New York Times: Work with National Rifle Association

New York Times: Work with National Rifle Association
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As the presidential campaigns heat up, it is clear we are headed down the path of polarized politics that have made it difficult to address critical issues such as gun violence in America, health care, climate change, etc....

It is time for Americans to get creative in finding solutions to complex problems.

For instance, I applaud the New York Times' front page editorial: End the Gun Epidemic in America (Dec. 4, 2015). Having worked in peacebuilding for 30 years, I wholeheartedly agree there needs to be a ban on the public marketing of assault rifles (US and globally) and I will engage my elected officials.

However, I believe more effective long-term solutions would come from the New York Times and the National Rifle Association working together to develop bipartisan legislation to reduce gun violence in America.

I invite people to read David Bornstein's Editorial piece in the NY Times: The Art of Getting Opponents to "We" (Nov. 3, 2015). David tells the story of how unlikely allies are working together to address education reform in the United States.

Too many important national and global issues are being stymied by polarized politics. Meanwhile, as Bornstein highlights, the Convergence: Center for Policy Resolution has created effective processes to help people who were once adversaries to overcome differences, build trust and then focus on common ground.

I am sure NRA supporters are horrified by the recent San Bernardino shootings and the epidemic of mass killings in the United States, just as those of us advocating for gun control.

The process developed by Convergence brings together a wide-range of public and private stakeholders to develop innovative policy recommendations that are then jointly presented to lawmakers, requesting bipartisan support. The process empowers us, civil society, to help America move beyond polarized politics.

I propose the New York Times and gun control groups offer a $1 million grant to be matched by the NRA and gun rights organizations to come together in good faith for a facilitated, offline dialogue on how to reduce gun violence in America.

If the dialogue is successful, the New York Times and NRA can then jointly recommend practical solutions on how to reduce gun violence in America. While I am sure the process will have challenges, I like this prospect much more than both sides spending millions of dollars to battle one another over gun control/rights while blood continues to be shed in America.

On a personal note: I know all too well the damage caused by the proliferation of assault rifles. The villages I lived in as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone were later sacked by child soldiers carrying AK-47s and other assault weapons. My friends suffered terribly and some loved ones were killed.

Once the US learns to address gun violence in America, I encourage us to set our sites on the global stage.

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