The pro-gun vs. anti-gun debate does not address the realities of gun violence in America and the most critical issues in preventing it.

Gun violence is an urban problem. Gun violence is a suburban, small town, and rural problem. Gun violence is a problem in states with strong gun laws because guns still travel in from states next door.

While there are troubling undertones of racial suspicion and fear in Trayvon Martin's killing which must be addressed as justice is sought, the fact is that most Black young people murdered by guns are killed by Black shooters -- just as most White children and teens murdered by guns are killed by White shooters. Sadly the tragedies of Tucson, Aurora, Newtown and elsewhere made clear that none of us are safe anywhere or immune to the pervasive threat of gun violence. We are all in the same boat and must act together to stop the plague of violence. Gun safety laws that only apply in one city or state can't fully stop our national epidemic of gun proliferation and violence any better than we can stop a flu epidemic by vaccinating one family.

Our nation's children and families have suffered enough broken hearts. We are determined that children get a vote on common-sense gun safety measures to protect them from guns. Take action with us.

No, our problem is neither that our guns are too sophisticated for our own good or that we don't have enough of them. Our problem is simpler and deeper. It is our "gun culture" and guns, period.

Whereas the NRA would have us believe that the solution to our alarming homicide rate is more good-guy guns and greater accessibility, that argument has been refuted beyond dispute when it comes to suicide.

Our politicians serve up endless entrees of panique du jour. Of course, what we are supposed to be terrorized about differs, depending on whether you're looking at the left-hand page of the menu, or the right.

We must go much further. No civilian -- mentally ill or not -- ever needs or deserves access to a military style assault weapon that is capable of killing dozens of people in a few short minutes.

Who wants to visit or invest in or even do business with a country that is violent and chaotic, where the government is in gridlock and the public divided?

The notion that weapons like the ever-popular Bushmaster model used in the Sandy Hook massacre have any legitimate use in civilian hands is the effective marketing of a money-making fantasy. Which matters more to us: the money to be made selling guns, or the lives of our children?

Suspected killer Erika Menendez being arrested. It doesn't have to happen. Every year about 1,000 people in the U.S. are murdered by severely m...

We can start with gun control legislation. President Obama is in his second term and now is in a position to take action. Public opinion is on his side. Let's put pressure on our legislators to make sure this happens.