Addressing the root causes of violence

The massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut has caused grief and reflection across the nation. I join all Nebraskans and Americans in mourning the victims and in prayer for their families and friends. Such an act of horror naturally invites debate over what can and should be done to protect children and prevent senseless acts of violence in the future.

President Obama and others were quick to insist on new gun restrictions. We all share the goal of reduced violence, but I believe further gun control measures would not address the underlying causes of violence, and woul...