Posted on 7 Comments

CeasefirePa

Somewhat overshadowed at last week’s meeting of the EPIC Stakeholders was the attendance of Orla Tracy of CeasefirePa.  That is kind of ironic since the subject of debate was the violence caused by some bars.  They are having an event next Wednesday, July 13th.  Details are below.

My name is Orla Treacy.  I met you all last Thursday night at your community event at the Aria Health Frankford Hospital.  As I said at the meeting, CeaseFirePA is the leading gun violence prevention organization in the state, and I would love to include you with our efforts to reduce gun violence in Philadelphia.  At the meeting, a few of you shared your personal connections to gun violence which was incredibly powerful and an inspiration for the work we do at CeaseFirePA.

Next week, on July 13th from 5-8pm at 1936 Judson Street, the Honickman Learning Center, we are having a phone bank to recruit new members to join our cause.  The more people we have involved with this issue in Philadelphia and across the state, the more powerful our voice is in Harrisburg.  I would be VERY grateful for whatever amount of time you can come to help us call people in Philadelphia and invite them to join the movement in Pennsylvania to fight back against gun violence.  The Director of Philadelphia Gun Violence Task Force,  Bryan Lentz is joining us as our special guest, to make phone calls and answer any questions that you might have for him.

7 thoughts on “CeasefirePa

  1. With all due respect – I agree with your mission BUT:

    Publication: The Pennsylvania Gazette
    Date: September 8, 1790

    THE CONSTITUTION OF THE Commonwealth of Pennsylvania .

    WE, the People of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, ordain and establish this CONSTITUTION for its Government.

    ARTICLE VII.

    Sect. 1. The Legislature shall, as soon as conveniently may be, provide, by law, for the establishment of schools throughout the state, in such manner that the poor may be taught gratis.

    Sect. 2. The arts and sciences shall be promoted in one or more seminaries of learning.

    Sect. 3. The rights, privileges, immunities and estates of religious societies and corporate bodies shall remain as if the Constitution of this State had not been altered or amended.

    ARTICLE VIII.

    Members of the General Assembly and all officers, executive and judicial, shall be bound, by oath or affirmation, to support the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and to perform the duties of their respective offices with fidelity.

    ARTICLE IX.

    That the general, great and essential principles of liberty and free government may be recognized and unalterably established, we declare,

    Sect. 1. That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent and indefeasible rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, possessing and protecting property and reputation, and of pursuing their own happiness.

    Sect. 2. That all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety and happiness: For the advancement of those ends they have, at all times, an unalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish their government, in such manner as they may think proper.

    Sect. 3. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; that no man can, of right, be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent; that no human authority can, in any case whatever, controul or interfere with the rights of consciences; and that no preference shall be ever given, by law, to any religious establishment or modes of worship.

    Sect. 4. That no person, who acknowledges the being of a God and a future state of rewards and punishments, shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified to hold any office or place of trust or profit under this Commonwealth.

    Sect. 5. That elections shall be free and equal.

    Sect. 6. That trial by jury shall be as heretofore, and the right thereof remain inviolate.

    Sect. 7. That the printing presses shall be free to every person, who undertake to examine the proceedings of the Legislature, or any branch of government: And no law shall ever be made to refrain the right thereof. The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of man; and every citizen may freely speak, write and print on any subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty. In prosecutions for the publication of papers, investigating the official conduct of officers, or men in a public capacity, or where the matter published is proper for public information, the truth thereof may be given in evidence: And, in all indictments for libels, the jury shall have a right to determine the law and the facts, under the directions of the court, as in other cases.

    Sect. 8. That the people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers and possessions from unreasonable searches and seizures: And, that no warrant to search any place, or to seize any person or things shall issue, without describing them as nearly as may be, nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation.

    Sect. 9. That, in all criminal prosecutions, the accused hath a right to be heard by himself and his counsel, demand the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to meet the witnesses in his favour, and, in prosecutions by indictment or information, a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the vicinage: That he cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself, nor can he be deprived of his life, liberty or property, unless by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land.

    Sect. 10. That no person shall, for any indictable offence, be proceeded against criminally by information, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger, or by leave of the court, for oppression and misdemeanour in office. No person shall, for the same offence, be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall any man’s property be taken or applied to public use without the consent of his Representatives, and without just compensation being made.

    Sect. 11. That all courts shall be open, and every may, for any injury done him in his lands, goods, person or reputation, shall have remedy by the due course of law, and right and justice administered without sale, denial or delay. Suits may be brought against the Commonwealth in such manner, in such courts, and in such cases as the Legislature may, by law, direct.

    Sect. 12. That no power of suspending laws shall be exercised, unless by the Legislature, or its authority.

    Sect. 13. That excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel punishments inflicted.

    Sect. 14. That all prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, unless for capital offences when the proof is evident or presumption great; and the privileges of the writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it. Sect.

    15. That no commission of Oyer and Terminer or Gaol Delivery shall be issued.

    Sect. 16. That the person of a debtor, where there is not strong presumption of fraud, shall not be continued in prison after delivering up his estate for the benefit of his creditors in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.

    Sect. 17. That no expost facto law, nor any law impairing contracts, shall be made.

    Sect. 18. That no person shall be attainted of treason or felony by the Legislature.

    Sect. 19. That no attainder shall work corruption of blood, nor, except during the life of the offender, forfeiture of estate to the Commonwealth; that the estates of such persons as shall destroy their own lives shall descend or vest as in case of natural death; and if any person shall be killed by casualty, there shall be no forfeiture by reason thereof.

    Sect. 20. That the citizens have right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble together for their common good, and to apply to those invested with the powers of government, for redress of grievances or other proper purposes, by petition, address or remonstrance.

    Sect. 21. That the right of the citizens to bear arms in defence of themselves and the state shall not be questioned.

    Sect. 22. That no standing army shall, in time of peace, be kept up without the consent of the Legislature; and the military shall, in all cases, and at all times, be in strict subordination to the civil power.

    Sect. 23. That no soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor, in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

    Sect. 24. That the Legislature shall not grant any title of nobility or heredity distinction, nor create any office, the appointment to which shall be for a longer term than during good behaviour.

    Sect. 25. That emigration from the state shall not be prohibited.

    Sect. 26. To guard against transgressions of the high powers which we have delegated, WE DECLARE, That every thing in this article is excepted out of the general powers of government, and shall for ever remain inviolate.

    =====

    Question: How will you acomplish your goals without violating OUR Constitution?

    Also – there is no shortage of fear mongering as gun violence is at an all time high, but Gun Control may be seen as an act of Racism & Opression:

    The Racist Roots of Gun Control

    Copyright 1993 Clayton E. Cramer All Rights Reserved
    published in the Winter 1995 issue of Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy

    Electronic redistribution is permitted as long as no alterations are made to the text and this notice appears at the beginning. Print reproduction or for profit use is not authorized without permission from the author.

    The historical record provides compelling evidence that racism underlies gun control laws — and not in any subtle way. Throughout much of American history, gun control was openly stated as a method for keeping blacks and Hispanics “in their place,” and to quiet the racial fears of whites. This paper is intended to provide a brief summary of this unholy alliance of gun control and racism, and to suggest that gun control laws should be regarded as “suspect ideas,” analogous to the “suspect classifications” theory of discrimination already part of the American legal system.

    Racist arms laws predate the establishment of the United States. Starting in 1751, the French Black Code required Louisiana colonists to stop any blacks, and if necessary, beat “any black carrying any potential weapon, such as a cane.” If a black refused to stop on demand, and was on horseback, the colonist was authorized to “shoot to kill.”[1]

    Slave possession of firearms was a necessity at times in a frontier society, yet laws continued to be passed in an attempt to prohibit slaves or free blacks from possessing firearms, except under very restrictively controlled conditions.[2]

    Similarly, in the sixteenth century the colony of New Spain, terrified of black slave revolts, prohibited all blacks, free and slave, from carrying arms.[3] … Full Text Version at Link: http://www.lizmichael.com/racistro.htm

    The Ghost

  2. Gun Control: Your beating a dead horse.

    You would have to get every State to agree to gun control and it’s just not going to happen.

    Stop the focus on gun control and focus on the reason for violence in our society.

  3. New Jersey has some of the strictest gunlaws in the nation yet almost on a daily basis someone is getting shot in Camden, Trenton, or any other part of Jersey. Gun violence is rampant because we have a weak judicial system that offers prisoners a suitcase full of civil rights. Many of these rights allow these thugs to live a better life in prison than they would ever live in society. Offer up a just punishment for serious crimes and watch gun violence go away. Until we stop bending over for the handful of people that think prisoners deserve to be treated like guests at the Hyatt, we will have gun violence. Possession of controlled substances is illegal yet everyone seems to be able to buy their drug of choice anywhere in the city; what makes anyone think that gunlaws are going to keep LAWBREAKERS from getting guns just as easily. Gun laws weaken the law abiding owners that are using arms for sport and/or protecting their families. Like the saying goes; ‘guns don’t kill people, people do.’ So I will finish that statement by saying the solution to gun crimes is eliminate the people causing them. They don’t respect or cherish anyone’s lives, so why should we respect theirs?

  4. To NW Resident:

    Regarding your reason for violence in our country I would suggest you expand your vision. I am over 60 years old and I cannot remember a time when our nation (the United States) has not been involved in some war/conflict in some part of the world. We are a violent nation. There is a correlation between how we treat our neighbors in the rest of the world and how we treat each other locally. After years of global conflict there develops a disregard for human life. You cannot single out certain people in our society and say they have created the violence. As a nation, we are all guilty.

  5. The United States is a violent country, but not as violent as in Afghanistan or in Bagdad with the suicide bombers, but give it some time.

    On another note, “as a nation, we are all guilty” – really?

    Guilty of what? – Guilty of not having an uprising and overthrowing these incompetent elected drones?

    We call them Senators & Congressmen on a federal level, but they are just drones collecting a salary on the Public Tax, and they are dumber than dog-dirt when it comes to understanding the street.

    “You cannot single out certain people in our society and say they have created the violence.” That does seem to be the problem.

    Because we are powerless to “single out” & effectively prosecute those who have created the violence and do continue to create violence – the violence will continue.

    The violent criminals are not afraid of punishment, because the punishment is weak.

    If the new gun laws keep taking away from law abiding citizens, the law is then empowering the criminals and encouraging more crime. Eventually the only ones left with guns will be the criminals.

    Our Society needs is quick public executions for gun crimes of murder; thumb removal (both hands) if you shoot someone; while a convicted violent rapist should be given a choice of being castrated or hanged by the neck until dead – in public.

    Perhaps then – a potential criminal may think about the consequence.

    Here is an example of a P-O-S that should have been flushed down the pipe long ago, but Gov. Casey was too weak to sign the execution orders:

    Paper: Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA)

    Title: ABU-JAMAL SHOT OFFICER IN BACK, WITNESS SAYS
    Date: January 9, 1982

    By Joyce Gemperlein and Robert J. Rosenthal
    Inquirer Staff Writers

    A woman who said she was standing on the corner of 13th and Locust Streets early Dec. 9 testified yesterday that Mumia Abu-Jamal shot police officer Daniel Faulkner in the back as he was preparing to handcuff Abu-Jamal’s brother.

    “I saw a man run out of the parking lot. He got almost to the curb, and that’s when he fired the shot,” said Cynthia White, one of two witnesses at a preliminary hearing for Abu- Jamal and his brother, William Cook. Abu-Jamal’s name at birth was Wesley Cook.

    Miss White testified at the hearing in Philadelphia Municipal Court that she saw the first shot and heard ” three or four more” as Abu-Jamal stood over the officer, who was lying wounded on the sidewalk. She said she did not see the officer fire his gun.

    Police Inspector Alphonso Giordano, the second witness presented by Assistant District Attorney Joseph McGill, testified that he had asked Abu-Jamal, who was lying in a police van after the incident, where the defendant had put the gun.

    Giordano testified that Abu-Jamal had said, “I dropped it beside the car after I shot him.”

    After the hearing, Abu-Jamal, 27, a Philadelphia radio reporter and former president of the Association of Black Journalists, was ordered held for trial on a charge of murder by Municipal Court Judge Edward Mekel. The judge fixed bail for Abu-Jamal at $250,000, which means that he can be freed if $25,000 is raised.

    It could not be determined after the hearing whether Abu-Jamal would be able to post the bail or whether the district attorney’s office would appeal Mekel’s decision to grant it.

    McGill argued that because the crime is a capital offense, Abu-Jamal should be held in jail without bail. Jackson produced Edith Cook, Abu-Jamal’s mother, and Thomas St. Hill, a former Philadelphia Journal reporter and longtime friend of Abu-Jamal, to testify that Abu-Jamal had roots in Philadelphia and would not flee the jurisdiction before his murder trial.

    Mekel granted a request by Daniel Paul Alva, the attorney for William Cook, Jamal’s brother and a Center City street vendor, to sever the cases of the two men. Cook is charged with aggravated assault upon Faulkner, simple assault and resisting arrest. The judge ordered that the charges against Cook be reduced to misdemeanors and sent to Municipal Court for a hearing Feb. 1.

    Faulkner, a police officer for five years, had been married slightly more than a year when he died as a result of a gunshot wound of the back and another in the face. Faulkner’s wife, Maureen, and a group of fellow officers and friends and relatives were present at the hearing.

    Abu-Jamal was shot in the chest during the incident and required surgery.

    Police theorized at the time that Abu-Jamal’s wound was caused when Faulkner fired a shot before he died.

    Yesterday’s hearing was held after many delays. Earlier this week, Abu-Jamal’s attorney, Anthony Jackson, petitioned Common Pleas Court Judge Paul Ribner for a postponement. Ribner denied the motion and ordered that the hearing be held yesterday morning. But late Thursday, Abu-Jamal complained to officials at the Philadelphia Detention Center that he was ill.

    He was taken to Nazareth Hospital and then to Giuffre Medical Center, where it was determined that he could appear in court. However, the hearing yesterday was delayed for nearly an hour more after Abu-Jamal had refused to change from his hospital gown to his prison garb.

    Mekel ordered sheriffs to cross the street from City Hall to John Wanamaker and to buy clothing for Abu-Jamal. Several homicide detectives and McGill provided the cash for a plaid shirt and brown corduroy pants for Abu-Jamal.

    Abu-Jamal’s supporters, many of them members of MOVE, a self-styled back-to nature group, have said that he was not guilty of the shooting and that he was beaten by police after the shooting. The beating allegation is being investigated by the Police Department internal affairs unit.

    Miss White testified that she saw Faulkner stop a Volkswagen driven by Cook at the intersection of 13th and Locust Streets shortly before 4 a.m. Dec. 9.

    Miss White, whom Jackson referred to as “a lady of the street,” said she had been standing on the corner for about a half-hour when she saw Faulkner, his car lights flashing, stop Cook.

    She said that the two walked to the curb and that she saw Cook hit the officer in the face.

    Miss White testified that the officer turned Cook around and pulled Cook’s hands behind his back as if to handcuff him.

    She said she then saw Abu-Jamal run across the street from the parking lot and shoot Faulkner in the back. Miss White said under cross-examination that Abu-Jamal wore a hat and carried the gun in his left hand. In demonstrating the shooting, however, she indicated that the gun had been in Abu-Jamal’s right hand.

    Miss White also testified that she did not see the officer strike William Cook or see Faulkner fire a shot at Abu-Jamal.

    She said that her vision of the officer, after he had fallen to the ground, had been blocked but that she saw Abu-Jamal standing over him and aiming the gun. She said she then heard three or four more shots.

    After the hearing, MOVE supporters in the audience shouted: “On the move!” – their now-familiar slogan at court hearings involving their members, as Abu-Jamal was led from the courtroom.

    Copyright (c) 1982 The Philadelphia Inquirer
    Author: JOYCE GEMPERLEIN AND ROBERT J. ROSENTHAL
    Section: LOCAL
    Page: A01
    Copyright (c) 1982 The Philadelphia Inquirer

    Now read the 104 pages on Hero Cops:

    http://www.jamesbinns.net/HeroCops/2009_HeroCops_web.pdf

    Tell me – what were these Hero Cops guilty of?

    The Ghost!

  6. To Lorraine
    I really hope you’re joking with that statement. If you’re not then you are extremely misguided in your views of the world and the reason the U.S. gets involved in global conflicts. Violence in the U.S. has absolutely nothing to do with the U.S.’s war policies. One question; what does some dropout loser from the inner city with a drug habit from the age of 12, 2 dozen priors for B&E, robbery, etc., never had a job or paid a bill in his life, know about or even care about any global conflict the country is in? These degenerates do what they learn in the street; not what they learned in their highly disciplined military career.

  7. To: The Ghost and NW Resident:

    NW Resident stated: “Violence in the U.S. has absolutely nothing to do with the U.S.’s war policies”.

    We are so far apart on this issue that there is no point in any further discussion. But thanks for the response.

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