The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee began meeting on the Department of Health and Social Services’ proposed budget Tuesday. DHSS Secretary Kara Odom Walker has stated previously that fighting gun violence is a public health issue and that the agency seeks to teach children and teenagers they should not view firearms as a way to solve problems. This effort is especially focused on Wilmington, where gang-motivated shootings are common and often involve young people.
However, during the budget hearing, Senator Dave Lawson (R-NRA) took issue with such an approach. Senator Lawson said the DHSS is demonizing the poor guns, especially considering that other forms of violence exist other than gun violence. “When you’re targeting the politically correct gun violence, I take exception,” he said.
Senator, I suspect that if the DHSS broadened the campaign to include all forms of violence INCLUDING gun violence, you would still take exception because guns are included. I also suspect that if guns did not exist and there was a National Knife Association paying the Senator the big bucks, the Senator would decry the focus on knives when fists and bats commit violence too.
Maybe I have my disgusting members of the Delaware GOP mixed up, but doesn’t/did Lawson used to own a business that sold guns?
I think you are thinking of Spiegelman. Lawson is the guy that decried having a Muslim give a prayer in the senate chamber.
Why are any prayers in the senate?
They’re not running a church FFS.
Lawson absolutely was the owner of Shooter’s Choice north of Dover. His place had a sign before Obama’s inauguration telling people to get their guns before POTUS banned them all.
Real honest, thoughtful guy.
So you’re saying he has pretty serious conflicts of interest on this issue, then.
Vote him out in 2020!
The health crisis is Delaware is NOT guns. It’s CANCER! 504 per 100,000 people, that is only 2nd to Kentucky!! Cancer is a serious burden, on our healthcare dollars. It’s a no brainer.
The opioid epidemic…..Delaware ranks 6th in deaths!! There are now schools being built to focus on this issue.
So, try focusing on that for a change. GUNS IS NOT A HEALTH ISSUE, CANCER AND THE OPIOID CRISIS IS!!! WAKE UP PEOPLE AND DON’T JUST FOLLOW WHAT THE DEMS SAY!!
Having observed there can be more than one health crisis at a time (cancer, opioids), you could acknowledge the effects of gun violence as a crisis also? It’s not just deaths, it’s those who survive who face a health challenge (far more of them).
According to your logic, then we shouldn’t do anything about heart disease or any other problem. You do know that we can focus on more than one thing at a time, right? The paranoia and deflection gun enthusiasts display reveals a lot about them.
If you want Delaware to outlaw cancer instead of guns, you’ve just committed a brain fart.
@ Point of Order, yes there are other health issues, but the Delaware has been reluctant to respond to the Cancer rate and do something about it. AND, those who are faced with watching a loved one suffer with Cancer. Yes, I don’t downplay having someone lost in gun violence.
@Pandora “The paranoia and deflection gun enthusiasts display reveals a lot about them.” That is what YOU focus on! Forest thru the trees, Forest thru the trees. Very narrow sighted.
Nope. You deflected away from the topic of guns.
It’s not narrow-minded to pay attention to the fact that people are needlessly dying as a result of gun violence. Some as collateral damage. Working to curb deaths that didn’t need to happen is never short-sighted. And those deaths that didn’t need to happen — that *would* be your forest, good buddy.