8th Annual President’ s Breakfast Highlights a Focus on Gun Violence and Mental Health( continued)
been a victim or perpetrator of gun violence. That alone, he noted, makes the issue of gun violence everybody’ s problem.
Turning to Chuck D, moderator Prothrow-Stith referenced his PBS documentary series, The Story of Hip Hop, running at the time of the President’ s Breakfast. Chuck D. laid out a quick timeline of the genesis and development of rap and hip-hop from the early 70s to the present.
His lens was culture, and how closely the new music reflected the life experience of Black and Hispanic youth. He noted a material change in urban life in 1977-78 with the onset of cocaine becoming the drug of choice for many. Guns became a fact of life for the dealers to protect themselves. By 1985-86, gun violence and shootings became the norm with the prevalence of crack cocaine on the streets.
To Chuck D, throughout this period, suburban whites distanced themselves more and more from the hardcore urban community, seeing the street violence from the vantage of being outsiders looking in and, without much of a frame of reference, looked the other way. Not their problem.
Conversely, hip-hop, drugs and the changing street life were elements that from the outside defined the life of urban youth, whether factual or not. Internally, even youth mis-characterized as thugs yet wanting to be part of the scene, developed a greater awareness of the various rites of passage. Many performers were put in a dilemma that they weren’ t hardcore but in order to have credibility in their performing and recording, and become a player, they had to acquire bona fides. Chuck D noted that the overwhelming majority of performers in the early years were male, Black and Hispanic.
Chuck D answered the question of what is going on in the mindset of the gun violence perpetrator in stating that a violent incident occurs, yet life goes on. Moderator Prothrow-Stith offered the assessment that society as a whole has almost become numb to the incidence of violence. Chuck D countered that we can’ t be numb to the reality of the kid who has now lost a father.
Returning to the main theme, Dr. Prothrow-Stith offered that what we are facing is not a gun problem, it’ s a mental health problem. Dr. Wintermute again emphasized that only 5 % of these incidents involve the shooter as a mentally ill person; they are much more likely to be the victim.
Mr. Rejón noted the role that gangs play in gun violence. Look at the frame of reference and the root causes. Lack of access and its byproducts are a major element. How violence manifests is becoming more personal. Locking people up doesn’ t work, he observed.
There are healthy things that gangs tend to identify with, said the moderator. People want to belong, to be part of some group. In the case of gangs, there is less of a viable infrastructure. Answers don’ t come from the mainstream. Brown and Black people are living in a plantation state, ruled and governed by outsiders. It is no accident that reaction to this condition is the influx of guns and drugs.
Dr. Wintermute cited a logical correlation about firearm ownership: a higher access to firearms leads to a greater incidence of gun violence. There are an estimated number of over 400 million guns in the hands of Americans, a number that exceeds the nation’ s total population.
The public health approach recommended by the panelists includes safeguards: additional, extensive background checks; restricted permitting processes; and expanding the criteria for firearm purchases and possession. Other ideas included securing restraining orders for ownership; restricting the types of firearms available; and passing restricted firearm open carry laws.
As to what the government can do, it was advanced that firearms should be advertised similar to tobacco and cigarettes with warning labels. Chuck D advocated for legislators to take action, stating that the government can get people to do anything it wants. It won’ t happen overnight, he observed.
What does a future victory look like with this approach? Dr Wintermute stated that it looks like someone who might have been shot is still alive. Evidence-based rules are put in place and enforced.
Mr. Rejón stated that leaders coming out of the gun violence culture, actively renouncing their previous lives, should be given a significant voice in the community. Chuck D advocated for the importance of voices whom the public relies on to tell the truth. Truth is the vision, he noted, and artists in particular should be more truthful.
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 5