[Macktee]

Detroit News Online

July 13, 2007

Gun-control rally targets presidential hopefuls at NAACP forum

Jonnelle Marte / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- Weusi Olusola was 16 when four nearly fatal bullets knocked him to the ground while he was walking down a street in west Detroit.

Twenty years later, Olusola found himself on the ground again -- only this time, it was by choice.

He was one of 32 kids and adults dressed in black who lay down Thursday in front of Cobo Center to bring gun control to the attention of the nine presidential candidates participating in a forum as part of the last day of the NAACP national convention.

"We're here to hopefully put this on somebody's radar so that our future leaders and our current leaders can tackle this head-on," said Olusola, who moves in a wheelchair because he hasn't been able to walk since he was shot as an innocent bystander. He is president of Pioneers for Peace, a group of people who were disabled because of violence and who fight to prevent further violence.

Planned by Pioneers for Peace and Million Mom March, the demonstration was one of dozens being held nationwide sparked by Abigail Spangler, a Virginia woman who wanted to do something to honor the families of the Virginia Tech victims. It was the first one in Michigan.

While the protesters lay down, they held up signs that summarized their mission: "32 people are murdered each day from guns. Five of them are kids. Save our children. Keep guns out of schools and childproof handguns. Save our communities. Keep guns out of the hands of criminals. We need sensible gun laws now!"

The demonstration took place at 11:45 a.m. after the forum had begun, and the presidential candidates may not have seen the activists.

"It didn't impact anything," NAACP spokesman Richard McIntire said of the protest's effect on the forum. "Everything turned out very well."

The groups were advocating for background checks on all gun purchases, a limit on the number of purchases allowed and a renewal of the assault weapons ban.

"It has to stop. I'm tired of crying every time I put on the news because some mother somewhere is crying," said Valarie Walden, president of then Detroit chapter of Million Mom March, who said she lost a fiance and cousin to gun violence. "I'm here trying to make some changes because I'd like for this place to be a better place."

 

[ptsmith24]

The irony..isn't Detroit full of crime? What are their gun control laws like?

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

Are they strict? I thought they had pretty normal gun laws in Detroit.

 

[wsweeks2]

"32 people are murdered each day from guns. Five of them are kids. Save our children. Keep guns out of schools and childproof handguns. Save our communities. Keep guns out of the hands of criminals. We need sensible gun laws now!"

Preaching to the choir, but which gun laws allow criminals to purchase or possess firearms?

The groups were advocating for background checks on all gun purchases, a limit on the number of purchases allowed and a renewal of the assault weapons ban.

Isn't one gun enough? And if I buy 3 guns at the same time, how I am going to shoort all of them at once? And what does the assault weapons ban accomplish?

 

[Sharky]

And these are the same poeple that demand the police be everywhere and protect them!

They forgot what it was to be an American and take responsibility for yourself.

 

[wsweeks2]

They forgot what it was to be an American and take responsibility for yourself.

Bingo!!!

 

[Sharky]

They forgot what it was to be an American and take responsibility for yourself.

Bingo!!!

I was talking to my co-worker, who is retired Navy (worked his way from pilot to XO of a destroyer), and he said this an I agree......

"what made other countries and societies afraid of us, is now diminishing because people are afraid to stand up and protect this country and themselves"

"nations used to believe if you mess with the US, you were in for a world of hurt. And attacking us meant, wiping you out. people didnt think twice to protect what we had here. Now its completely different"

Well he was around just after Pearl and served through Vietnam. Pretty good opinion if you ask me.

 

[fallison]

And these are the same poeple that demand the police be everywhere and protect them!

They forgot what it was to be an American and take responsibility for yourself.

I don't believe they forgot. They were never taught to take responsibility for anything. We have raised two generations now to believe that nothing that happens to them has anything to do with choices they made. Everything is someone else's fault.

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

We have raised two generations now to believe that nothing that happens to them has anything to do with choices they made. Everything is someone else's fault.

What are you trying to say? That is not my fault!

 

[fallison]

Exactly. We all know it is the evil guns' fault.

 

[Sharky]

especially the long black guns, those are the worst!

 

[budder]

The groups were advocating for background checks on all gun purchases, a limit on the number of purchases allowed and a renewal of the assault weapons ban.

Isn't one gun enough? And if I buy 3 guns at the same time, how I am going to shoort all of them at once? And what does the assault weapons ban accomplish?

Dual-wielding + New York reloads. Of course, I can't think of too many shootouts where that happened or situations where it would even be useful.

 

[fallison]

especially the long black guns, those are the worst!

or those with long, curved, scary magazines sticking out of them.

 

[wsweeks2]

Anyone catch the article by Bill O'Reilly in the Gwinnett Daily Post from the 1st of July?


Gwinnett Daily Post
July 1, 2007

By Bill O’Reilly

SUMMER OF LOVE HAD DESTRUCTIVE CONSEQUENCES

USA -- Forty years ago, the United States was a much more conservative place than it is today. Even though the civil rights movement had won some tough victories down south, and Vietnam dissension was heating up, most Americans were still tied to the traditional values of their parents.

For example, in my heavily ethnic neighborhood of Levittown, N.Y., if an unmarried girl got pregnant, it was a huge scandal. Rarely was abortion even discussed because most of us were Catholic. The young girl usually got married to the father quickly and quietly. This happened to my cousin and two of my friends. An unwanted pregnancy was a major deal.

Drugs, also, were not acceptable. Addicts were shunned like lepers, and even marijuana was considered way out of bounds. In 1967, while some of my high school friends were drinking beer whenever they could, nobody in my crowd was even thinking about dope.

But out in San Francisco, the ‘‘Summer of Love’’ was unfolding. Young people streamed into that city and congregated in the parks, where they were introduced to pot and hallucinogenic drugs by local dealers. According to a recent series of reports by the San Francisco Chronicle, thousands of young Americans spent the summer stoned and having sex with a variety of their compatriots. This led to an epidemic of overdose situations and social disease problems.

The press, however, did not concentrate on those negatives. Instead, the media immediately branded the Summer of Love crew as ‘‘hippies’’ and proclaimed the era of ‘‘flower power,’’ thereby creating a glamorous subculture. The glorification and marketing of that subculture 40 years ago swept the nation and remains with us today.

Almost immediately, the music industry hopped on the hippie bandwagon, and rebellious, drug-addled pop stars soared up the charts. The names are now icons: Joplin, Hendrix, Morrison, Slick, Garcia and so on. No question, the summer of love changed America’s attitudes towards drugs, sex and rock ’n’ roll.

The unintended consequences of that summer are staggering. Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison all died at age 27 from drug and/or alcohol activity. Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead lasted longer, but his heroin intake ultimately did him in. All told, the damage the drug scourge has done to America is incalculable.

But you’d never know that by the media, which generally continues to glorify our permissive culture. There’s little mention that 70 percent of black babies are now born out-of-wedlock, while the overall birth rate outside of marriage has gone from 8 percent 40 years ago to 37 percent today. Single mom homes, of course, are the major driver of poverty in America.

So, call me a fogy, but I’m not real nostalgic about the Summer of Love. I like the music it engendered, but you can have the acid trips and the poor hygiene.

Certainly, love is a good thing in any season. But it must be accompanied by responsibility to truly flower.

 

[Thorsen]

You know if a law that banned firearms, swords, long knives, etc actually did keep those items out of the hands of criminals I could be persuaded that it was a necessary law. As we all know, though, all that firearms laws do is intrude on the otherwise lawful citizen's rights. Criminals could care less about background checks, gun locks, limits on purchases, and off limit carry areas. So who does those laws affect? Well us. The generally law abiding. So every law you see being passed concerning firearms, look at that as one more law bent on inhibiting your rights to self-preservation and remember that lawmaker the next time you go to the polls.

 

[AV8R]

Let me get this straight:

Young girls get pregnant outside of marriage, sometimes by multiple men. Marriages come and go. Men aren't men anymore... Even TV portrays men as stupid worker bees that really only care about huge TVs, luxury cars, and beer. Parents work way too much, spend no time with their kids, and rely on school, TV, and music to raise their kids. There's violence, sex, and poor lifestyles all over TV. We know more about Hollywood's social happenings than our local, state, and federal issues. People aren't responsible for anything anymore, yet they are entitled to everything (me, me, me!) And so kids grow up without direction, responsibility, and ambition, and then get involved in shady stuff and either end up dead or in jail.

Solution? More laws to tell us what to do, where to do it, and when.

It's clear to me that PEOPLE are the problem, not the instruments they choose to wield.

 

[Macktee]

I can't remember who said and I probably don't have it exactly correct, but you'll get the idea...

"People get the government they deserve."

Or, as Pogo said, "We has met the enemy and they is us".

We sit here in front of our computers and complain. We should be doing something!

Well, you people should be doing something. I'd like to help, but I'm pretty busy at the moment... However, I'm behind you 100%! Good luck!

 

[AV8R]

I can't remember who said and I probably don't have it exactly correct, but you'll get the idea...

"People get the government they deserve."

Or, as Pogo said, "We has met the enemy and they is us".

We sit here in front of our computers and complain. We should be doing something!

Well, you people should be doing something. I'd like to help, but I'm pretty busy at the moment... However, I'm behind you 100%! Good luck!

:lol:

 

[tace]

Well, we do somethings like be responsible parents and teach our kids better. Go out and vote our minds in elections. Call up or send mail to our politicians. Call govt workers who don't apply the laws they supposed to. Volunteer with many orgs, etc. Overall, there are plenty of ppl getting involved one way or another out there.

 

[Macktee]

You said it tace. Very true!

And, I'm behind them all..... 100%

I'd like to help, but I've got this problem with my back that precludes me from doing any heavy lifting, or volunteering, or helping out, or you know, do stuff. But, I fully support those of you who do get involved. Really........ :bsflag: No. Honest. I'm behind you guys. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind youse!








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