We all want to prevent gun violence. That is something
everyone can agree on. But how? Here are some ways to do so.
Gun Violence prevention: These are some methods to prevent
gun violence:
1) Counselors in schools: Some kids and
young adults are angry. They experience bad home lives or have to deal
with issues relating to other kids in school. As such, giving a place for
these kids to talk and for councilors to empower these kids will help resolve
the anger as much as possible. Perhaps using some techniques for patients
who experience post-traumatic stress and/or anger management techniques can
help these kids overcome their anger issues and thus not resort to violence.
(In all cases the kids will have the privacy of Doctor patient privilege
save if they pose a danger to themselves or others if it comes to that.
This insures that the kids know that they can speak freely and thus
approach the councilors in confidence). It can even be mandatory or as
part of a class on dealing with stresses in everyday life.
2) Team up with Churches: Religion
can help a lot. By getting Churches and other religious institutions
involved to aid in reinforcing morality and faith, this can help guide young
kids and young adults into finding ways to deal with issues without resorting
to violence.
3) Reforming Mental Health: One of
the biggest issues with gun control is mental health. There is a lack of
reporting on people who have mental health issues to the people who perform the
background checks. This must be fixed as soon as possible.
Additionally, people with mental illness in the United States cannot get
help unless they are deemed a danger to themselves or others. This too
must change so that these individuals can receive help sooner before the danger
becomes all too real. The last few mass murders with a gun all happened
(as far as I know) due to a mentally ill person who managed to get their hands
on a gun (both legally and illegally as the case may be). As such, a
network on which people seeing counselors/therapists can be created so as to
aid in tracking these individuals treatment which will include a grading system
for the therapists to judge if their patients pose a threat to anyone. This
grading system can then be used by background checkers to see if the person can
get a license for a firearm. Also, an ask for help clause should be made
so that if a person who has a mental illness is not being treated, they or a
personal representative can request help for them to receive some sort of
treatment.
4) End some forms of Victimless Crimes:
Drug gangs seek to protect themselves because they cannot call the
police. These gangs infringe on each other's territory and this results
in shootings. Gangs also use guns for intimidation, and of course out
right murder. This can end via legalizing drugs. The gangs will
cease needing to exist as there will be now legitimate ways to get these drugs
which will force these gangs to break up, go legitimate, or resort to other
forms of crimes. Basically have a special pharmacy or clinic dispense the
now legal drugs with a prescription insuring the safety and security of the
addict. Same can be said for prostitution and them trying to protect
themselves. By legalizing these amongst similar victimless crimes we can
reduce gun violence and our prison populations while we are at it.
5) Bullies: School bullies are one
of the major reasons why kids turn to violence as many students feel like they
cannot do anything to save themselves. They see school staff as incapable
of protecting them. As such two things need to happen. One, victims
need to be empowered and kids seeing other kids being bullied need to go to the
aid of those kids to surround the bully so the bully knows they are alone in
their stupidity. The Second thing is real punishments for bullies.
This means being scared strait, in school punishments so they don't play
video games all day, extra school work for their actions, embarrass them, or
appeal to their ego and charge them with a code of honor so that they will
defend kids from being bullied instead (make them see that they can become a
hero of justice to a degree). Basically ways to deter them from actually
performing the act of bullying. This can even mean showing them the
horror of what their actions can result in like footage/pictures of kids
cutting themselves due to stress, committing suicide or committing murder out
of revenge. Make them realize that their actions have really horrible
consequences.
Conclusion: While these ideas will not solve
all gun violence, it will at least help reduce it. And that should be the
goal. To reduce the need for a gun outside of something for recreational
shooting sports and personal defense. Anything is better than arguing about
faulty gun control measures and not getting to the heart of the issue, the
human heart.
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