The Observation Deck

Today from noon until 2pm over 50 people gathered to show their support for more complete
background checks.

A small part of the group that had gathered in the light rain.


Over 90% of Americans believe that better, more complete background checks will save lives.


Ex-Lakewood School Board Member and past PTA President Debra Sweeney holds the
umbrella for Ward 2 Councilman Tom Bullock, who gave a stirring speech about the need
for background checks, and more laws.


Debra's husband aka Mr. Sweeney beats the drum for those we will not forget.

A statement handed out by PTA memebrs.
Given National PTA's history of advocacy for the safety of children and youth, National PTA
supports federal efforts to protect children and youth from gun violence. National PTA also
advocates restricting access to guns from persons who may endanger public safety.
School safety is a critical priority for all parents, educators, students, and community members that cannot be taken for granted. We must make every attempt to reduce violence, especially incidents that involve firearms. National PTA recognizes the importance of parent involvement in the decision-making process in the development and implementation of school safety policies, including crisis response plans. National PTA recognizes the importance of a safe learning environment in attaining the highest
level of student learning and achievement. National PTA believes the most effective day-to-day school climate to be gun-free, but defers to local collaborative decision-making to allow for the presence of law enforcement deployed in community-oriented policing.
Examples of ways to improve youth safety and to restrict guns to only responsible owners
include advocating for the following:

• gun safety locks and other safety devices to prevent young children from accidentally
discharging a gun

• alternative educational settings for youth who have brought a firearm to school, along
with appropriate evaluation and counseling

• restrict Internet gun sales, including kits that can be used to make/modify guns

• enforce federal and state minimum age requirements for handgun purchases

• raise the minimum age to 21 to be allowed to buy a handgun from non-licensed dealers

• allow at least three business days to conduct background checks

• require non-licensed dealers to conduct background checks and fill out proper paperwork
so that guns can be traced

• increase penalties for the transfer of handguns or semiautomatic assault weapons to
juveniles for use in a crime

• revoke the license of dealers who knowingly sell to minors

• establish education programs to teach students, parents, and community members about
gun safety and violence prevention

• prevent juveniles who commit violent crimes from buying guns as adults

These and other measures are some of the ways National PTA believes that gun violence can be decreased in order to make our schools, as well as our communities, safer. National PTA believes we must enact legislation that will reduce gun violence and help protect all children and youth.
Adopted: by the 1999 Board of Directors Section II
Archived: by the 2002 Board of Directors
Amended: by the 2013 Board of Directors



Engaging drivers on Detroit Ave.



Even with a light cold rain the core of the group hung in for over two hours.

Call you Congressman and Senator, tell them to support legislation for better more complete
background checks, and for other restrictions.

.

Good turnout considering the weather.

I've seen this statement about 90% supporting backgrounds checksl, could someone please point me towards this survey where that number came from? Who was sampled, how large was the sample, who commissioned the survey? Getting 90% of people to agree with anything is not very easy so I find that percentage quite suspect. I know the president threw that number around but I'd like to see the source.

Republican pollster Frank Luntz is often quoted:

http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/media-center/pr006-12.shtml

The CNN/ORC poll is the one often referred to and the most recent:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/10/cnn-poll-popular-background-checks-also-cause-worry/

The advocates of more and more extensive background checks don't seem to consider what type of often very personal information would be gathered, and what type of status would lead to refusal to approve the purchase of a gun. It almost seems that they want to reverse the flow of time and retroactively disarm our killers. But it seems that many of these killers would have been able to pass a background check, or avoided the need of one by obtaining their weapons illegally. So just who will these background checks stop? Will being undereducated or overeducated get you on the list? What about veterans? Will certain religious affiliations get you on the list? Will being a victim of a crime, or child abuse, get you on the list? Will conviction of a non-violent crime get you on the list? Will you have an opportunity to challenge the information that results in a ban?

Will expanded background checks be effective, given the second amendment right to have weapons, or is this just an expensive feel-good exercise?

I'm concerned because we already have a similar procedure for people who fly. Homeland Security has amassed a group of lists that can be used to either subject you to heightened security, or even banned from flying. I'm on one such list, or at least someone with a similar name is and they seem to think I'm him. I've gone through all their procedures to get off the list, but the fact is they never remove a name from the list, even if you die. They are very secretive about the list, citing national security, so you can't get the information on why you are on the list. The most I have been able to do is get a letter from Homeland Security saying I have been checked, and the airline may or may not rely on that letter to deal with me. I'm apparently not on the do not fly list, but my namesake is on the heightened security list, so it is harder for me to buy tickets, and I am frequently pulled aside and interrogated. We are moving far away from the free country I once lived in.

I was reading about the case of the runner in South Africa who killed a woman in his bathroom. A couple of articles reported that South Africa has implemented very strict arms controls. Apparently one unintended consequence is that the number of home break-ins, violent home break-ins, has increased, and the thieves are not taking what we expect thieves to take: they are looking for weapons. Homeowners are aware of this, and are much less reluctant to shoot an intruder.