More concise thoughts about the violence problem our country faces

This is a reply I posted as a comment to yesterday's post asking What is wrong with our country? I share it not because it was easy to copy and paste something I'd already written, but because I don't want to drop the conversation after just one post. It's time for our country to look at this very difficult topic and try to grasp what we as citizens can do to create change whether it's how we vote not just at the polls, but with our pocketbooks, and/or be willing to broaden our perspective that this problem doesn't have just one cause. It's not black and white. The solution will only come when we can acknowledge that the problem is multi-facted with many shades of grey.

"I truly believe if the mentally ill could get the help they need the results would reach far beyond the mass murders like the one that was committed today. It would reduce murders, abuse, suicides, homelessness, and the prison population. On the flip side it would improve worker productivity and help our economy. Ultimately it would help thousands upon thousands of people, both the people who are ill and the lives of those who would either be victimized or negatively impacted by their illness in some way.

I think there are four points that have to be acknowledged by the majority of citizens and politicians before we'll see effective change:

1. A majority of gun advocates are willing to concede that some guns are more dangerous than others and have no place in everyday society.

2. Those who don't believe in funding psychiatric care for the mentally ill because they shouldn't have to pay for the care of others realize mental illness can become their problem too through the actions of those society has decided not to help.

3. We need to change the laws that say that a person who is making violent threats to kill another person has to commit the crime before they can be arrested or placed under a psychiatric hold (until they are no longer a danger to themselves or others).

4. The nation is willing to acknowledge that permeating our day to day lives with more frequent and ever worsening images of violence in the name of entertainment is an element in this equation of why these things happen. Legislation isn't needed to make this stop. A lack of revenue by the public choosing not to go to violent movies, not to purchase violent video games, or watch violent tv shows could effectively stop the entertainment industry in it's tracks.

IMO it's not black or white. We don't have to get rid of every gun, we don't have to remove every image of violence from movies or video games. But we do have to acknowledge that ALL are part of the problem. Until we do the conversation will continue to be a go nowhere debate instead of a productive and problem solving discussion."


Related Posts:

If Principal Hochsprung had had a gun
Monday, December 17, 2012

More concise thoughts about the violence problem our country faces
Saturday, December 15, 2012

What is wrong with our country?

Friday, December 14, 2012