Gun Control: Don't Shoot the Dog

The Georgia Regents University Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice and Social Work hold Gun Violence and Gun Legislation:  A Public Panel Forum Monday, Feb. 11 at Maxwell Theatre. "Don't shoot the dog," recommended the Superior Court Judge Danny Craig. He agrees with Vice President Joe Biden who last month said that there was “no silver bullet” to deal with gun violence, explaining that the Obama administration was considering a wide-ranging set of policies in the wake of December’s school massacre in Connecticut.

Each panelist talk briefly about their experience with gun violence or gun legislation, and then the group  took questions from the audience. VIDEO

The panel included:

• Dr. Richard Schwartz, Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University
• Robert Partain, Colonel of Operations at Richmond County Sheriff’s Office
• Ashley Wright, District Attorney of the Augusta Judicial Circuit
• Honorable Danny Craig, Superior Court Judge of the Seventh Division of the Augusta Judicial Circuit
• Honorable Edward Tarver, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia
• Gordon and Elaine Rondeau, Co-Founders and CEO of the Renee Olubunmi Rondeau Peace Foundation 
• Dr. Kim Davies, Chair and Professor in the GRU Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice and Social Work and author of The Murder Book
• Jack Batson, Civil Rights Attorney
• Dr. Bill Reese, Moderator and Professor in the GRU Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice and Social Work

“We’re doing this as a public service to allay the local public’s fears or anxieties,” Reese said. “We think there’s plenty of people concerned about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and equally concerned on the other side of the issue are plenty of people that are worried about the government taking away their guns.”