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Readers Write: Gun violence in America

Might our politicians show courage in interaction?

May 30, 2022 at 11:00PM

U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith at a news conference in early May. (Aaron Lavinsky, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Opinion editor's note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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Lest we forget in focusing on the massacre in Uvalde, Texas, in our own state a woman, Julissa Thaler, is accused of shooting her son nine times ("Mom charged with murder; family says fears for boy were ignored," May 24). Although she was "in and out of mental institutions" from the age of 13 and was reported several times as having mental problems, on March 17 she purchased the gun that she used to kill the sweet 6-year-old boy. How was she able to buy this gun?

I sent an e-mail to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Tina Smith about gun control. In order to do so, I had to choose from drop-down lists of topics. Gun control was not an any of the three politicians' lists. What does this say about the importance of this topic? To submit the message I had to choose something, so I picked "Animal Welfare," as clearly the human animal needs help. Other animals protect their young from predators.

Karen J. Storm, Minneapolis

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I disagree with Chris Churchill's views ("Focus not only on how, but why," Opinion Exchange, May 27). The Albany Times Union columnist opines on our world of consumer alienation and fatherless homes that leaves many young men feeling adrift. He implies that we have never seen such times like this, so many young men feeling alienated and willing to commit violence upon others.

A brief look at history tells us that much violence has taken place at the hands of alienated young men. It was not that long ago that men felt entitled to harm or kill Black men, women and children for running away from enslavement. Harm inflicted by greed and by seeing "the other" as less than human. And then there is the violence committed by the British Empire, eager to use young men, many fatherless and with few resources, who wished to seek out glory fighting for Britain's wars to colonize the world. Indeed, Harvard University researcher Steven Pinker argues humans are now living in the most peaceful era in the history of our species, as he writes in his 2011 book "The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined."

So what is different? A proliferation of firearms in our society. Many of those firearms are easily available to young men who feel threatened, alienated and angry. The options to work out their anger and aggression in an approved manner are less available compared with the years of long ago.

Yes, of course, we should provide more support and mental health services to teenagers and young adults.

But what is different now is that fists and knives have evolved into automatic weapons, capable of killing many within seconds. Don't waste this moment of sadness and anger. Insist upon common-sense gun laws.

Karen Bream, St. Louis Park

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Comments in the Star Tribune after the Uvalde shooting illustrate the divisiveness of gun control. According to polls, 90% of the country believes there should be some sort of gun control enacted by Congress, yet the 10% opposed have the Republican Party performing a Kabuki dance around the issue every time a small child is murdered. Nothing is going to get done until the 90% take to the streets and march en masse, and both parties start to listen. Unfortunately, mothers of young children don't have time for that.

But there is another way to protest. Many of the companies that make military-style high-powered weapons and ammunition are public companies — anyone can buy shares. If Elon Musk really wanted to change society, he would buy up all these companies for less than half of what he is paying for Twitter, raise the price of an AR-15 to that of a Tesla, and the price of a bullet to $1,000. A mentally deranged person could still buy a military weapon, but then couldn't afford to eat.

If the wealthy class in America won't act, mothers can still do their part. They don't have to march in the streets; they can buy shares on their smartphones while waiting for their children after school. A share of Smith & Wesson is currently selling for around $15. That's less than the cost of ice time at the local hockey arena. If they get together, bake sales and car washes can raise money to buy shares. They don't even have to buy the whole company; they only need to buy a majority stake to tell the board of directors what to do. Buy one company and point to the next and say, "We're coming for you." When you deal with their pocketbooks, things change quickly.

America is a proud capitalist society, so why not use its greatest asset against itself? You can change society from the comfort of your minivan and, if the share price rises, make a profit off the people wanting to hurt your children.

Richard Crose, Bloomington

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Let's change the conversation.

We all decry the violence that now pervades American life, but if we're honest, we know how things got this bad. America runs on money. So every time one of us pays to see a violent movie, tunes into a television show that centers around killing, buys a video game that trains a young brain to kill or supports a business that sells automatic weapons, we are saying, "Give me more of this." There's a reason why the front sections of the newspaper are filled with horrifying news: We read or click on it, and our attention is monetized into profit.

And by the laws of physics, anything we pay attention to expands.

If the last few years have taught us anything, it's that we are interconnected. We swim in one another's germs and actions. There is no plexiglass, body armor or SWAT team strong enough to defend ourselves from one another.

So let's try something new. If we really want life to be safer, and more inclusive, equitable and loving, one way to start is to ask and act on two questions:

1) What kind of life do I want to live?"

2) "What kind of society do we want to create together?"

We can start by putting our money where our thoughts and prayers are. Buy toys and books that build creativity and connection. Send your charitable donations to those organizations whose work results in safety and well-being. Choose movies that challenge your thinking or uplift your spirit. Shift your doom-scrolling to "life support" by clicking on things that make you smarter, stronger, happier or more peaceful. Send your campaign dollars to politicians who are willing to work in a bipartisan way to effect positive change for all of us.

Then put your time where your money is. Read the "Inspired" section of the Star Tribune every week (and ask yourself why it only comes out once a week and is in the back of the paper). Encourage your kids to invite the loner in the lunchroom to eat with them and their friends. Drive courteously and safely. Hold a door for the person behind you. Volunteer for causes that open your heart, not stoke your fears.

Complaining, blaming and shaming aren't working. Let's use our freedom to choose more productively so that our thoughts and prayers are ones of gratitude.

Robin L. Silverman, Eden Prairie