Despite overwhelming support from the American public, national gun safety standards have faltered in Congress, undone by political pressure from the gun lobby. So with legislative solutions seemingly out of reach for now, it’s important to consider other strategies, and here’s an especially promising approach:
Use the collective market power of police departments, law enforcement, and the military (which together account for 40% of domestic gun purchases) to encourage voluntary reforms on the part of gun manufacturers.
These reforms could include tighter standards for dealers to keep firearms out of the wrong hands, smart gun technology that allows guns to be fired only by an authorized owner, and greater cooperation with law enforcement to track the guns used in crimes.
That’s the idea behind the “Do Not Stand Idly By” campaign launched by a group called Metro IAF, which is composed of citizens and religious leaders, working in conjunction with the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Along with New Rochelle’s Police Commissioner, Pat Carroll, I am proud to sign on to this effort, and hope it will bring some common sense to the national conversation around gun safety.
You can learn more about the campaign here.