the country. Since the Columbine tragedy, 150,000 children have encountered gun violence in schools. Yet, the threat extends beyond educational institutions, with kids facing armed domestic violence, community violence, and unintentional shootings at home.
In short, children are exposed to guns in far too many settings and situations.
Impact on Mental Health of Children
“Seventeen percent of American teens have experienced gun violence in some form,” Ambler states, noting that forty percent of those will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Too often, this PTSD remains unaddressed. “The issue transcends just shootings; it involves anxiety and the far-reaching effects of gun violence on children,” Robyn Thomas, executive director of the Giffords Law Center, explained in a 2018 interview.
Legislative Solutions Are Needed
The solution to the gun violence crisis does not lie in more active shooter drills. It’s about legislative reforms that restrict access to firearms. “Increased access to firearms correlates with heightened community violence and school shootings,” emphasized Ambler.
Recently, President Biden signed an executive order aimed at addressing gun violence, but advocates argue that substantial reform must come from Congress. One key reform is universal background checks. “[U]niversal background checks are the most significant step we can take to reduce gun violence, treating this issue as a public health crisis,” Ambler said. He added that these checks prevent children from acquiring guns and stop firearms from being trafficked from states with lax laws to those with stricter regulations.
At the state and local levels, child access prevention laws are crucial, ensuring that gun owners secure their firearms away from children.
Engagement in the Political Process Is Essential
For meaningful legislative change, we need legislators willing to take action. While a majority of Americans support gun control, many Republican lawmakers hesitate to act. Former Senator Gregory points out that the primary election process plays a critical role. Candidates often feel that they’ll lose their seats in primaries rather than general elections, leading them to cater to hard-right voters who typically oppose gun control.
He believes that moderate voices, particularly concerned suburban parents, need to step up and participate in primaries.
It’s profoundly disheartening to think of our children growing up in a world where no place is truly safe from gun violence. As we inch closer to overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, we must not ignore the underlying epidemic of gun violence that continues to harm our children. It’s time to confront this issue head-on.
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Summary
Gun violence in America has reached alarming levels, with children frequently exposed to its impacts. Activists like Gabby Giffords and Peter Ambler stress the urgent need for legislative reform, including universal background checks and child access prevention laws, while also highlighting the mental health repercussions of such exposure. Engaging moderates in the political process is crucial for effecting change.
Keyphrase: Gun violence epidemic in America
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