Don’t Run. Stay and Talk.

I, like every other concerned citizen, want to do something to dramatically reduce gun violence. So when the opportunity presents itself, let’s not run but, instead, stay and discuss this profoundly challenging problem.

We are stuck in a kind of stasis that will persist without a powerful, reasoned basis for change. Not surprisingly, I experience this controversy from the perspective of a mediator with a deeply held personal commitment to and confidence in the power of reason.  My newsletter goes out to lawyers and so I try to offer useful insights into ways of resolving conflict. In this instance, I strongly believe that lawyers/mediators can make an important difference by serving as honest resources for the law of the Second Amendment.

Read (or re-read) District of Columbia, et al. vs. Heller, and every time you have the opportunity,  engage with others and provide insight into what the Supreme Court says the Second Amendment means. Lawyers are trained to read and understand case law; use that skill to shed light on this critical debate. These are dark moments and even a little bit of light may make a difference.