Polarization of our society has frequently left us unable to achieve an effective national consensus on critical issues severely impacting us. While accepting some forces that may increase violence as a price of protecting citizen rights, we have usually found a reasonable balance of the impact on our society and the rights of our people. Political stalemate has blocked that balance on such pervasive issues as gun usage, access and delivery of mental health services, exposure to violent media, and humane criminal justice.
Seeking a new broad national consensus on violence in our society, let us all, regardless of our divisions, agree that today there is too much violence in America. We must begin to agree on ways to keep our children, families, and fellow citizens both safe and free.