Guest columnist Jennifer E. Smith Thorne is the Executive Director of Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, a statewide non-profit founded in 1995 and dedicated to preventing gun violence through education, advocacy, and public awareness. She writes in opposition to HB 234, which deals with gun regulations.
Public health advocates, especially in the gun violence prevention community, celebrated a victory in Ohio last year, with the defeat of another round of "Stand Your Ground" proposals. Sadly we couldn't celebrate all the outcomes from the last legislative session, such as the passage of HB 234.
HB 234 was originally introduced to allow silencers for hunting. Gun lobby backed lawmakers combined it with other bills until it included reciprocity for the concealed carry of weapons for non-residents, reduced by one-third the number of hours required to obtain those licenses, and even made some of the training available online.
Perhaps most disturbing, the law created a loophole in our background check system. The common sense tool is designed to keep convicted felons, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mental ill from acquiring guns.
Let's say your neighbor Bob wants a gun or applies for a concealed weapons license. He has to pass a background check before he can get either. Everything checks out, so now he's a "good guy with a gun." One day, Bob commits a crime. Previously, since Bob now has a record, he can't buy more guns. However, under the new law, his concealed weapons license allows him to bypass that background check, allowing him to buy more dangerous weapons. It seems some of our lawmakers forgot that every "bad guy" was once a "good guy."
It's time that we all start taking responsibility for the presence of gun violence in our society. Studies show this public health risk doesn't discriminate. Gun violence is not just limited to urban areas. In fact, gun violence is increasing across the country, while decreasing in cities. It doesn't stop with the horrific shootings in our schools. Even one school shooting is too many, but the truth remains that kids are more at risk from gun violence at home than in school. We are facing a systemic problem that at times seems overwhelming.
What do we do when lawmakers pass a bill like HB 234 while people continue to die from gun violence? It would be easy to throw up our hands, surrender, and accept this is "just the world that we live in." But we are not raising the white flag.
The solution lies in personal conversations to create culture change. We can't be afraid to talk about gun violence. Families should talk to kids about the dangers of guns and ask "is there a weapon where my child plays?" School boards should look beyond fear tactics and vote no on proposals to arm teachers. Businesses should feel empowered to create weapon free zones on their premises. We can change the culture of fear, one person at a time.
We can't stop paying attention to what our elected officials in Columbus and Washington do either. I applaud the bravery of our lawmakers who took a stand against gun violence last session. I'm asking those who didn't to do better.
You can make a difference. Start with one conversation at a time.