No police reforms would be complete without gun reforms

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Washington Post | ANOTHER REASON TO STRENGTHEN GUN LAWS. This essay observes that policing in the U.S. is inherently more dangerous than in other countries; that fear and danger leads to more violent police responses. It doesn’t excuse police brutality and racism, but offers yet another reason we need stronger gun laws.

“Simply put, police are more likely to use lethal force when they believe lethal force might be used against them.”

It points out that, “there is substantial evidence that an abundance of guns on the streets is correlated with a tendency to shoot suspects. A 2018 study by Harvard researchers found that states with the highest gun ownership rates had a rate of fatal shootings by police 3.6 times higher than the states with fewer guns. A 2017 study found that state-level firearm laws — such as stronger background checks, restrictions on gun trafficking and restrictions on more dangerous weapons — were significantly associated with lower rates of fatal police shootings.”

Click here to see the article from the op-ed in the Washington Post.

Gun Violence Prevention Must Be Part of Racial Injustice Solution

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CT Mirror |

We are in the midst of a historic opportunity to begin the process of eradicating the systemic, institutionalized racism and injustice that has afflicted Black people, and other marginalized communities, from well before the founding fathers declared their intention to form a “more perfect union.” Although their words recognized that achieving justice and equality is a journey, not a destination, history and recent events have once again made evident that Black Americans were excluded from the outset, and are still not fully part of that journey.

Black Lives Matter protests have swept Connecticut and the conversations they have ignited…

Click here to see the op-ed in the CT Mirror.

Guns don’t make us safer during a pandemic

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CT Mirror |

And they increase the risk of suicide, domestic violence and accidental injury.

There’s been a lot of discussion in recent days about whether gun sellers should be deemed an “essential business” as the country desperately tries to limit social contact and mitigate the impact of the coronavirus global pandemic. Some view continued access to firearms as essential to protecting themselves against an anticipated breakdown in the social order amid shortages of food and toilet paper.

The important conversation is…

click here to see the op-ed in the CT Mirror.