To the editor:

If Democrats are truly committed to reducing the frequency of mass shootings, they should completely reframe the debate. All too often after a mass shooting, Republicans will say, “It’s a mental health problem.”

Democrats should adopt this as their mantra. A high percentage of mass shootings are committed by a person known to have mental health problems. Whenever this happens, Democrats across the land should stand up and say, “We have a mental health crisis in this country!” They should demand that Congress pass a major initiative to detect and treat mental health problems. Republicans will have little choice but to support the initiative.

Will this eliminate mass shootings in the U.S.? Of course not. Will it dramatically reduce the number of Americans who die needlessly from gun violence? Almost certainly.

Come on, Democrats. If you truly care about reducing senseless deaths, let’s advocate for something that can actually get bipartisan support.

Steve Anderson,

Lawrence