Violence getting out of control

The July 1989 cover story from Time magazine covered one week of gun fatalities — 460 people — in the United States. At the end, the writers asked how a civilized nation could allow such sustained slaughter to endure.

Since that story was published, the weekly onslaught has increased and gotten far worse. Today, at least 124 people will die from gun violence. This includes 61-plus suicides and 5-10 children a day. And this tally doesn’t include the hundreds who survive their wounds but are crippled or maimed for life.

We will see unprecedented levels of gun violence unless reasoned, sane and practical measures are taken to stem and mitigate the slaughter that has cast such a dark cloud over the nation. The perfect storm includes an unprecedented surge of mental illness and depression. The suicide-by-gun tragedy will only increase.

Add to this the damning political polarization that has engulfed the nation and the increase of hate groups, and we are facing a domestic terror threat that the Department of Homeland Security regards as our No. 1 threat. Finally, look at the unprecedented spike in gun sales nationwide.

There is a way out. Reasoned proposals include universal background checks and banning assault rifles. We should also pursue weapon buybacks and teach all children and teens conflict resolution and verbal de-escalation.

The situation is dire and unless people act with conviction and pragmatic solutions, we will enter into an era of unspeakable violence that eclipses the decades of carnage we have already endured.

Jim Sawyer, Edmonds, Wash.