Some readers might remember my letter several months ago about my wife’s suicide on the morning of November 13, 2021, at home in our shower while I was out walking. We owned no guns, and she had never fired one, but she bought a 9mm handgun the day before in a quick legal purchase from a local gun shop, hid it, and used it as her death tool the next morning, leaving me to find her dead.

I’ve talked about this family tragedy publicly so I won’t dwell on it now. However, my story blends into the national horror of gun violence which continues to proliferate. There are 45,000 gun deaths in America annually, and suicide actually accounts for over half, with murder a close second. Mass murder by guns is happening at a fast pace now all over our country, with the most recent occurring in a Chesapeake, Virginia, Walmart where a supervisor killed six employees and injured more in a breakroom shooting on the day before Thanksgiving. The shooter bought the weapon, also a 9mm handgun, in a quick legal sale on the day of the murders, paralleling my wife’s story of easy access to a popular gun type.

As the killings continue, Georgia leaders are not concerned or moved to action. In Congress, there is no serious movement to stop this loss of life at the moment, although there is a promising effort to do something. With few exceptions, Republicans are opposed to doing anything. A few days ago, the President announced an effort to ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines, but I think we can guess how that will end; a strong combination of the NRA and gun lobby still has the strength for opposing and preventing sensible ways to make homes, streets, schools, worship, work, and all public venues safer. Right now, there are too few good Samaritans willing to cross the street and help us stop the killing of our fellow citizens and ourselves.

God help us.

Grant Plymel Thomasville