4/8/2021

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            I am happy to see gun violence prevention on your schedule today. Please remember to emphasize “gun safety” and avoid triggering language such as “ban” & “control.” I encourage you to take a look at Dan Gross’ (DG) opinion piece in today’s NYT where he says we should stop focusing on banning automatic weapons, because only about 1% of gun deaths are caused by the “active shooters” who use them. As I’m sure you know 60% of gun deaths are self-inflicted & involve hand guns. So DG suggests, “the most meaningful way to deal with the problem is not to look at how to keep certain guns from all people, but how to keep all guns from certain people.” Clearly, individuals who are having psychotic episodes or suffering from deep depression should not have access to guns.

            Just this morning former NFL-player Phillip Adams (PA) used a 45-caliber hand gun to kill his doctor, the doctor’s wife, their 2 grandkids & one other person, before killing himself. As a guy paid to tackle people, PA must have suffered from some traumatic brain injuries which we know can cause mental illness. He should never had been allowed to own a gun. The poor folks who live in Rock Hill, SC, where this tragedy happened, have lost their beloved town doctor. The town has a history of oppressing Black folx, so that may have contributed to PA’s suffering. We probably will never know.

            Troubled males with guns can wreak havoc as we are seeing in Myanmar every day. It’s starting to look like war in the Dooplaya District where youth in the Karen National Union have M16s left over from the Vietnam war which they are using to fight off the Tatmadaw. I know you share my hope that things settle down there soon.

            HYITL,