(Black PR Wire) Silver Spring, MD – Hate, armed with an AR15 assault rifle, took the lives of three innocent people, Saturday, August 26, 2023. On the day thousands commemorated the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (8/28/1963); a day in which Floridians remember Ax Handle Saturday (8/27/1960) where a mob of 200 white men attacked peaceful lunch counter desegregation protesters; and the 5-year anniversary, to the day, of a previous shooting in Jacksonville at a gaming tournament, a young white male, with a legally purchased weapon, shattered the lives of innocent families. The Gun Violence Council of the National Medical Association continues to demand sensible gun control to save lives!

Gun Violence is a public health crisis that our country responds to with condolences, thoughts, and prayers, instead of passing laws to prevent violence and create safety. Condolences are performative, empty words that do nothing to prevent this from happening again.

Policymakers are not taking seriously gun violence and the urgent, desperate need for common-sense gun reform in this country.

The NMA continues to call for immediate legislation to stop the flow of firearms used in crimes by closing the gun show loopholes and establishing mandatory universal background checks. We are calling for investment in community-based programs that prevent and reduce violence, lower recidivism, and increase funding for community policing.  There must be a comprehensive plan for more Mental Health treatment facilities and more qualified Mental Health Professionals. 

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The NMA promotes the collective interests of physicians and patients of African descent. We carry out this mission by serving as the collective voice of physicians of African descent and a leading force for parity in medicine, elimination of health disparities and promotion of optimal health.