When tragedy strikes across the national news it’s usually because someone has carelessly or intentionally mishandled firearms and hurt themselves or others. Even though there are well documented rules for safely handling guns, let’s talk about the worst cast scenario: Violent gun crimes.
If someone makes the choice to commit a crime, no amount of rules will stop them. So even if every gun was made illegal and all guns in existence were confiscated by the government, violence and crime would still exist if deeper problems aren’t solved.
School shootings, road rage shootings, gun fights, and gang violence are deeper more complex problems that need more than laws to fix.
The beliefs, life experiences, and health of individual people, their families, and their communities all influence their choice of violence in that moment.
How can we stop people from choosing the path of violence and crime?
It starts with the hearts and minds of people.
To completely end all violent crime, each individual person would have to choose good over evil in every moment of their life.
That’s a hard problem that is old as humanity itself that religions and governments haven’t completely solved yet.
Principles for a Less Violent World
Learn from Ancient Wisdom
Ancient books like the Bible teach principles that help, but almost seem forgotten in modern times. Things like love, forgiveness, kindness, patience and hope could serve us well these days.
Build Great Families
In an ideal world, every person would be raised in a loving family that helps reinforce a healthy mindset with the skills to manage their emotions.
But instead we live in a world where too many people grow up in abusive families and don’t have the mindset or emotional skills to keep themselves from making bad impulsive decisions.
To end gun violence we must help people learn how to solve their problems peacefully and believe that they can thrive without seeing violence as a shortcut.
That starts at home
Parents can do the most to help their kids stay away from violence by the culture, principles, and habits they pass down.
Families can also reach out to people who seem disconnected from society and invite them for a meal, or show basic kindness in other ways.
Build Strong Communities
Again, the ideal for all humans would be to be surrounded with positive productive friends, and supported by a rich diverse community of healthy happy productive citizens.
But instead many communities are broken. Filled with destructive friend options, addictive vices available at every corner, and a lack of hope that life could be better. But in modern times it seems local governments in many areas have become oppressive, extractive, or lawless and ruin the potential of the people they are supposed to serve.
Through great families that are involved in churches, wise local government leadership and programs, and other charitable organizations we can improve our communities.
Be the Change
Each of us can choose the path of love and forgiveness. The more of us that do will spread ripples of good around the world. Each person you’re good to inspires more good in them to pass on to someone else. For some, the good you spread could be the only good they experience that day.
You literally make the world better with every good choice you make.
Do more good!
More ideas about ending gun violence…
David Farrell, an army veteran, gave his perspective on how to stop gun violence in a 2018 TED talk. He makes points that still make sense today.