On Friday July 20, 2012, a man named James Holmes shot and killed twelve and injured fifty-eight people in an Aurora, Colorado movie theater showing the latest Batman film. Mr. Holmes legally purchased assault weapons and 6,000 rounds of ammunition from local stores and the internet.

This story is beyond horrific and one can only imagine what the family members of the victims are going through. You can be assured that there will be plenty of discussion about what needs to be done about the easy access of weapons. There will be lots of news stories focused on this tragedy interviewing family members of those murdered. There will be a few brave politicians who advocate the need for gun control. There will be experts speculating the reasons for Mr. Holmes mental deterioration and wondering how he slipped through the cracks of detection.

Statistics that support the need to change our current gun policies:
• Among the world’s 23 wealthiest countries, 80 percent of all gun deaths are American deaths and 87 percent of all kids killed by guns are American kids.
• In 2010 – the latest year for which detailed statistics are available – there were 12,996 murders in the US. Of those, 8,775 were caused by firearms.
• In one year, guns murdered 35 in Australia, 39 in England and Wales, 194 in Germany, 200 in Canada, and 9,484 in the United States.
• In one year 18,223 people who killed themselves and 3,031 people who survived a suicide attempt with a gun.
• In one year on average, almost 100,000 people in America are shot or killed with a gun.
Reasons why Americans seem to have a love affair with gun violence and murder:
• Our country has been at war with another country since its inception. We tell our youth not to be violent, yet we as a country are fighting others all the time; not exactly a great model for peaceful living.
• Many movies, video games and other entertainment targeted towards youth includes violent killing as a major element. This causes children and adults who are inundated with these visuals to have an indifferent attitude towards blowing someone else up. This form of entertainment gives the message that being violent towards another is not only acceptable, it is expected.
• Many urban communities experience intense gun violence. If you place masses of poor people without the prospect of finding jobs into a densely crowded portion of a city, they will inevitably fight each other for their own survival.
• The American mind set is that in order to be successful, you must dominate others in your path. Crushing others on the way up the economic ladder is a form of emotional violence that gives the message that hurting others for your own success is warranted. This lack of compassion for others carries over to the overuse of guns.

There will be lots of talk about the Aurora incident and it will all eventually die down. There will be no new legislation to curb to easy access to weapons. Most of the politicians in Washington are fearful of standing up to The National Rifle Association and therefore nothing will change; that is if the people of this country don’t demand change.

This is what we can do to change America’s Love Affair with Gun Violence and Murder:
• Contact your elected officials via phone, letter or email and tell them that we need legislation that will prevent the proliferation of weapons in this country. Weapons for hunting and protecting our homes are responsible are part of our constitution. However, who really needs to purchase an assault weapon or 6,000 rounds of ammunition? The answer is no one unless they are planning mass murder.
• Contact these same representatives and tell them that we need increased mental health services to help those who depressed and troubled enough to want to kill. We need those mental health workers who can intervene before these awful crimes are committed.
• Monitor your children’s use of electronic violence. There is no downside to not watching this garbage. Studies have shown that violent television, video games and movies cause children to become more aggressive. Make him play outside and plan other activities.
• Teach your child compassion and empathy for others.
• If you notice a young person who appears to be a loner, reach out to him and attempt to engage him in conversation to check out how he is feeling. If you don’t feel comfortable talking with him, tell your school counselor or parents about his isolation from others.
• Demand that the government create a jobs program that provides employment opportunities for those who are out of work. Good jobs will decrease the predatory nature of gun violence.