The following is a reply I sent to Senator McCormick regarding gun violence. It seems appropriate given the loss of life that occurred in Shreveport this past Sunday.

Senator McCormick,

I thank you for responding to my email regarding gun violence.

This past Spring, the residents of Millville in Northumberland County experienced an unspeakable tragedy. A seventeen-year-old male shot and killed another seventeen-year-old male living in the same house. I don’t believe there is much disagreement among most Americans that we are past the time to address this issue.

In your letter, you stated, “Our nation is confronting a serious mental health crisis that must be addressed through expanded access to services that provide early intervention and care.

Here is the National Alliance for Mental Illness Statement on this point: “When tragic acts of gun violence occur, people with mental illness are often unfairly drawn into the conversation. The truth is that the vast majority of violence is not perpetrated by people with mental illness — in fact, they are more likely to be victims of violent crime or self-inflicted injury. The myth that people with mental illness are violent perpetuates stigma and distracts from the real issues.” https://www.nami.org/advocacy-at-nami/policy-positions/stopping-harmful-practices/gun-violence-research/

You also stated in your letter, “It is essential to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others through strong enforcement of existing laws. I also support efforts to hold violent offenders and gang members accountable, and to strengthen school security measures to ensure our children are safe.”

With regards to solutions to this epidemic, I would urge you to support the following:

1.Research: the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) believes that to meaningfully reduce gun violence in the U.S., including self-directed gun violence, the federal government must invest in research to help us better understand this pressing public health issue and develop evidence-based practices on how to prevent it. (https://www.nami.org/advocacy-at-nami/policy-positions/stopping-harmful-practices/gun-violence-research/

2. Federal legislation creating a federal concealed carry mandate would gut state standards for those who may carry hidden, loaded handguns in public. It is vital to block this mandate. It would force each state to recognize the concealed carry standards of every other state, even those that have dramatically weaker standards–and those that don’t have any standards at all. (https://www.everytown.org/solutions/block-concealed-carry-mandate/

3. When a person is in crisis and considering harming themselves or others, family members and law enforcement are often the first people to see the warning signs. Extreme Risk laws, sometimes referred to as “Red Flag” laws, allow loved ones or law enforcement to intervene by petitioning a court for an order to temporarily prevent someone in crisis from accessing guns. (https://www.everytown.org/solutions/extreme-risk-laws/)

4. Assault weapons are exceptionally deadly firearms commonplace in mass fatality shootings. They are generally capable of firing far more bullets, far faster than manual-action hunting rifles. Prohibiting assault weapons can prevent mass shooting injuries and deaths. (https://www.everytown.org/solutions/assault-weapons/

5. Shoot First, also known as Stand Your Ground, laws allow a person to shoot and kill another person in a public area even when there are clear and safe ways to retreat from a dangerous situation. These laws threaten public safety by encouraging armed vigilantism. (https://www.everytown.org/solutions/repeal-shoot-first/)

Senator, our country is at an inflection point between valuing human life and respecting Second Amendment rights. You stated in your letter, “It is a profound tragedy when communities are faced with senseless acts of violence, and I share in the heartbreak when it occurs.” It is beyond time to put actions behind those words.

In addition to considering the above actions, I would also urge you to hold a Town Hall so that you can hear the stories of those who have been most affected by this epidemic.

Human life is precious and I trust you agree that we must do everything to protect it.

NORM WINDLE

Muncy

Submitted by Virtual Newsroom