As we implore our elected officials to make our state a safer place, we should keep ourselves informed about the various aspects of gun violence that harm our society.
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We need to learn lessons and draw inspiration from this week’s horrific event at MSU. The victimization imposed by this event ranges across the state, affecting all of the families of MSU students and staff as well parents and students at other institutions who are reminded of their vulnerability to gun violence.
Reflections on MSU and the Aftermath
The shootings at Michigan State University serve as another sobering reminder that gun violence is not something that happens to “other people.” Gun violence is all around us
MSU Shootings
There are ominous developments elsewhere concerning gun safety about which Michiganders should be aware, and I don’t just mean the continuous perpetration of horrific events, such as the mass shooting on November 19th that apparently targeted members of the LGBTQ community in Colorado. I am talking about the expanding consequences of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision in New York Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.
And Now for the Bad News About Gun Safety Legislation
Because of the shift in the partisan composition of the state legislature, it appears that we have alignment among key decision makers that should lead to committee hearings about and actual votes on various gun safety proposals.
A Promising Moment
What will it take to initiate policy attention to the issue of gun violence? My response to this question was much clearer: increased voter turnout in elections.
American Gun Violence in the News
Encouraging people to arrive at polling places prepared to threaten or inflict lethal gun violence on voters and poll workers is one of the worst-case scenarios for any democracy.