After 12 people were killed and 58 wounded at a movie
theater in Aurora, Colo., on July 20, 2012, I wrote an article about how
America needs to figure out why these mass killings are occurring and stop
them.
It was heartbreaking that at a very violent Batman movie, a
gunman killed and wounded so many innocent people. I called for action on gun
control, mental health programs, violent images aimed at children, and
hatemongering.
Not much discussion on these issues was occurring then.
However, that all changed when 20 students and six teachers were murdered by a
gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012.
Yesterday, President Obama issued a list of items that his
administration or the Congress can do to curb gun violence. I applaud the
president for finally acting on this issue, and I support most of the suggested
options.
Among those that I think are most needed that Congress must approve:
- Require universal background checks for all firearm sales.
- Reinstate and strengthen the ban on assault weapons.
- Limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds.
- Provide $10 million to CDC for additional research on
relationship between video games, media images and violence.
- Give $150 million to school districts and law enforcement
agencies to hire school resource officers, school psychologists, social workers
and counselors.
- Provide $50 million to help 8,000 more schools train their
teachers and staff to create safer and more nurturing environments.
- Provide $55 million for new initiative (Project AWARE) to
make sure students get treatment for mental health issues.
- Provide $25 million for state-based strategies supporting
individuals ages 16-25 with mental health or substance abuse issues.
- Provide $25 million to offer students mental health services
for trauma or anxiety.
- Provide $50 million to train 5,000 additional mental health
professionals serving children and young adults.
Action the Obama administration can take without
congressional approval:
- Direct the Centers for Disease Control and scientific
agencies to conduct research into the causes and prevention of gun violence.
- Launch a national campaign to promote common-sense gun safety
measures.
- Review and enhance safety standards for gun locks and gun
safes.
- Direct attorney general to review gun safety technologies.
- Launch a national dialogue about mental illness.
- Finalize requirements for private health insurance plans to
cover mental health services.
- Ensure that Medicaid recipients get quality mental health
coverage.
With Congress deadlocked on so many issues, it’s
discouraging to see that the most important items on the list require
congressional approval.
See The Washington Post article, “Obama’s Gun Control
Proposals,” for the entire list of the president’s proposals.
