U.S. should study gun violence as a public health hazard

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We’ve been taking two ineffective approaches to gun violence.  The first is to debate whether we need more or fewer guns. Fearing criticism for not supporting the Second Amendment, legislators are easily persuaded we need more guns.

The second approach occurs after a mass shooting. A new gun law is proposed. We argue its merits, and then Second Amendment concerns swallow the process, and nothing changes.

We’ve got things backwards. We need to research and understand gun violence. Only then can we ...

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19
NOV
2

Gun Policy

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More guns alone not the answer

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Are we safer by making it easier for citizens to carry guns? The Ohio General Assembly thinks so. At least six bills seek to expand the rights of gun owners. There’s ample data to suggest that more guns don’t promote safety and that with more guns the number of unintended deaths increases.

Legislators don’t seem to care about data. Then maybe they should take a minute and listen to what fighter pilots have to say about self-defense in the air.

Fighter pilots ...

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7
OCT
11

Gun Policy

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Life lessons from a Hatmaker

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If you’re struggling with the LGBTQ issue, here’s something to ponder, and it’s especially helpful if you’re trying to reconcile the LGBTQ issue with your religious beliefs—the words of Jen Hatmaker, a Texas pastor and mother of five. Here’s what she had to say in the Aug. 28, 2017, edition of Time magazine when asked if the LGBTQ issue will divide the church: “If we are following Christ literally, then nobody’s humanity is up for grabs. Nobody. That is a ...

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17
SEP
0

Social Issues

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Judges probably influenced by campaign contributions

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Do campaign contributions affect how judges decide cases?  Studies indicate the answer is yes. A recent effort by Cleveland attorney Subodh Chandra to disqualify a Summit County judge illustrates how money might drive the public’s thinking on a judge’s impartiality.

First, some background about money and state supreme court elections.

In 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co. that Chief Justice Brent Benjamin of the West Virginia Supreme Court erred in not recusing himself from a ...

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2
AUG
2

Social Issues

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Why has the state fought compensating Dale Johnston?

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[This piece was published in the Columbus Dispatch on July 16, 2017, and is an update of a blog post published in August 2016]

If you believe the court system always renders justice, you’re mistaken. Just ask Dale Johnston. After spending nearly seven years on Death Row for two murders he didn’t commit, Johnston has yet to succeed in a 24-year ordeal to obtain compensation for his wrongful conviction. And the real killer is now behind bars.

Johnston was convicted in 1984 ...

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16
JUL
0

Social Issues

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Rwanda could teach U.S. about collaboration

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What a can the United States learn from Rwanda?  It would seem, little. The U.S. is a large, industrialized nation, with nearly 325,000,000 people, a gross domestic product of $18 trillion, and an average life expectancy of 78 years. Rwanda is a tiny, developing country of only 11 million people, with a poor infrastructure and insufficient access to electricity, and an average life expectancy of 64.5 years.

More about what we can learn from Rwanda in a minute. First, let’s review ...

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7
MAY
5

Political Issues

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Join Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly and advocate for common sense

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Interested in making a difference in gun policy? Here’s your opportunity.

Join the Ohio Coalition for Common Sense, a state initiative started by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, a Navy Captain and former astronaut. The Coalition brings together a broad cross-section of state leaders—business, law enforcement, veterans, faith, medical and civic leaders—who support commonsense solutions to reduce gun violence. The Coalition is part of a national organization, ...

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9
APR
2

Gun Policy

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First Amendment protects pediatricians’ right to ask about gun safety

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Florida pediatricians had a good day in court last month when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit struck down on First Amendment grounds a statute that prohibited them from addressing gun safety with parents.

The battle over a pediatrician’s right to freely practice medicine and protect the safety of children was one that never should have occurred, but Florida legislators thought it necessary to protect gun rights when, in fact, gun rights were never threatened.

The legal conflict began ...

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25
MAR
4

Gun Policy

Tort reform results in two justice systems

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Are there two justice systems in Ohio? Regrettably, yes. Because of tort reform, there’s one for businesses and doctors and another for those occasionally injured at the hands of either.

Before going any further, let me explain something important. The purpose of this post is not to be critical of businesses or doctors. The purpose is to illustrate disparities in the justice system.

The distinction between the systems was highlighted in an Ohio Supreme Court decision in December. The case concerned a ...

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29
JAN
7

Tort Reform

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