Summit draws attention to problem

On Jan. 14 and 15, Hopkins hosted the Summit on Reducing Gun Violence in America. The Summit’s 450 participants included New York Mayor and Hopkins alumnus Michael Bloomberg, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and Hopkins President Ron Daniels. Each presented research findings and a set of policy recommendations to curb gun violence. The Summit’s final proposals include establishing a universal background check system, instituting federal restrictions of gun purchases for the mentally ill, banning the sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines and providing funds to research organizations to better understand the causes of and solutions to gun violence.

This page enthusiastically supports the Summit on Reducing Gun Violence and commends the University for hosting it.

The shooting at Sandy Hook shocked the conscience of the nation. The thought of young children and helpless teachers gunned down led many to call for change. To prevent another Sandy Hook, a majority of Americans reported that they support more firearm regulations. But as history suggests, public support for such legislative action often diminishes when time wears on and the disturbing images subside. To this end, it is vital that we continue to press for reform and keep up the national dialogue. The summit has done just this. By bringing together the nation’s leading experts on guns and mental health, along with prominent elected officials, Hopkins has kept the memory of Sandy Hook alive and has sustained the pressure for reform.

Furthermore, Hopkins has the unique capability to actually enact effective gun control legislation. As the nation’s leading research institution, Hopkins can provide elected officials and the public with clear and concise data on the importance of gun control and the dangers of unregulated firearms. Since much of the existing information on gun control is often contradictory and inconclusive, Hopkins’s work will be particularly effective. As the University’s motto suggests, exposing the public and elected officials to the truths of firearms will contribute to the effort of enacting strong and lasting legislation.

But the summit is not only important to the nation. It is also important to Hopkins and Baltimore. Gun violence is not something that just happens in elementary schools or in shopping malls. The mass shootings that grab the nation’s attention are only the tip of the iceberg. Dozens more die in Baltimore every year than died at Columbine and Sandy Hook combined. There were 217 homicides in Baltimore last year, most of them gun-related. In a merely self-interested sense, the University suffers when Baltimore suffers. A more dangerous city not only takes the lives of innocent Americans, but it also affects the reputation and rating of the University. Increased violence gives pause to students contemplating spending four years in Baltimore. Reducing such violence will not only help the nation, it will help Hopkins and the City of Baltimore.