What's More Deadly? Swine Flu or Gun Violence?

(by Cynthia Tucker - April 29, 2009)

The deadly contagion is spreading, striking down young and old, well-heeled and downtrodden, sophisticates and illiterates. Last year alone, the affliction killed thousands in Mexico and even more in the United States.

Not swine flu. Gun violence. While federal and state authorities are preoccupied with preventing a swine flu pandemic from overwhelming the United States, the epidemic of gun violence rages on, unabated and little noted.

Last Saturday, George Zinkhan III, a well-respected University of Georgia professor, took two handguns to a community theater and killed his wife, Marie Bruce, and two of her theater colleagues while wounding two others, police said. Zinkhan left his 10-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son in his car while he went on his bloody rampage, according to authorities. Then, he dropped the children off at a neighbor’s house — he explained he had an emergency — and fled, police said.

Don’t expect that this latest mass killing will arouse any more outrage or prod any more public action than those that preceded it. In March and April, armed gunmen of curious motive and deranged sentiment opened fire in a nursing home, a community center, their own homes and public spaces, killing family, friends and strangers.

Among the lowlights of this savage spring were the murders of two children of Devan Kalathat, who shot them and three other relatives before he killed himself; the murders of five children of James Harrison, who killed them before committing suicide; and the murders of the daughter and nephew of Kevin Garner, who, similarly, killed his estranged wife, his sister and the children before turning his gun on himself, law enforcement officials said. The shootings produced outpourings of grief and outbursts of anger but few calls for tighter gun laws.

In fact, state legislatures in the South, including the Georgia General Assembly, have recently loosened laws that deal with weapons in public places. In Georgia, gun owners with concealed-carry permits may now take their firearms into state parks, onto public transit and into many bars and restaurants.

Moreover, the sales of firearms and ammunition have soared over the last several months, sparked by the election of President Barack Obama and the belief that Democratic control of the White House and Congress will lead to restrictions on gun ownership. It’s a strange notion with absolutely no basis in fact.

Witness Obama’s tepid response to Mexican authorities who pleaded for help in stopping the flow of deadly firearms from the United States into the hands of drug thugs.

After Attorney General Eric Holder suggested the Obama administration might push to reinstate the ban on assault weapons, which expired in 2004, the White House received a letter signed by 65 craven Democrats insisting that the president leave assault weapons alone. Obama agreed to do nothing.

We have an odd way of assessing risks. While swine flu may yet emerge as a full-scale pandemic, it hasn’t proved especially lethal so far. Even in Mexico, where public health facilities are not as well developed as in the United States, the death toll has crept past 150 but hasn’t claimed lives on the scale of drug-related gun violence.

Yet, swine flu has prompted the travel industry to brace for a panic; pharmacies report a run on supplies of antivirals such as Tamiflu; and the news media have hurriedly produced new catchphrases for their round-the-clock swine flu reportage. President Obama has dispatched Cabinet-level advisers to assure Americans that his administration is doing everything necessary to prevent the spread of the disease.

If only we could muster half that hysteria over gun deaths.

______________________________________________

Cynthia Tucker is editorial page editor at AJC. She can be reached at cynthia@ajc.com.

Mother's Day Proclamation (1870)

By Julia Ward Howe

Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the bosom of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe out dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress,
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.
____________________________________________

(Editor's note: IMHO, JWH would have loved the idea of a Department of Peace!)

Youth PROMISE Action Day - Report from DC

(Guest blog from the Youth PROMISE group on Facebook.)

WASHINGTON – A broad coalition of civil rights, religious and juvenile justice groups called on Congress to pass H.R. 1064, the Youth PROMISE Act, a bill that would use proven prevention and intervention strategies to curb youth violence.

This bipartisan legislation would promote local youth violence prevention strategies by establishing Promise Coordinating Councils that include a broad range of representatives from law enforcement, community organizations, schools, health, social services and mental health providers. The councils would generate comprehensive community-centered strategies to help young people live safe and healthy lives, free from gangs, delinquency and violence. Representative Robert Scott (D-VA, pictured above with activist Jessica Carla) and Michael Castle (R-DE) sponsored the Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support and Education Act.

The Youth PROMISE Act, was the centerpiece of a 24-hour online and off line Youth Advocacy Day that started with an evening film screening of a movie on gang life, “Crips and Bloods: Made in America,” followed a morning forum; and ended with phone calls and emails to lawmakers as well as congressional lobby visits. During the forum, advocates received last minute inspiration from a list of speakers that included Representative Robert Scott (D-VA), Sheriff Gabe Morgan, the City of Newport News, producers of the Made in America film Cash Warren and Baron Davis, Los Angeles Councilmember Tony Cardenas and Khalid Samad of Peace in the Hood.

As part of the Youth Advocacy Day, representatives from this ideologically diverse coalition issued the following statements:

“We have to reach young people before they become involved in a cycle of violence,” said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “The Youth PROMISE Act is an ounce of prevention and intervention for communities at risk of gangs, delinquency and crime. This legislation recognizes that for young people to lead productive lives they belong in schools, not prisons."

"It is morally and fiscally responsible to do all we can as citizens, elected officials, policy makers, mentors, teachers, artists and athletes to intervene in and prevent gang violence and juvenile crime by providing options and support for the most vulnerable and at-risk youth in our communities,” said Beto "Boneco" Simas, Founder and Executive Director of ALMA Vida Foundation. “The YPA creates a unique framework that will address the specific needs of a community. This legislation is not a band-aid, it is a long term solution to a fundamental crisis in our cities. We must care for our youth, show them direction, and give them the opportunity to succeed."

“We are calling on Congress to reduce our country’s over-reliance on incarceration and prosecution of children in adult court as a response to juvenile crime and instead promote more effective approaches that will help our youth become successful and productive adults,” says Liz Ryan, President & CEO of the Campaign for Youth Justice (CFYJ). “The Youth Promise Act will help communities to increase positive supports for youth, reduce crime and keep our young people out of adult jails and prisons.”

“CJJ’s nationwide membership believes that we have spent an inordinate amount of public dollars on interdiction and incarceration practices that splinter families and communities and relegate young people to long prison sentences and a lifetime of barriers to education and employment, said Tara Andrews, Deputy Executive Director for Policy & Programs. "The balance of federal funding should focus on family-engaged and community-connected prevention and rehabilitation programs that have been shown to yield healthier and longer-lasting outcomes for everyone involved. That is why CJJ supports the PROMISE approach.”

“NCLR supports the Youth Promise Act as a step in the right direction for addressing the root causes of crime and violence in a manner which is least expensive and most effective,” said Cassandra Villanueva, Legislative Analyst, Criminal and Juvenile Justice Policy of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR).

“The Youth Promise Act is common-sense legislation based on research about what works with youth in conflict with the law to help them become productive citizens,” said Sarah Bryer, Director of the National Juvenile Justice Network. “The Act incorporates community engagement, a youth development approach and adequate resources so that communities in need can respond effectively and appropriately to crime problems in their jurisdictions.”

“Voices for America’s Children demands new approaches to combating youth crime and violence,” said Bill Bentley, President and CEO of Voices for America’s Children. “We want to promise our children that we’ll give them the best possible start, and that’s why we support the Youth PROMISE Act.”

"The Youth PROMISE Act provides an effective approach to addressing the complex issues of youth crime and violence,” said Joseph Mettimano, Vice President of Advocacy of World Vision. “Supporting vulnerable youth with programs designed to reduce the risk of delinquency will help steer them away from a life of crime and toward a productive future."

To add your own voice in support of H.R. 1064 - the Youth PROMISE act - go to Change.org to learn more about the legislation and send letters to your Representative and Senators.

Nonviolent Americans, Unite!

Hello. My name is Ted (“Hi, Ted!”), and I am a Nonviolent American.

The preamble of the U.S. Constitution charges the federal government with providing for “domestic tranquility”. As Nonviolent Americans, our right to peaceful coexistence is being violated, directly and indirectly, by Violent Americans.

If Nonviolent Americans represent ninety percent of Americans (for the sake of discussion; the percentage may be higher or lower in your community), then we are being held hostage by the remaining ten percent of the population that represents Violent Americans. This violent minority has the ability to cramp the lifestyle of the nonviolent majority through sheer intimidation. Imagine an elderly, nonviolent woman trying to decide if she should walk to the market to pick up a few essentials or if she should stay home and avoid a potential confrontation with a Violent American. If 1 out of every 10 people she might encounter on the way to market is a Violent American (again, just for the sake of discussion), then there is a 10 percent chance that she could experience a violent incident. What would you do if you were in her walking shoes?

On the financial side, a good portion of our local, state, and federal taxes goes to finding, prosecuting, and incarcerating Violent Americans – but only after they have committed a violent act. As Nonviolent Americans, why should we have to pay a financial penalty because someone else chooses to be a Violent American? If you are the victim of a violent crime, what good does it do you to have the Violent American(s) who perpetrated the act prosecuted and locked up for an extended period? True, those Violent Americans who are locked up won’t be hurting anyone outside of the prison any time soon. But your right to enjoy domestic tranquility has already been trampled! And those Violent Americans are likely to be on the outside again someday. If they haven’t picked up new skills and chosen to join the ranks of Nonviolent Americans, the “Justice” system has done nothing to preserve the rights of NVAs.

To tell which side of the equation you are on, below are some of the distinctions that illustrate the differences between Nonviolent Americans and Violent Americans:

Nonviolent Americans	Violent Americans
People who watch hockey because of the competition and skill involved	People who watch hockey hoping a fight will break out
Fans of Olympic wrestling	Fans of WWF
Gun owners who want to protect their loved ones	People who own guns to kill and maim, to feel more powerful, and to intimidate
People who relish the diversity of life	Racists, sexists, ageists, homophobes
Adults who love, honor and nurture our youth	People who neglect and abuse children
Intimate partners who respect and cherish each other	People who abuse and dominate their loved ones
Neighbors who resolve their conflicts through dialog and compromise	People who use lawsuits as a first resort
People who use their physical strength to help others in need	People who use their physical strength to bully and intimidate
People who use their financial strength to help others in need	People who use their financial strength to dominate and create distance from others
Drivers who follow the written and unwritten rules of the road	Aggressive drivers who think the road belongs to them and everyone else should get out of the way

The Centers for Disease Control considers violence to be a public health problem. If you consider yourself to be a Violent American, I hope you will consider taking a twelve-step program (to be presented in an upcoming blog). The first step is to realize you have a problem, that you have control over the problem, and that their is a solution to the problem if you choose to accept it. It's not an easy journey, but the rewards are immeasurable for yourself and those around you.

If you consider yourself to be a Nonviolent American, I hope you will join me in helping create a welcoming and supportive environment for Recovering Violent Americans. They are going to need all the support we can offer as they make their way through this tremendous shift that will be required. One way to support their journey is to lobby Congress to pass legislation that will provide research and funding to develop and distribute tools to help Recovering Violent Americans. Two such pieces of legislation in the current Congress are H.R. 808 - the Department of Peace act - and H.R. 1064 - the Youth PROMISE act. Please contact your Representatives and Senators and ask them to support these and any other pieces of legislation that will help reduce violence.

To quote Bob Marley:

"Get up! Stand up! Stand up for your rights!"

("Thanks for sharing, Ted!")

School Violence Solved! (Or was it just moved?)

I was excited to come across an article from Chicago in my Google alert for "violence" yesterday. The headline drew me in:

Effort to curb Sullivan High School violence a success

Could this truly be one of those rare news stories about school violence that has a happy ending? Then I read further... It turns out that one of the main components of the "solution" was to get suspended students to sign a statement that they can be arrested if they come within 1000 feet of the school. Questions:

Why would any student voluntarily sign this?
What carrot/stick was used?
Did they have a lawyer present when they signed away their rights?

The article doesn't say.

The article also doesn't say anything about providing some kind of nurturing environment for the suspended students, so one assumes they are pretty much left to the streets. A troubled student on the streets with no supervision during school hours? It will be interesting to watch the violence and crime rate trends in the 1000-2000 foot range from the school!

Another tactic employed to "reduce violence" at this school is to let students leave through multiple exits at the end of the school day so they disperse more quickly. I remember wanting to get away from school as quickly as possible when I was a kid, but it didn't have anything to do with avoiding violence.

IMHO, it seems pretty obvious that these measures are merely band-aids on the issue of youth violence. The violence problem at this school is moved away from the school. Sure, the students who get to stay at the school may have a more pleasant learning environment, and that is worth something. (Even the statistics there are not all that great - 47 crimes in the 3 blocks around the school last month vs. 58 a year ago.) But when they go home to a violent neighborhood, has there been any net improvement?

Instead of applying these types of band-aids on the hemorrhaging wound that is violence in our society, we need to understand and address the root causes of violence. Current legislation in Congress is designed to do that, but it will require the will and lobbying energy of the public to put it into law. The Youth PROMISE act - H.R. 1064 and S. 435 - is designed to reduce youth violence by providing alternatives to gangs and getting troubled youth the skills they need to deal with their problems nonviolently. The Department of Peace act - H.R. 808 - is designed to similar ends, but looking at all sources of violence. Please contact your Representatives and Senators and ask their support for these much-needed pieces of legislation.

Operation SNUG introduced in NY to curb gun violence

(Albany, NY) – In an effort to cut down on illegal guns and gang violence that plagues communities across the State of New York, the State Senate has announced a new initiative, Operation SNUG, that will help local law enforcement and anti-violence community groups engage innovative tactics to steer at-risk New Yorkers away from the culture of gangs and illegal guns.

The Senate secured $4 million in the FY2009-10 State Budget for front-line anti-gun and gang violence prevention efforts that will benefit the hardest-hit communities across the state. As a result, the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, New York City and Westchester County will receive new infusions of much-needed funding that will allow for better cooperation between police and prosecutors to keep our children safe and streets secure.

The funding will be evenly distributed throughout eight communities through a competitive grants process that qualified community-based organizations with after-school programs. The guidelines are currently being developed and will be announced shortly.

According to Senate Majority Leader Malcom A. Smith:

Today marks a turning point in community safety. Gun violence affects us all- white or black, rich or poor, illegal guns terrorize neighborhoods and tear apart families. For too long, the deadly specter of illegal guns has gone unchecked. In cities across the state, our children are dying at the hands of gun violence, but through our commitment to SNUG, we can put a stop to that deadly trend now and return our streets to their rightful owners, the people of New York.

Senator Smith added:

30,000 people will likely die this year as a result of gun violence, and many of them will be young people. Operation SNUG is vital to a new age of community safety in the 21st Century . It will provide the support that our local anti-violence programs need and will help us save lives.

Governor David A. Paterson said:

The Senate's initiative recognizes the importance of fighting gun crime through a comprehensive and unified effort. As I have often stressed throughout the past several months, despite the economic downturn, we must not jeopardize public safet and we are committed to doing all that we can to ensure that our communities are safe places to live, work and raise our children. That is why I am pleased that we were able to provide additional funding for Operation IMPACT in this year's budget as well as support Operation SNUG. In addition, we have announced numerous initiatives to combat domestic violence and human trafficking and we are working hard to improve our juvenile justice system. New York is already the safest large State in America and my administration will do everything we can to improve upon our already successful programs.

Through outreach, prevention and intervention techniques, Operation SNUG will pay specific attention to ways in which we can keep young New Yorkers aged 14 to 25 out of gang life and away from illegal guns.

Every urban community in New York has fallen victim to the tale of children and guns. For instance, though Rochester has the third highest population in the state, in 2005 that city had the highest murder rate, with 8 of the 54 victims of gun violence aged 17 or younger. Just last week in Brooklyn, 18-year-old Chad Wilkins was murdered by gang violence. Wilkins had planned on visiting a college campus the day he was killed.

In downtown Albany last October, a Long Island SUNY Albany student was shot in the head, it appears at random. After a passing motorist found him, he was transported to a local hospital where he passed away.

Also last year, 10-year-old Kathina Thomas, a Guyanese immigrant, was killed when she was struck by a stray bullet in the back as she played in front of her First Street home. Investigators said then they suspected the .45-caliber bullet that killed her was fired during a fight between gangs in Albany‟s West Hill neighborhood.

Operation SNUG was born out of child gun violence in Senator Smith's community last summer when, within a three-day span in May of 2008, the Far Rockaway Peninsula became a violent battleground with five men shot and two teenagers killed.

Following these shootings, an initial “summit” of elected officials was held, led by Senators Smith, Eric Adams, Bill Perkins, Congressman Charles Rangel, Assemblyman Darryl Towns, and Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes. Operation SNUG stands for:

S: Street intervention and stopping the violence

• violence interrupters and outreach to high-risk youth
• support for and coordination with police and law enforcement
• clearly communicating community values against shootings and violence
• engaging schools and educators as part of the solution

N: National, state and local funding support

• funding for all alternatives
• legislation to help implement solutions
• public and private support for intervention and prevention as part of the response

U: Use of celebrities and centers

• development of a comprehensive public relations effort, including celebrity PSAs and materials
• reopening and revitalization of existing community centers, creation of new bunkers and community “safe haven” storefronts for youth

G: Gangs, guns, gainful employment

• real-world gang awareness and prevention initiatives
• new efforts to stop the spread of illegal guns, including new law enforcement efforts targeting “middlemen” and gun-running
• connections to employment and economic alternatives

This initiative developed is modeled after the highly successful Cease Fire Gun Violence Prevention Model currently used in Chicago. That program directs very targeted outreach and prevention efforts to “high risk” communities, and works through existing and experienced community-based organizations. Through coordinated efforts between police, counselors, and community outreach specialists, this model has helped cut violence in Chicago, and has reduced the risk of “retaliation” murders, and helped students remain in schools and find jobs as they detach from gang life. Cease Fire will serve as a voluntary advisory to Operation SNUG-qualified programs.

“The proliferation of illegal guns in our streets has made crime deadlier than ever,” said Senator William T. Stachowski (D-C, Lake View). “That is why disarming criminals has been and must continue to be a top priority in our criminal justice system. We have a responsibility to the victims of crime and violence. And we must continue to support law enforcement in every possible way. Operation SNUG will greatly help in this effort.”

Said Senator Bill Perkins (D- Harlem):

Operation SNUG is a VIP, a violence intervention program. A vital program that will silence the violence, and save lives. I am proud to join my fellow colleagues in this movement to make our communities and our families safe.

“Operation SNUG is a response to tragic shooting deaths like we have suffered here in Albany--and it's designed to prevent other tragedies before they happen. I am proud that the Senate has taken the lead in developing and funding a crime and gun violence prevention model that will save lives in our communities,” said Senator Neil Breslin (D-Albany County).

“This initiative takes a smart approach to reducing gang violence and removing illegal guns and drugs from our streets,” said Senator Eric T. Schneiderman (D-Manhattan/Bronx). “Modeled on effective initiatives across the country, this evidence-based program equips both law enforcement officers and community groups with the tools they need to steer at-risk individuals away from violence. New Yorkers deserve nothing less than the most innovative efforts to rid our communities of crime.”

“Since the beginning of the year in Yonkers alone, there have over twenty incidents of gun violence,” stated Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D – Westchester County). “Gun and gang violence is on the rise and aggressively addressing this issue through prevention efforts is in everyone‟s best interest. I am pleased to support and advocate for this Senate initiative to help local law enforcement and anti-violence groups prevent more violence and keep our children and families safe.”

"Gang violence and illegal gun use has been a problem in Buffalo and across the state for too long. Operation SNUG will hopefully cut down on excessive gang violence that many communities face," stated Senator Antoine Thompson (D- parts of Erie and Niagara Counties).

“The purpose of SNUG is to curtail the amount of gun violence associated with gangs in many communities, particularly urban communities throughout our state. Community members that have a vested interest in ensuring the longevity and stability of their community must be in collaboration with law enforcement, affirmatively establish community standards and expectations, and begin a dialogue with gang members in an open forum, with the assistance of law enforcement,” said Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D-WFP-Bronx/Westchester).

“For too long, the false colloquialism of "Stop Snitching" has been a mantra in many of our urban communities. It is critical for community members to feel safe enough to voice their concerns and have those concerns addressed without fear of retaliation. The dialogue between law enforcement and the community will also lead to an increased level of trust between community members and law enforcement through the efforts of Operation SNUG. As our young people say, "It is time to Bury Da Beef"”

“Gun violence is a cancer: left untreated, it will spread throughout our neighborhoods. It is essential to provide adequate support to areas of our state hardest hit by illegal firearms and gang violence. I am proud to support this initiative to help local law enforcement and anti-violence community groups utilize all resources at their disposal to dissuade those who might use violence from any tragic decisions and associations,” said Senator Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn).

“The $4 million in the state budget that will be utilized in this effort to deter gun violence will benefit regions most affected by the ravages of that plague, including my home area of New York City,” Adams said. “The cooperation that results from this initiative will help law enforcement and prosecutors keep our streets safe for everyone.”

“We must use the full power of our words, deeds, and funds to protect our citizens from the disastrous effects of gun violence. The bullet from a weapon pierces more than the flesh of the body. It resonates through our state‟s communities and neighborhoods as well,” said Adams. “The voices of our constituents call for legislators to help prevent gun violence. Today, we have again responded.”

If you'd like to see this type of proven program expanded to all areas in need of help to control gun and gang violence, contact your Congressperson and ask them to support H.R. 808 - the Department of Peace act.

Are Our Dreams Too Violent?

Do we need to hold spicy food manufacturers accountable?


Courtesy of The Onion

It's Finally Happened - "War on Violence"

I guess we knew it would happen someday. Some gung-ho, get-tough-on-crime policy maker trying to make a name for themselves would declare "War on Violence". Well, your patience has been rewarded! PolitickerNJ.com reports that a Republican candidate for Governor of NJ has issued that following statement:

We need a governor who understands that we need to get violent criminals with handguns off our streets. We have a lot more to do to fight violent crime. Anyone who travels with any frequency around this state knows we need to do much more.

OK, so Mr. Christie didn't actually use the term "War on Violence" - that was the journalist's (a.k.a, EDITOR) choice of words. But now it's out there, and I'm going to be watching for other occurrences. The irony of the phrase may catch the eye of discerning readers/listeners and help people see the need for a shift in understanding. We'll see!

Let us know if you find other references to "War on Violence".