- Target:
- United States Senate, United States House, President Barack Obama
- Region:
- United States of America
In the wake of the Newtown tragedy, we feel compelled to take action on two issues: gun control and mental illness.
Gun advocates say that guns don’t kill people; criminals kill people. While that’s true, people with guns are able to kill many more people much more quickly than with other weapons. The recent school stabbing in China offers a stark contrast to the Newtown tragedy: Adam Lanza’s guns killed 26 people; Min Yingjun’s knife killed no one. Without guns, there would still be random acts of violence; but the scale of the damage would be exponentially smaller.
The other common argument against gun control laws is that they won’t prevent criminals from acquiring guns. That’s like saying we should abandon drug laws just because people can acquire illegal drugs. No law can entirely prevent criminals from getting their hands on guns. But if we make guns more difficult to acquire, fewer criminals will get their hands on them.
Mental illness also requires focused, immediate government attention. Despite the Mental Health Parity Act, there remains an underlying attitude that mental illness is not only inferior to physical illness, but is actually a sign of personal weakness. This attitude is a major contributor to the problems we’ve had in assessing potential violent criminals like Adam Lanza before it’s too late.
The lack of gun control in this country is now to the point where individual rights are overpowering the good of the community. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety of its citizens. When governments in the Middle East fail to do so, we intervene. It is equally important that we intervene right here in America.
Revisiting the Assault Weapons Ban would be a good start, but it is not enough. Very few gun crimes in America are perpetrated with assault weapons. Handguns and ammunition must also be regulated. In addition to background checks, we need clear guidelines as to where, when and what type of guns one can legally carry. The penalties for breaking these laws must be harsh and strictly enforced.
Fewer guns = Fewer deaths from guns.
The government must also play a central role in reducing the stigma around mental illness and fostering better preventative care. We urge you to consider requiring insurance companies to cover one mental health exam per year, just as they cover one physical. Consider increased funding for community mental health centers that treat poor, urban populations where violent crime tends to be higher. Consider requiring employers to grant paid days off for mental illness as they do for physical illness. And consider instituting mental health awareness programs in schools, so that the community can recognize and reach out to troubled individuals who are isolated or need help. If the communities in Newtown, Aurora, or Columbine were more aware of these issues, they might have paid more attention to individuals who were “weird,” “isolated” or had bizarre thought patterns.
Our nation’s children deserve a better fate than the kids at Sandy Hook Elementary. In the President’s eloquent words, “Let’s make our country worthy of their memory.”
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The Stop Gun Violence and Treat Mental Illness petition to United States Senate, United States House, President Barack Obama was written by Zak Sandler and is in the category National Affairs at GoPetition.