Letters to the Editor

Guns, ACA and protecting the public

 

President Obama has been criticized for not mentioning gun control in his convention speech. In the spate of recent high-profile mass shootings, inadequately treated mental illness and the use of a firearm are common factors.

As part of the Affordable Care Act, Pres. Obama has made prevention in public health a major focus. The ACA’s National Prevention Strategy has seven key priorities, one of which is the early detection and treatment of mental illness. It’s well documented that inadequately treated mental illness is extremely costly, not only in terms of lost productivity and school absenteeism, but in the human costs to families and those affected by violence.

Instead of being mired in the usual grappling over gun control policies, the Obama administration aims to address the root causes of the problem. This will solve many problems, including protecting the public from those who are delusional and violent.

Wendy Stephan, Miami

Read more Letters to the Editor stories from the Miami Herald

  •  

Briarwood Elementary  teacher Mike Murphy comforts Aiden Stuck, 7, as he waits for his mother at the school after a tornado destroyed the school in  Moore, Okla.

    The readers’ forum

    Teachers risk their lives

    Between the horrific shooting in Connecticut and the devastating tornado in Oklahoma, schools, tragically, have been at the epicenter of the carnage. In both cases, teachers put their lives on the line to protect their charges, innocent children, by placing themselves between the kids and harm’s way.

  • Congress vs. American people

    The lawmakers are acting shamefully and viciously against our president and Americans.

  • Our families first

    The Pentagon wants $450 million for improving and maintaining the Guantánamo Bay prison. President Obama has made a promise and wants to close the facility that houses cq166 prisoners; however, he has faced opposition from Republican and Democrats in Congress.

Miami Herald

Join the
Discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere on the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

The Miami Herald uses Facebook's commenting system. You need to log in with a Facebook account in order to comment. If you have questions about commenting with your Facebook account, click here.

Have a news tip? You can send it anonymously. Click here to send us your tip - or - consider joining the Public Insight Network and become a source for The Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald.

Hide Comments

This affects comments on all stories.

Cancel OK

  • Videos

  • Quick Job Search

Enter Keyword(s) Enter City Select a State Select a Category