Guns, Children, and Suits: that which does not belong

David C

I’m a physician that often bridges very dif­fer­ent worlds. Voca­tion­ally, my foci are in inter­nal med­i­cine and pedi­atrics. Geo­graph­i­cally, I grew up in the sub­urbs but was invited and lived "on the block". Eth­ni­cally, I’m Asian and Amer­i­can. Socially, I’m an intro­vert that enjoys pub­lic speak­ing (mainly as a plat­form for ideals). Polit­i­cally, I lean center-left but have deep Evangelical Chris­t­ian roots. Aca­d­e­m­i­cally, I’ve stud­ied engi­neer­ing, med­i­cine, and health pol­icy. Faith-wise, I am decid­edly Christian.

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3 Responses

  1. Mo says:

    Disarming law abiding citizens is not the answer. Criminals will find ways to get guns regardless of what laws are passed because criminals, by nature, do not obey laws.

    • David C says:

      It is not a matter of disarming law abiding citizens; it is a matter of decreasing gun violence from accidental, suicidal, or homicidal injury. It is easier to purchase a gun than to buy a vehicle, fill a prescription, build a house, or any number of other ordinary activities. Law abiding citizens do not have anything to fear from greater scrutiny; in fact, it is in their best interest to clear their name from being associated with the violence that does occur elsewhere, specifically on my street and in my neighborhood.

      The opening statement of the Constitution says:
      “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

      Note that to “insure domestic tranquility” precedes the need to “provide for the common defense.” Even so, the sheer prevalence of firearms in the United States today threatens both. In speaking with families and neighbors here in the city, none of them have said that possessing a firearm in the house would make them feel safer; the vast majority thinks that there are far too many guns available already.

      To better ensure that those who do own firearms are those who have the capacity to act responsibly and without criminal intent, it is in the public’s best interest to make it more difficult for criminals to obtain guns, even by lawless means, as you have said. Our code of criminal law does not imagine that violence is absolutely preventable, but instead seeks to establish a civil structure that provides the maximal deterrent to crime with the least restrictive means to the public.

      This means that, at the end of the day, the American public must decide what it believes is in the best interest of public safety. My argument is that the voices of those who are most threatened by gun violence have the least representation (children, especially in the inner city), and that their right to freedom from terror should not be treated lightly.

  2. Renee L. says:

    I can sum up my reply by saying, “Amen!” My neighborhood is still in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of a 19 year old this week. This young man was a freshman in college and had a bright future ahead of him. He shared Easter dinner with friends and my housemates and I this year. Just a few weeks ago a 15 year old was shot and killed a couple blocks away. How long, O Lord, how long? I know that for many of the teens in our neighborhood (Bronzeville/Southside of Chicago), gun violence is a norm in their lives. This grieves me and should grieve the church across the country. So I will continue to pray and strive to live out my prayers through my actions.

    I am hopeful that God is raising up his people to respond to this epidemic of violence. In gathering with others who are living and intentionally serving in areas rife with violence, I am reminded that God has not forgotten. He has not forgotten his people and he has not forgotten the children who have lost their lives to violence.

    Praying and standing with you from the Christian Community Health Fellowship conference in Atlanta this week.

    http://www.cchf.org

    http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130508/bronzeville/theater-student-shot-dead-on-his-way-meet-friend-at-l-station

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