Nordic Mom on US Gun Violence

Having just moved our family back from Finland to the US, how do I reconcile with the fact that I took them from safety to a very dangerous place to raise kids?

Hi friends, I wanted to write about free play today and how we can add more of it into our easily over-scheduled kids’ lives—and why, according to the Scandinavian philosphy, it’s the number one activity we should prioritize over all else, in order to raise successful and happy kids.

But that will have to wait.

First we need to talk about raising kids in safety instead.

As a Scandinavian mom now in the United States, I’m baffled at how it is possible, in a first world country, in a world power that is America, to have gun violence as the number #1 cause of death for children, and according to some studies, now even deadlier that auto accidents and drownings.

Here are the questions I have, as someone who didn’t grow up in this country, to which I can’t find answers anywhere.

Can you help me understand:

1. Why pro-life in America seems to mean pro-life before a kid is born, but not pro-life, after they are born?

The pro-life ideology confuses me to no end. Because according to my logic—and really, Scandinavian logic, if pro-life also meant pro-life throughout childhood, not only would US have countless Europe-style benefits and support structures, but in the very least, pro-life politicians and courts would make every vote to keep kids alive in schools and elsewhere?

2. With schools being so dangerous, why don’t all schools have the same security as airports and courthouses?

If the argument is that guns should not be restricted, then why doesn’t every school and daycare facility have metal detectors and security staff just like airports, public buildings and even many museums and office buildings? For example, after 9/11, US quickly overhauled transportation security, which is now much safer than ever before.

3. Why are there no strikes, let’s say all school staff, teachers, parents and kids just striking and not going to school until schools are safe?

In European countries, different groups strike all the time to make it simply not possible to move forward without changes. Sure, they have unions, but Americans have organized before to create massive change, even if state by state. Why not now?

4.2nd Amendment is about the right to carry a gun for “well-regulated” militia—why are modern guns included without any added regulation?

Sure, some repeating arms were available in 1791, but certainly they were extremely expensive and not available except to a few. It’s a very different case now, in 2023. The way I understand it, the Amendment also calls for it to be well-regulated: “a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed,” but it doesn’t seem well-regulated at all.

5. Why can’t the US President use executive power, to protect children?

If the government is unable to act, and Presidents, with executive power, have pardoned federal criminals, left international treaties and even desegregated the army, then why even Democratic Presidents—like President Biden right now—say there’s nothing more they can do to make America a safer country for kids?

7. Why don’t gun makers themselves create restrictions?

CEOs of gun manufacturers obviously want sales, but wouldn’t they want to protect their brand and image by doing all they can, to only sell to responsible people? Why would they not want to do everything possible to try to stop their guns being used in mass or school shootings?

8. Is it really just about NRA?

My journalist mother suggests that there can never be consensus because there is no other more deep-pocketed and powerful donor than the NRA, and, if a Republican wants to run, then they have to accept NRA funds, and voting for any kind of gun safety to protect kids is not possible. But even then it confuses me: certainly some of the NRA leaders have kids too and want them to be safe? Or does the “freedom to guns” ideology simply trump kids’ safety as a principal?

9.Why don’t the US states that allow referendums, do so, so parents can vote directly on gun safety?

Referendums, which allow citizens to place new legislation, have become popular in many other countries, even have been recently used in at least 5 states. Why not use a referendum to vote on gun safety?

In conclusion, what is a Scandinavian mom in the US to do?

Persuade my American husband to make the move? Trust the arguments that “the chances are still low that your child will die in a school shooting!” and live with it, hoping, praying for the best? Buy my kids bullet-proof backpacks which, unfortunately, don’t work for military-style weapons. Sign my kids up for private active shooter training? Find the resources to hire a bodyguard for their classroom?

Will America remain such a dangerous place to raise kids?

When I told my American friends that I let—I encouraged!—my 7 and 8 year old boys to walk or bike to school by themselves through the Helsinki, Finland city center, where we lived this past fall, their eyes would widen and they all asked “isn’t that dangerous?”

No, not by a million miles as dangerous as walking or driving the kids to school here in America and then letting them walk through the front door.

x Annabella

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