Tag: gun control

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Governor Calls for Law to Keep Guns From “Dangerous People”

Gov. Bill Lee calls Tuesday for a gun restriction law aimed at people experiencing a mental health crisis. Lee spoke with reporters after visiting with officers at a police precinct that responded when a shooter killed three children and three adults at a Nashville school on March 27th, 2023. (Credit: Marta W. Aldrich / Chalkbeat)

Governor Bill Lee called Tuesday for a new Tennessee law to help keep guns out of the hands of people deemed at risk of hurting themselves or others, his first full embrace of a gun reform measure in one of the nation’s most gun-friendly states. 

Lee said that he’s asked legislative leaders to create and pass new “order of protection” legislation that strengthens existing law designed to protect domestic violence victims. He wants the GOP-controlled Tennessee General Assembly to deliver a broader bill to his desk in the next month, before adjourning for the year. 

Later Tuesday, the governor signed an executive order to strengthen background checks for buying firearms in the state.

The announcements came two weeks after a shooter killed six people at a Nashville school and one day after another mass shooting at a bank in neighboring Kentucky. 

“We can’t stop evil, but we can do something,” Lee said. “And when there is a clear need for action, I think that we have an obligation … to remind people that we should set aside politics and pride and accomplish something that the people of Tennessee want us to accomplish.” 

Lee’s call to action comes after thousands of Tennesseans rallied for stricter gun laws during daily protests at the State Capitol since the March 27 tragedy left three children and three staff members dead at The Covenant School, a private Christian campus serving about 200 children. 

The shooter, who authorities later said was seeing a doctor for an “emotional disorder,” was shot and killed by police on site.

Authorities in Louisville are still investigating what led an employee of Old National Bank to pull out a rifle and open fire in his workplace on Monday, killing five people and injuring nine others. 

“What happened in Kentucky yesterday might be averted by a piece of legislation that we’re talking about delivering today,” said Lee, who said he spoke with that state’s governor, Democrat Andy Beshear.

The two mass shootings hit close to home for both leaders. Lee’s wife, Maria, who is a former teacher, was a friend and former co-worker of two of the adult victims at Covenant. And Beshear said he lost one of his closest friends.

Extreme risk protection orders allow law enforcement to intervene and temporarily take away a person’s weapons if a judge deems that person is at risk of hurting himself or others. Florida passed a so-called red flag law allowing such protection orders after a shooter killed 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018. 

Lee did not use the phrase “red flag law” in describing his desire for new ”order of protection” legislation. 

Instead, he called his proposal the next step beyond his comprehensive school safety package, which overwhelmingly passed the House last week and is expected to clear the Senate in the next week. 

After the Covenant shooting, Lee’s administration revised the package and his proposed budget to include more than $200 million more next year to place an armed security guard at every Tennessee public school, boost physical security at public and private schools, and provide additional mental health resources for Tennesseans. Currently, about two-thirds of the state’s public schools have a law enforcement officer on site. 

Lee held his press conference at a Nashville police precinct after meeting earlier with officers who responded to the active-shooter alert at Covenant. 

“Protective orders are led by law enforcement,” Lee said. “They have a high standard burden of proof. There is due process.”

The governor acknowledged that passing an order-of-protection law in the legislature could be difficult — a key Senate committee voted last week to defer action on any gun-related legislation until next year — but said he is hopeful for bipartisan support “to get this done.” 

“I’m one that believes that really difficult circumstances can bring about really positive outcomes,” Lee said, adding: “I certainly believe it’s that time.”

Democrats already have proposed several pieces of legislation aimed at gun reforms, including one on expanded protective orders. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, the Senate’s top Republican leader, said after the Covenant shooting that he’s open to that approach, as long as it includes protections against false or fraudulent reporting.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton raised similar concerns on Tuesday.

“As we look at mental health orders of protection, they must have a level of due process, protections from fraudulent claims, and a quick judicial hearing for individuals who pose imminent threats,” Sexton said in a statement.

But Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari expressed no reservation. The Memphis Democrat praised Lee for prioritizing legislation to restrict gun access and curb gun violence.

“We are ready to work with the governor,” she said, “and we urge our Republican colleagues in the legislature to move quickly to put gun reform legislation on his desk.”

Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in America.

After a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, Congress passed a law to provide federal funding for states that enact red flag laws. And in February, President Joe Biden announced that the Justice Department would give $231 million to states to implement crisis intervention programs like red flag laws. 

Red flag laws are relatively new, and their impacts are still being studied.  

In Colorado, where a law went into effect three years ago, nearly 400 cases have been filed so far seeking protective orders against gun owners, according to a review by Colorado Public Radio. Of those, more than a dozen respondents had allegedly talked about carrying out mass shootings in places like grocery stores, theaters, and neighborhoods, with varying levels of planning. More than a dozen others talked about a “suicide by cop” or otherwise ambushing police officers, and one had threatened to assassinate political leaders.

In most cases, the person was reported to own multiple guns, in one case as many as 31 firearms.

Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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Reactions Megathread: Black Tennessee Lawmakers Expelled for Protests

Source: Tennessee General Assembly

The white-majority, GOP-dominated Tennessee House of Representatives expelled two Black lawmakers Thursday (but kept one white lawmaker on the same offenses) as the country looked on.

The Memphis Flyer will capture as many reactions to the news here as we can. This thread will be updated as reactions come in throughout the day.

Reverend Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network:

“The Tennessee House’s decision to remove two Black legislators who exercised their right to free speech was a plain and simple attack on our democracy. How can you remove these lawmakers, who spoke for thousands of Black Tennesseans living under the threat of gun violence every day, but stop short of removing their white colleague and deny this is a racist action? The National Action Network stands with our Nashville Chapter in supporting their fundamental right to protest, especially against the gun violence that consistently and persistently impacts Black communities.”

JB Smiley, Memphis City Council member

“The Shelby County Commission must immediately return Representative Justin J. Pearson to the Tennessee General Assembly. This is a sad day for Tennessee. The Republican super majority in the Tennessee General Assembly has put its knee on the neck of democracy in this state and in this country. I hope people will hold the dishonorable representatives who voted to expel Representative Pearson accountable for their actions and recognize that they have a total disregard for the thousands of constituents affected by such actions.”

Joint statement by Lisa Sherman Luna, executive director, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition Votes; Tequila Johnson, executive director, Equity Alliance Action Fund; and Tikeila Rucker, political organizer, MemphisForAll:

“The power of our democracy is that the people choose our leaders to represent us, not the other way around. Our communities came together to elect Representatives Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin J. Pearson because they are bold, progressive champions and we knew they would fight to make sure our families have opportunities to thrive. We knocked on thousands of doors, called voters across the state, and elected leaders that listened to our voices and represented our communities.

“But in the face of the growing political power of Black and brown communities, the power-hungry supermajority is doing everything they can to silence our voices and disenfranchise our communities, including ousting two young black men who were duly elected. Expelling Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson is an unprecedented power grab that directly undermines our democracy, but it isn’t their first attack. They redrew congressional maps to break up Nashville to dilute the growing power of black and brown communities. They shrunk the size of the Nashville metro council from 40 to 20 members, forcing the city to redraw districts, eliminating leaders that represent our communities and throwing the city into political chaos. They’re coming after local authority in every city that dares challenge them. All of these attacks are tied together. They saw our power, and they’re doing everything they can to stop it.

“And let us not forget what started all of this: the House GOP’s refusal to take action to protect our children from gun violence in the wake of the terrible tragedy at the Covenant School last week. They want to distract and divide us with political stunts instead of focusing on making our schools safe.

“But we aren’t backing down. We are registering voters and organizing our communities to turn out for every election and elect leaders that will build a state that works for all of us. Just like we came together to elect Representatives Jones and Pearson the first time, we will keep showing up to elect champions, hold our government accountable, and pass policies that help our families thrive and keep our children safe. Tennessee is on the front lines of defending our democracy in this country. For years our movements have been fighting to defend and build a truly multiracial and pluralistic democracy in our state — and we won’t give up now.”

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen:

“As a longtime state Senator and current member of Congress, I appreciate that certain rules of decorum are necessary for conducting the people’s business in our state legislature. But I view the expulsion votes today as a provocative and disproportionate response to the breach of House rules prompted by the emotions triggered by last week’s Covenant School shooting.

“I was pleased to see the effort to expel Representative Johnson fail. I wish cooler heads would have prevailed and prevented the disenfranchisement of the citizens of Memphis and Nashville the expulsions create, in addition to the special expense state taxpayers will now have in scheduling primary and general elections. Debate on the proper response to gun violence is an essential part of the democratic process. Today’s votes were an embarrassing stain on an important democratic institution.”

The Black Southern Women Collaborative:

“The expulsion of Black legislators is an unacceptable travesty that should not be tolerated in a democracy. Black people from Memphis and Nashville now have no representative in the House of Representatives. This comes at a time when one in five Black people in Tennessee cannot vote due to felony disenfranchisement. Most of the folks are in Memphis. Additionally, Tennessee voters are being purged from the voting rolls and most of the impacted people are in Memphis and most are Black.

“Jones and Pearson were willing to enact the will of the communities that elected them, and now they have been removed. There can be no confusion; this is not only an attack on democracy, but also an attack on Black people.

“Justin Pearson is an activist and organizer who worked to oppose an oil pipeline in his community. He is concerned not only about the environment, but gun violence; issues of concern to his constituents.

“The other irony in all of this is that three legislators protested the death of innocent babies who were killed at the mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, yet only the Black legislators were removed. The racial inequity in this process is brazen.”

Amber Sherman and the Black Caucus of the Tennessee young Democrats have issued a petition to send Pearson back to the House:

“Justin J. Pearson was unjustly expelled from the TN State House on April 6th. His constituents deserve representation, send him back to the state House!”

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Tennessee House Republicans Expel Two Democrats, Keep One, Over Gun Floor Protests

Reps. Justin Jones, right, Justin Pearson, bottom, and Gloria Johnson, left, bring a megaphone onto the Tennessee House floor on March 30, 2023. (Photo: John Partipilo)

The Tennessee House of Representatives voted along party lines to expel Democratic Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson from its body for leading a floor protest over gun violence one week ago, but Rep. Gloria Johnson survived expulsion by one vote.

The expulsion vote against Jones, D-Nashville, was 72-25, and 69-26 against Pearson, D-Memphis. It needed 66 votes it pass.

The vote against Johnson, D-Knoxville, was 65-30, one short of the number needed to expel as seven Republicans voted to keep her.

The trio is accused of violating the House rules of decorum when they took over the speaking podium to lead chants with a crowd protesting the lack of action by lawmakers on gun violence after six were killed — including three children — in a mass shooting at a religious school in Nashville.

Rep. Charlie Baum, R-Murfressboro, was the only Republican to vote against kicking Jones out. Rep. Sam Whitson, R-Franklin, was present but did not vote on Jones’ expulsion resolution.

The expulsion hearing for Jones went on for nearly two hours.

Reps. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson; Rush Bricken, R-Tullahoma; Bryan Richey, R-Maryville; Lowell Russell, R-Vonore; Mike Sparks, R-Smyrna; Baum and Whitson voted against removing Johnson. Reps. John Gillespie, R-Memphis, and Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro, were present but abstained from voting.

The expulsion hearing for Johnson lasted 90 minutes.

Baum, Gillespie and Richey voted against expelling Pearson. Whitson was present but did not vote to remove Pearson.

The expulsion hearing for Pearson lasted 90 minutes.

Twitter thread of the expulsion hearing

OK, so now in the expulsion hearings @JRClemmons, an attorney, is trying to make the point that the video the GOP just showed “was in direct violation” of house rules disallowing members to shoot video on the floor.
“Are we going to punish them as well?”

— Anita Wadhwani (@anitawadhwani) April 6, 2023

Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com. Follow Tennessee Lookout on Facebook and Twitter.

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TN AG Condemns “Political Violence” On Actions Against Tennessee Holler, Lawmakers

Credit: Tennessee Holler/Twitter, Tennessee State Capitol/Facebook

The Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti condemned “political violence” in an official statement Thursday saying, “Tennessee has suffered through an awful season.”

That season includes the loss of three students and school officials in a deadly shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School, nine Fort Campbell soldiers killed in a recent helicopter crash near the state line, and more than a dozen Tennesseans killed in severe storms over the weekend. 

While Skrmetti said many “have responded with our best,” he said “unfortunately, some have chosen a different path” and pointed to two recent developments. 

Tennessee Attorney General John Skrmetti (credit TN.gov)

On Saturday, an unknown assailant shot bullets into the Williamson County home of Justin Kanew, founder of the Tennessee Holler, an online Tennessee news source. Kanew and his family, including his sleeping children, were inside the home at the time.  

”This violence has no place in a civilized society and we are thankful no one was physically hurt,” Kanew tweeted Saturday. “The authorities have not completed their investigation and right now we do not know for sure the reason for this attack.” 

”I don’t know him personally, though I know I often disagree with him,” Skrmetti said in a statement. “Regardless of any differences of opinion, though, as a dad and as an attorney general I cannot tolerate this attack against him and his family.”

The AG also said state lawmakers are receiving “graphic, anonymous death threats.” Skrmetti did not elaborate. 

However, the alleged threats come as the Tennessee General Assembly is embattled in a tense stand-off on gun control in the wake of the Covenant shooting. Thousands of protestors have gathered in and on the ground of the Tennessee State Capitol to call for gun control in recent days. 

Hundreds of protesters gathered again on Thursday in support of the “Tennessee Three,” Reps. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), and Justin Jones (D-Nashville), who face expulsion from the state House for leading a protest about gun control on the House floor last Thursday. 

“No Tennessean should have to worry about their safety, or the safety of their family, because of the opinions they express,” Skrmetti said. “No lawmaker should face injury or death for serving as an elected representative of the people. 

“Disagreement is a good thing. Democracy depends on disagreement. Each of us has a right, guaranteed by the Constitution, to express our opinions. There are limits on how we express those opinions, and those limits are governed by the legislature, by the courts, and ultimately by the people.”

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Tennesseans Respond Online to Actions Against the “Tennessee Three”

Credit: Rep. Justin Jones/Twitter I A screen cap from a now-viral video shows Tennessee Rep. Justin Lafferty (R-Knoxville) filming a protest inside the House chamber moments before Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) said he "pushes me and grabs my phone."

A GoFundMe, an open letter, and a viral video that some say constitute “assault” against a Nashville lawmaker are swirling online in the wake of a gun-violence protests at the Tennessee Capitol and a move to expel some Democratic lawmakers. 

All of it follows the April 27th shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School last week that left three children and three adults dead. A massive protest brought hundreds to the Capitol the following Thursday. 

On the House floor that day, Reps. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), and Justin Jones (D-Nashville) supported the protesters. During the legislative session, Jones spoke through a megaphone holding a sign that read “protect kids, not guns.” The three then moved to the Speaker’s well and “began shouting without recognition” and ”proceeded to disrupt the proceedings” from 10:50 a.m. to 11:42 a.m., according to a House resolution. 

Republicans filed three resolutions Monday to expel Pearson, Johnson, and Jones — the now-called “Tennessee Three” — from the state House of Representatives. The three were stripped of their committee assignments, and access to the garage, doors, and elevators at their office buildings. 

This brought hundreds more to the Capitol Monday to protest with some yelling “fascists, fascists!” at Republicans from the House gallery and many more to yell “Fuck Bill Lee!” outside the building. 

A viral Twitter video from Jones (below) shows the fracas inside the House Monday. In it, Jones films Rep. Justin Lafferty (R-Knoxville). As he closes in on Lafferty to apparently film what is on his phone, Lafferty turns, Jones’ phone camera moves erratically, and someone can be heard saying, “hey, get your hand off of me!” Jones posted the video at 8: 30 p.m. Monday. So far, the video has been viewed nearly 5 million times. 

The video prompted numerous responses like these: 

House members are expected to vote on the expulsions Thursday. Many online organized a GoFundMe Monday evening to help with expect legal fees to fight the move. As of Tuesday morning, the fund raised $10,537 of its goal of $25,000. 

GoFundMe

“Democracy is at stake due to the extremely unfair and unconstitutional behavior of [House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville)],” wrote donor Amanda McDowell. “He should be the one being ejected, although we all know hell has a better chance of freezing over first. 

“The [Tennessee] Three should be commended for actually caring about their constituents and the children of this state. They ran for office to serve the people, and it truly shows. They have my gratitude and full support.”

Some urged Twitter users to sign a digital open letter to their leaders in the legislature. The letter pulls no punches, callings Republicans’ actions “shameful,” and warning that “elections will be coming soon.” 

”You all should take this opportunity to make Tennesseans feel better instead of putting armed guards in public schools that you refuse to properly fund,” reads the letter. “Expelling these Democrats will make you all the infamous Republicans who tried to squash democracy in Tennessee.”

Finally, some news reporters on Twitter reminded users that the state GOP refused to vote to expel Rep. David Byrd (R-Waynesboro) in 2019 after allegations surfaced that he had inappropriate sexual contact with teen girls in the 1980s. 

The resolution to expel him was sponsored by Johnson, who now faces expulsion for her part in the gun protests.  

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House Republicans Move to Expel Three Democrats Over Floor Protests

Democratic Reps. Justin Pearson, Gloria Johnson and Justin Jones at a Monday press conference on Monday, April 3, 2023. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Republican lawmakers sponsored resolutions Monday to expel three Democrats who led a protest on the House floor last week as hundreds of people rallied outside the chamber for tighter gun laws before the session devolved into a fracas. 

The bills are aimed at state Reps. Justin Jones of Nashville, Justin Pearson of Memphis, and Gloria Johnson of Knoxville. They’re sponsored by Republican Reps. Andrew Farmer of Sevierville, Gino Bulso of Brentwood and Bud Hulsey of Kingsport.

Members voted on party lines, 72-23, to vote on expulsion  Thursday when the House goes into session again.

Spectators in the House balconies reacted by shouting, “fascists, fascists!” before being escorted out by state troopers. As lawmakers shot video of the event, Rep. Justin Lafferty, R-Knoxville, turned to Jones, who was standing nearby, grabbing Jones’ phone and shoving the freshman lawmaker.

House Democratic Caucus Leader John Ray Clemmons characterized Lafferty’s move as “assault.”

The House Democratic Caucus and Tennessee Black Caucus later opposed efforts to expel the three lawmakers.

“The political retribution is unconstitutional and, in this moment, morally bankrupt,” the Black Caucus said in a statement.

Thousands of people protested the state’s lax gun laws again Monday on the War Memorial Plaza and inside the Capitol, many of them high school students, a week after the shooting deaths of six people at The Covenant School in Green Hills.

A two-thirds vote of the chamber is required for expulsion of any member, but Republicans hold a supermajority with 75 of the House’s 99 seats.

The trio is expected to be given a chance to defend themselves before the entire chamber.

Resolutions by the three Republican lawmakers point out the state Constitution enables the House to punish members for “disorderly behavior.” House rules include “preserving order, adhering to decorum, speaking only with recognition, not crowding around the Clerk’s desk, avoiding personalities, and not using props or displaying political messages.”

All three resolutions contend Jones, Johnson and Pearson “did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions.”

It notes the trio moved to the well last Thursday at 10:49 a.m. and started shouting and pounding on the podium, leading chants with a crowded gallery and “engaged in disorderly and disruptive conduct, including refusing to leave the well, sitting on the podium, and utilizing a sign displaying a political message.”

Jones and Pearson both used a megaphone to rally the crowds.

The resolutions state the targeted members have been notified about the potential expulsion.

Republican Rep. Sam Whitson said Monday he wanted Democrats to take action against the trio for disrupting the chamber. Democratic leaders balked at the idea.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton accused them of “insurrection,” a claim they vehemently deny.

Protests continued Monday night inside the House chamber with Sexton having state troopers remove at least two people for outbursts as Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison discussed the need for people to refrain from “mob” behavior.

State Rep. Bo Mitchell responded that the House needs a “little light” shed on it.

Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com. Follow Tennessee Lookout on Facebook and Twitter.

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Tennessee Leaders Call For Gun Reform in Aftermath of Nashville School Shooting

Photo Credit: Metro Nashville Police Department

According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, three children and three adults were killed after being shot by an armed former student at Covenant School located at 33 Burton Hills Drive on Monday, March 27th.

The children were identified as 9-year-olds Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney. The adults were identified as Cynthia Peak, 61, Katherine Koonce, 60, and Mike Hill, 61.

The shooter, 28-year-old Audrey Hale, was killed by police. The shooting has garnered local and national attention, with many sharing their thoughts via social media.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn said that she was “heartbroken,” to hear about the shooting. “My office is in contact with federal, state, & local officials, & we stand ready to assist.Thank you to the first responders working on site. Please join us in prayer for those affected.”

Sen. Bill Hagerty released the following statement on his Twitter account: “Devastated and heartbroken about the tragic news at Covenant School. I’m grateful to law enforcement and first responders for their heroic actions. I am monitoring the situation closely, and my office is in contact with local officials & available to anyone needing assistance.”

While some shared that their thoughts were with those affected, many demanded change and to open a conversation around current gun control laws.

Sen. Raumesh Akbari(D-Memphis,) explained that Tennessee currently has pending legislation to include “18+ and long guns,” to its open carry law. She explained that “people over politics shouldn’t be a partisan issue.”

“When is enough going to be enough to empower my colleagues to have some sort of capacity for courage to do the right thing,” said Akbari. “If you actually want to make an impact to stop gun violence, a tweet is not going to cut it. A statement is not going to cut it. You’re actually going to have to have the courage to act, and do the right thing.”

“Today in Nashville, the lives of three children and three adults were taken in another mass shooting at a school,” said Tennessee House Majority Leader, Karen Camper. “ This cannot continue to be normal in our country.  I will continue to work as the Democratic Leader to find REAL solutions to this very REAL problem of guns being used to harm our children.  Governor Lee, we must make change now.”

Memphis Congressman Steven Cohen (TN-09) called the incident “horrifying,” and said that this was a reminder to “keep guns from the wrong hands. … Whatever the senseless motive for this killing, Tennessee must find a way to strengthen its comparatively weak gun laws in an effort to save innocent lives.”

NAACP Memphis branch president Van Turner also called on the Tennessee General Assembly to strengthen gun control laws “In light of the recent tragedy at the Covenant School in Nashville, we again call on the Tennessee General Assembly to pass sensible gun legislation and for the Governor to enact an immediate moratorium on current legislation which continues to harm our communities.”

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Time to Say “No”

Just say no. (Photo: Bruce VanWyngarden)

I’ve been thinking about a sign in the yard of a house in my neighborhood. It’s more of a sculpture, really — a white dog taking a poop — very realistic, complete with poop coming out of the appropriate place. The word “NO!” is painted on the dog, and the message to passersby is clear: Do not let your dog do his business on this lawn!

I keep thinking about how the (probably very nice) person who put up this sign was so concerned that a dog would poop in their yard that they erected a permanent image of a dog pooping in their yard. It’s like an homage to a pooping dog. People walk by, see that sign, and think about a pooping dog. There’s probably some sort of life-lesson here, but it eludes me.

President Biden went to Buffalo, New York, last week, in the wake of the recent mass murder there, and gave a heartfelt speech about the dangers of white supremacy, saying that it was not who we are as a country and that we should reject it. He’s right, but we might as well put up a billboard on the White House lawn picturing a Klansman with “NO!” painted on his sheet, for all the good that speech is going to do.

Signs and speeches aren’t going to fix what’s wrong with this country. In too many states, a rabid right-wing minority has control of the reins of government. Poll after poll shows that the majority of people in those states (including Tennessee) favor some kind of gun control and some level of abortion rights. And yet, their legislatures keep passing no-permit-needed, open-carry gun laws, and forcing through measures that will outlaw abortion entirely, even in cases of incest, rape, or potential death of the mother. The real “radicals” are in charge in too many states, the will of the people be damned. How do we change that?

Consider Mississippi: Thirty-eight percent of the population is African-American, and yet there has not been an African American elected to statewide office in Mississippi for 130 years. That’s primarily because the state has a law that allows the legislature to pick winners of statewide races if the winner gets less than 50 percent of the vote. But it’s also because the Democratic party has done a crappy job of getting more African Americans registered to vote and involved in elections in that state.

The Buffalo shooter lived in a town with a 3 percent Black population. He had to drive 200 miles to find enough African Americans to kill en masse. It’s fair to assume this guy had only been exposed to the ideology of his rural community and the silo of his internet habits. It’s possible he’d never had a real conversation with a Black person, which made it easier for him to perceive them as “other,” rather than as fellow human beings.

Maybe the Democratic Party should take some of the millions of dollars it spends on TV ads and billboards supporting its candidates and put it into a massive campaign to register voters in red states — a reprise of the “freedom rider” movement of the early 1960s. Send busloads of young folks into rural areas and small towns. Have them knock on doors, set up voter-registration sites, speak to civic groups — introduce themselves and the party’s priorities to people who have only known progressives in theory, as evil “libruls,” rather than actual humans.

Maybe it’s idealistic, but the only real way to send white supremacists back to their caves is to elect people who will stand up and fight against them — and to get rid of elected officials who call them “patriots” and give credence to the Great Replacement Theory.

We really do need to “replace” white supremacists and their political enablers, and not just in theory. These evil creeps are spreading hatred, intolerance, violence, and death. They are bent on destroying the most diverse country on the planet and establishing a racist autocracy. It’s time to stand up and say no. These white dogs are crapping on all we hold dear.

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Gun Control Advocate: Proposed Red Flag Law Step in Right Direction

A Tennessee lawmaker is looking to create a red-flag law here.

Sen. Sara Kyle (D-Memphis) is sponsoring the red flag or “extreme risk” bill, which would allow law enforcement officers, family or household members, and intimate partners to petition the court to remove a firearm from someone who might be a danger to themselves or others.

Specifically, the SB 1807 provides that if someone has a “reasonable belief that a person poses an imminent risk of harm to the person or others if allowed to purchase or possess a firearm may seek relief” by filing a sworn petition for emergency protection.

The court can then decide to issue an emergency protection order. Within 30 days of that order, a hearing would be held where the petition must prove there is a risk of harm. The court would then decide to extend the order for up to a year or revoke it.

Some form of red flag law has been enacted in 17 states and Washington, D.C.

Kat McRitchie, volunteer lead for the Tennessee chapter of Moms Demand Action, said red flag laws have proven to save lives in states where they are in place and is a “good start for gun control.”

“We know in places where there are red flag laws there is a reduction in gun deaths by suicide and related to domestic violence,” McRitchie said. “This accounts for two huge percentages of gun deaths. Red flag laws best serve the public interest and save people’s lives.”

McRitchie said the group is also working with Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) on a bill related to firearm storage. As drafted, the bill, HB 801, would make it Class A misdemeanor to leave a firearm or ammunition unlocked in a motor vehicle or boat that is unattended or where someone under 18 is present.

If firearms or ammunition are left in vehicles, they would have to be locked in the trunk, glove box, or elsewhere in the vehicle. Violation of the law would be punishable by a fine of up to $500.

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The goal is to ensure that guns are not just out of sight, but secured in vehicles, McRitchie said. “Gun thefts in vehicles are a big problem in our state so that’s something we plan to spend a lot of time developing.”

Moms Demand Action is also preparing to oppose any bills that might reduce or eliminate Tennessee’s handgun permitting process, which McRitchie said the group expects to see introduced this session.

Last year, a bill was passed that changed the handgun permitting process in Tennessee and McRitchie said the group doesn’t want to see the process compromised any further.

“I think that is really dangerous for Tennesseans and just a barrier to public safety,” McRitchie said. “We will defend any further weakening of this permitting system.”

Previously, to carry a gun in public spaces, one has to have eight hours training which included live-fire training with a certified instructor and passing a test to demonstrate knowledge of gun safety practices. As of January 1st, one can acquire a general gun permit by just passing an online test with no live-fire training.

“If I took my three kids to the park near our house in 2019 and saw somebody carrying a firearm, I could make a reasonable assumption that they had training with a certified instructor and could fire a gun safely,” McRitchie said. “Now, I don’t have that same security. When I see someone with a gun in public now, I can’t expect that they have that level of training. That’s frightening to me as a mom and as a Tennesseean.”

McRitchie said the group would also like to see a bill requiring background checks for all gun sales in Tennessee, but doesn’t legislators introducing such bills this session.

U.S. Rep Steve Cohen joined Moms Demand Action group for control rally in the fall


Tennessee has a high volume of online and private gun sales, which can all be done legally without any type of background check, McRitchie said.

“Tennessee has a long history of responsible gun ownership that crosses partisan lines and geographic lines and all the other kinds of lines we like to draw in Tennessee,” McRitchie said. “So I think that we can agree on reasonable standards of responsible gun ownership.”

Last year, the U.S. Senate passed H.R.8 or the Bipartisan Background Check Act of 2019, which requires background checks on all gun sales, but the House has not followed suit.


Guns and Crime

In 2019, there 5,188 gun-related violent incidents in Memphis, according to the Memphis and Shelby County Crime Commission. That number is slightly down from 2018 when there were 5,579 incidents and from 2017 when 5,887 incidents occurred.

Last year, Memphis had a total of 1,904 per 100,000 people or about 12,000 incidents. This means violent gun incidents accounted for nearly half of all major violent crime.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland highlighted these numbers in his weekly newsletter to constituents last week. Though all violent crime in the city was down by 4.1 percent in 2019 compared to 2018, Strickland noted that the homicide rate increased by 2.2 percent from the previous year.

Overall violent crime trend in Memphis

Gun violence incidents in Memphis


“That fact was further highlighted this week with the senseless violence that happened over the weekend stealing three young people from their families, their friends, and our community,” the mayor said.

Strickland’s newsletter didn’t specifically mention how the city is addressing gun violence, instead he touted the ways in which the city is working to reduce the overall crime rate.

“We based it on best practices from cities nationwide, and began implementing it as soon as we took office,” he said in the email.

Some of the strategies to reduce crime that Strickland pointed to are rebuilding the Memphis Police Department (MPD), a goal the mayor has stood by since taking office in 2016.

Strickland, along with MPD top brass, have been working to fully staff the department with at least 2,300 officers.

“A fully staffed and resourced MPD is key to our overall efforts — particularly in strengthening community policing,” Strickland wrote.

Another element of the city’s strategy to reduce violent crime is “positively affecting more young people,” which the mayor said includes increasing summer jobs for youth, enhancing library programming, and doing outreach to at-risk youth.

Strickland said the city is also working to reduce recidivism, increase economic opportunity, and punish violent offenders “to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Though you probably do not feel it, we are making headway,” Strickland said.

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McRitchie agrees that there are substantial efforts being made as it relates specifically to reducing gun violence in Memphis, but believes more could be done: “There are lots of good things that are happening in Memphis and I don’t want to discount that. But in a city like ours, where the gun homicide rate is as high as it is, having a centralized task force to look at gun violence would be beneficial.”

McRitchie also believes there needs to be more intervention for youth who have gun-related offenses, comprehensive support for gunshot victims, and a greater effort to remove guns from those convicted of domestic violence offenses.

“Essentially, we would love to see Memphis look at gun violence as a public health epidemic and crisis,” McRitchie said. “I know that should be on the radar of the Shelby County Health Department.”

Gun violence looks a lot of different ways, McRitchie said, “so it’s going to take a lot of different ways to stop it. It’s going to take a multi-modal approach, just as we approach a health crisis.”

Status Quo

“It boggles my mind that 100 Americans are dying every day from gun violence and another 200 are wounded by gunshots every day,” McRitchie said.

Growing up, McRitchie said she was aware of the damage gun violence could cause, as her dad worked at the trauma center here.

“As an educator who worked in Memphis City Schools, I’ve walked through gun violence with students,” she said. “I saw what it looked like for people to lose children, and cousins, and friends because they were shot.”

When McRitchie’s oldest daughter started preschool, she said she was urged to took action.

“She came home one day and described playing a silent game in the bathroom with her class,” McRitchie said, “She was describing a lockdown drill to me, but fortunately she didn’t know that. I realized within one generation, we have normalized and accepted gun violence as the status quo in our country. I couldn’t do nothing anymore.”

Gun violence happens everywhere in America, McRitchie said: “There’s not a community that’s immune to it.

“It’s not an us or them problem, or a rural problem or a city problem, or a wealthy problem or a poor problem,” she said. “Gun violence is taking lives in every community in different ways. And until we accept it as all of our problems it’s going to continue.”


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Group Calls on U.S. Senate to Pass Gun Safety Laws

A group, joined by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Memphis), gathered Thursday near Memphis City Hall to demand “common sense” gun laws.

The Tennessee Chapter of Moms Demand Action’s volunteer leader Kat McRitchie said gun violence in the country is an ”epidemic.”

“Within one generation, gun violence had shifted from an abstract possibility to a daily reality for children in America, and I decided enough was enough,” McRitchie said. ”I had to be a part of the solution.”

Gun violence is a public health crisis that requires “urgent action to stop it,” McRitchie said, calling for Congress to take action by passing background check and red flag laws.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which would “utilize the current background checks process in the United States to ensure individuals prohibited from gun possession are not able to obtain firearms.”

However, the U.S. Senate, McRitchie said, continues to do “absolutely nothing to address gun violence.”

“That’s why we are here today, to call on the U.S. Senate to do its job to reduce gun violence, beginning with passing legislation to require background checks on all gun sales and also to enact a strong red flag law,” McRitchie said. “It is unacceptable to make public statements after high-profile shootings while refusing to pass legislation that could prevent them.”

McRitchie believes that requiring background checks for all gun sales is “one of the most efficient tools to keep guns out of the wrong hands.” She said there are currently loopholes in the system that allow “people who shouldn’t acquire guns.”

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The red flag law that the group is calling for would allow law enforcement to ask the court to temporarily suspend a person’s access to guns if there is evidence showing that person poses a threat to themselves or others.

“These are proven policies that help save lives,” McRitchie said.

Cohen said the House of Representatives has “done its job and continues to do its job.” He also called on the Senate to pass background check and red flag laws. Cohen said the country needs “reasonable and responsible gun bills to protect people.”

“The Republican party is a hostage of the NRA,” Cohen said. “President [Donald] Trump is a hostage of the NRA. The NRA does not care about people’s safety. It cares about making money and selling guns and selling bullets. They care about raising money and spending it in ways that we’ve seen are not appropriate.”

Cohen said it’s important to keep pressure on the Senate so that the lawmakers will set a date to hear the legislation and “put the voice of the American people into action and save lives.”

Specifically, Cohen called on Tennesseans to reach out to Sen. Lamar Alexander who he said is a “prime person who might be receptive to this message.”

The Numbers

Every day in the United States 100 people die by gun fire, according to the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety.

There were 27 active shooting events, resulting in 18 deaths, in the country last year, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) reports. The FBI defines an active shooter event as “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.”

There were 337 mass shootings in 2018 and have been 326 so far in 2019, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The research and data collection organization, which gathers data from news reports, police records, and other sources, defines a mass shooting as a single incident in which four or more people, excluding the shooter, are injured or killed.

The archive reports that so far this year there have been 30,313 total deaths related to gun violence. This includes unintentional shootings, homicides, and suicides.

Gun Violence Archive