John Hamer was a Times editorial writer and columnist from 1977-1990. He later co-founded the Washington News Council, a non-profit citizens’ group. He retired in 2015 and now writes a regular column for the Mercer Island Reporter.
Most young males who resort to gun violence, join gangs, and commit other crimes come from broken homes that lack good male role models, especially fathers.
"I’m proud of how we’ve brought women into the newsroom: All our top editorial positions are women now. Since I was raised by a single mom, I never did understand why women weren’t more prominent in high-paying significant positions."
Gun trigger locks have made a difference. Minnesota has given away more than 50,000 since 2022, and St. Louis more than 8,000 at fire stations, libraries, and police departments. Mercer Island has a "lock it or lose it" campaign.
This year I felt it was especially important to participate in this symbolic community event. The recent antisemitic incidents that have occurred right here on Mercer Island and elsewhere have been deeply disturbing.