Georgia mayors offer leadership against gun violence
Fifty mayors recently sent a message to Gov. Kemp and the General Assembly asking for increases in behavioral health funding, background checks for all gun purchases or transfers, preventing gun purchases by those shown to be at risk for illegal activity with guns, a focus on weapons capable of rapid destruction through high capacity or rapid-fire action and requirements for safe storage of guns.
Why would Georgia’s mayors do something so extraordinary? Gun violence costs Georgia $23.9 billion each year. Every year, an average of 1,800 people die by guns in Georgia. Gun violence is the leading cause of death among Georgia children and teens. Georgia had 19 multiple-victim shootings in the first 10 months of 2023. Gun-related murders shot up 101% over the last decade in Georgia.
Georgia’s mayors are speaking to us loudly and clearly. We must listen to them and act -- just as they have done.
BRUCE MENKE, ATHENS
No excuse for not having core laws on firearms
The letter writer on “Most proposed gun laws would be hard to enforce” raises a good point.
Enforcement can be difficult.
However, universal background checks would close the very dangerous loophole on guns purchased at gun shows. There might be an exception for sales by immediate family members.
The “red flag” law would enable law enforcement to respond to a family member or health care provider who is concerned about the ability of an individual to own a gun.
The safe storage law probably would be hard to monitor, but the penalty could be clear upfront for not following it. The gun owner would be responsible as well.
I do not have all the answers, but I do know that there is no magic bullet for our public health epidemic of gun violence. Only a core group of laws that at least lessen the odds of gun violence. There really is no excuse for not having this core group in our state.
ALIDA C. SILVERMAN, ATLANTA
