Look beyond gun control to stop violence in Gainesville
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James F. Lawrence
Since the ‘80s I have been regularly writing editorials, columns and news stories about ridding our communities and nation of gun violence. After horrific killings at Columbine, Sandy Hook, Charleston, Parkland, Uvalde and so many more, including the recent shooting death of a police officer in Rochester, N.Y., there seems to be no end in sight to the carnage.
The solution? I’m not so sure anymore. Rather than pushing the same remedies, I’d like to hear from local citizens: What do you think needs to be done? Gainesville, after all, is hardly immune. There was a 14% increase in violent crime locally last year.
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As a neophyte editorial writer, I believed gun control measures such as the Brady Law, which required background checks, could at least begin to stem the tide. While it’s true that cracks in the background check system weakened its effectiveness, I can’t help but look back at New York state where I lived for nearly 30 years. There is little evidence that some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country, alone, have been effective.
A mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket this summer was a stark reminder. And so was the recent killing of veteran Rochester Police Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz, who was killed after 16 rounds were fired from a Glock 45 9mm handgun into his unmarked patrol car while the officer and his partner were on surveillance. A 21-year-old was charged in the shooting.
None of this should be construed as recognition of the futility of gun control. Efforts to regulate guns and ensure responsible gun ownership should and must continue. Still, communities and leaders need to be asking, “What are we missing?”
Among high-income nations, the United States, which has more guns than anywhere else in the world — an estimated 393.3 million — ranks No. 1 in gun violence. Something is terribly wrong when, for example, the firearm homicide rate in the U.S. is 22 times greater than in the European Union and 23 times the rate in Australia.
A closer look at the statistics shows gun violence is particularly acute in urban areas where there are pronounced racial and economic disparities. Yes, including communities like Gainesville, where such disparities are among the worst in the nation.
It’s obvious that the nation’s gun violence is two-pronged: easy access to guns and socio-economic related. What’s needed are new strategies around these two fundamental contributors to the problem. In California, for example, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a first-in-the-nation law that allows citizens to sue anyone who distributes, sells or manufacture illegal weapons for at least $10,000 in damages.
While I’ve become more skeptical of topical summits and conferences, which too often wind up having been talkfests, I saw merit in 14 big-city mayors gathering in New York City recently to devise new strategies to combat gun violence. They discussed, for instance, new approaches such as looking for clues on social media and sharing information between cities to trace the movement of firearms. But where were their ideas related to socioeconomic factors such as education, income and jobs?
Of course, elected officials aren’t the only ones with good ideas. If you think you have a solution that should be added to the anti-gun violence toolbox, send it to us. We will place it on the agenda consideration by our reorganized Gainesville For All criminal justice team this fall.
With your help, maybe we can finally start seeing lasting progress.
James F. Lawrence is executive director of GNV4ALL. Send inquiries to gn*****@gm***.com.
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