New study raises questions about children and gun safety HD

A new report published this week by the CDC finds that almost 1300 children are killed and another 6000 injured by guns every year in the U.S. Gun violence now ranks as the third leading cause of death among children under 17, with African American boys accounting for over a third of those deaths. The study further validates a 2012 statement issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics that, “The safest home for children and teens is one without firearms.” https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Renews-Committment-to-Preventing-Gun-Injuries-in-Children.aspx “The report frames the impact of gun violence on children as a serious public-health problem that demands attention and scientifically sound solutions. It calls for programs to help youths manage their emotions and their problems and […] underscores the importance of safely storing guns to prevent both unintentional and intentional shootings.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/children-are-dying-because-of-americas-lax-gun-policies/2017/06/20/21935b94-55c2-11e7-b38e-35fd8e0c288f_story.html?utm_term=.6342026bb56c Research shows guns in the home increase the likelihood of both suicide and accidents. The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence notes that child access prevention laws — the kind that hold adults accountable for giving kids unsupervised access — “have been shown to be effective at reducing unintentional firearm deaths among children.” http://smartgunlaws.org/gun-laws/policy-areas/consumer-child-safety/child-access-prevention/ But politicians beholden to the gun lobby continue blocking scientific research into gun safety while pushing for policies that even responsible gun owners don’t want. “By flexing its political muscle, the NRA has blocked funding for federal gun violence research, stalled presidential appointments and killed every significant piece of gun-control legislation introduced in Congress since the Federal assault weapons ban of 1994.” http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-nra-washington-gun-lobby-20170619-story.html Eyewitnesses describe how the very same lawmakers who consistently block gun-safety laws went running for cover, hiding in the dugout when a crazed gunman opened fire on them during baseball practice and leaving their injured colleagues on the field. Compare that to how teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary used their own bodies as shields, six of them losing their lives to protect their students. Now tell me, who’s really looking out for the well being of our nation’s children?