gun violence

The state of North Carolina is considering legislation that will lift the ban on concealed, loaded guns in bars, restaurants, and public parks. Sign a postcard here to tell the NC Legislature that Guns and Alcohol Don't Mix!

Danger comes in many forms:

Jackson County sheriffs said that Hannah Kathryn Frey entered her uncle's home before the 24-year-old was shot. Police said 49-year-old James Dennis Eller called 911 after the shooting. Authorities said in a statement that Eller believed someone was breaking into his home in Whittier early Friday morning.

I went through quite a bit of self-examination on whether I should post this and why, but my desire that as many people as possible see and (hopefully) learn from this tragedy won out.

Cross-posted from a Facing South article by Chris Kromm.

The tragic Arizona shootings that left six dead and others, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) critically wounded, have sparked debate over an important question: What's the connection between violent political rhetoric and real violence?

It's not a new debate, especially in the South, where the bloody civil rights era forced Southerners and the nation to confront how extremist and violent political messages can have deadly results.

It is disturbing to read that a cult militia sought to arm themselves with deadly weapons and to train its members to kill scores of people, including law enforcement officials, based on a sick and twisted interpretation of the Christian faith.

Their arrest is more proof that home-grown hate groups can easily arm themselves with some of the most deadly artillery available, such as military-style assault weapons, powerful handguns and other dangerous tools of mass destruction.

As an economic crisis drives fear and heat to a boiling pitch, we depend on sensible federal gun laws to prevent dangerous hate groups from possessing the deadly weapons they need to terrorize.

2009 has yet to draw to a close, but one still has to scroll the mouse a while to read the full list of homicide victims names on the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s website. There are almost 60 names as of October, all killed by intimate partners, family members, and some bystanders who just got caught in the fray. Of those, 47 were felled by guns. The list does not include names of perpetrators who committed suicide following their crime, but if it did, the grand total would be 58.

The proposal to ban smoking in restaurants has sparked heated responses from both its supporters and detractors over the past several years. So how about a smoking gun?

Dennis Hayle, a senior from Hempsted N.Y. studying Political Science and Criminal Justice at NC A&T, was the victim of a shooting in Greensboro this past Sunday.

A highly involved member of the student body, Hayle is best remembered by some in the Greensboro community as an active volunteer for the Hagan Campaign. “Dennis was a motivated and dynamic young man who brought joy to those on our campaign. His tireless and selfless activism inspired those around him,” recalled campaign staffer Drew Ball.

Another staffer, Alexandra Fetissoff, commented, “Dennis always went above and beyond. He was eager to help train and answer questions from fellow volunteers. His conviction that Kay was the best person to lead North Carolina was so strong; he used his own belief to persuade people throughout the state.”

North Carolina Senator Elizabeth Dole has reportedly joined a movement to allow individuals to carry firearms in our national parks. The movement begun by Republican Senator Mike Crapo from Idaho is pressuring the Department of the Interior to remove the federal ban on guns in our currently gun free national parks. According to reports by extreme North Carolina gun rights organizations Senator Dole has written a letter to the department asking them to lift the ban—in effect opening the door to all park visitors to carry concealed weapons provided they have a permit.

National Park Service ordinance 36 CFR 2.4, and 50 CFR 27.42(Fish and Wildlife Service), prohibits all individuals from possessing a firearm on lands managed by these agencies. These ordinances currently ensure that the national parks system remain a safe environment for visitors and visiting families. At the present time, families who travel nationwide visiting our park system can expect consistent rules and regulations throughout the country. It is likely that families may no longer feel at ease visiting a variety of national parks if they can not anticipate conditions upon arrival---put simply: they will not visit without knowing if it is a gun-free vacation spot.

Frontpaged by A. Thanks.