When it comes to guns, safety is always at risk

Ald. Derrick Curtis (18th), seen at Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s first City Council meeting in 2019, accidentally shot himself while cleaning a friend’s gun. (Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times)

Guns are inherently dangerous. They can be used for protection but they are, by design, instruments that maim and kill. 

Here in the United States, we have the largest armed civilian population in the world. With 120.5 firearms per 100 residents, we have more firearms than people, according to the Swiss-based Small Arms Survey. No wonder gun violence is an epidemic that is tearing apart our communities.