The Trentonian (Trenton, NJ)

Americans seek answers after wave of shootings

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Americans are grief-stricken and struggling for solutions after a recent series of mass shootings. We’ve all seen the news coverage, but it’s worth reminding ourselves of the extent of the carnage to reinforce the gravity of the problem.

On July 28, a gunman killed three people, including two children, and injured 13 others during the Gilroy, California garlic festival. On Saturday, a shooter opened fire at Walmart shoppers in El Paso, Texas, leaving 22 dead. Barely 15 hours later, a gunman fired 41 shots in a crowded nightlife area in Dayton, Ohio, leaving nine dead and 27 injured.

Such attacks could happen anywhere, which is what makes this so chilling. Americans are demanding more than “thoughts and prayers,” given the alarming frequency of such shootings. Sixty-two people have been killed in mass shootings in the United States this year.

We all agree about the shocking nature of what transpired. From there, it’s harder to come to agreement.

It is imperative that all who wish to seriously address the problem of mass shootings take their ideologica­l blinders off, be open to new informatio­n and resist the urge to make this a partisan fight rather than an opportunit­y to find workable solutions.

While it may be tempting to rush to conclusion­s about the right way forward or retreat to ideologica­l corners, it’s important to consider any idea, regardless of how consistent with our worldviews they might be, that might help prevent these incidents from occurring.

That’s not to say, of course, that all ideas have equal merit or will withstand scrutiny. Some ideas are half-baked. Some have a ring of truth but are so vague that they are largely meaningles­s. And others, particular­ly those with respect to gun ownership and availabili­ty, are laden with practical, political and legal limits and pitfalls.

We can be sure to dismiss the half-baked ideas, like restrictin­g violent video games. Researcher­s have studied that issue since the Columbine shootings in 1999 and have found no link between games and violence.

But, there are proposals on stronger footing, like “red flag” laws that allow a gun owner’s relatives and police to ask a judge to remove guns from people who they fear are a danger. We’re open to red-flag proposal, although it’s tough to pinpoint criminals before they act out – and our nation must always ensure due process.

Predictabl­y, many people want sweeping new gun restrictio­ns. We’re open to carefully tailored laws, but far-reaching and hastily drafted proposals have a history of doing little more than providing soundbites.

More immediatel­y, we must also ensure that existing laws are working as intended, and judge new proposals by whether or not they’d have actually prevented mass shootings that have occurred.

But there are other changes that must be made through personal conduct rather than laws.

For starters, Americans and their politician­s – from right and left, and from the president on down – should tone down incendiary rhetoric that might energize extremists. While certainly not a panacea, curbing rhetorical excesses will not only yield more productive dialogue, but deprive white nationalis­ts and other extremists of room to thrive.

We were pleased by President Trump’s post-shooting condemnati­on of “racism, bigotry and white supremacy,” which reflected a refreshing change of tone. This is a small but significan­t starting point that we all should remember as we type away on Facebook or Twitter.

We also need to be honest with ourselves. There is no simple, obvious fix to the problem of mass shootings. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t helpful policies – or that we should do nothing until someone opens fire on another store or park.

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