Note: The Lawrence Times runs opinion columns and letters to the Times written by community members with varying perspectives on local issues. These pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Times staff.
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Firearms were involved in more child deaths in 2020 and 2021 than any other cause.
On a per-capita basis, the firearm mortality rate among children and teens in the U.S. is more than 9.5 times the rate of Canada, the country with the second-highest child and teen firearm death rate. If firearm deaths in the U.S. had mirrored Canada’s rates between 2010 and 2021, approximately 30,000 U.S. children and teenagers would still be alive, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
First Presbyterian Church is raising awareness of gun safety with a lawn display of 43 T-shirts. The CDC collects data by cause of death. The CDC’s most recent statistics published for 2019 showed that Kansas recorded 43 deaths by firearm for children ages 0-19 years. The red T-shirts represent 23 of those deaths as by suicide. The yellow T-shirts represent 20 of those deaths as by homicide or accident.
The display, on the church’s north lawn, will continue during the month of July. The church is located at 2415 Clinton Parkway, close to the intersection of Clinton Parkway and Crestline Drive.
Firearms are a leading cause of death among children in many states. In Kansas, firearms are the second leading cause of death among children. That is why it is more important for parents to know how to secure firearms. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all firearms in households with children should be unloaded and in locked storage, with ammunition stored separately.
Also, “The Be SMART campaign was launched to raise awareness that secure gun storage — storing guns locked, unloaded and separate from ammunition — can save children’s lives,” according to its website. “… Whether you’re a gun owner, or you know someone who owns a gun, there is a role for everyone in the conversation around secure gun storage.” Learn more at besmartforkids.org.
— Margie Dyck, Lawrence
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