Posted on 10/24/2007 3:18:40 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
CHICAGO (CBS) ―- Chicago police and local educators ran a high profile, all-out blitz Wednesday to teach kids about gun danger as part of the 12th Annual National Day of Concern.
CBS 2's Mike Parker reports that Chicago police, from the top brass on down to patrol officers, were out warning kids about the dangers of guns, and based on what he saw, the warnings seemed to be sinking in.
All over the city, hundreds of thousands of students were taking the "no gun" pledge, promising to keep firearms out of their lives. The pledge day came at the end of a year that saw too many Chicago kids die from gun violence.
Wood district police officers staged roll call outside the Lafayette school and spread their anti gun message to the littlest students.
"We want to let the students know how important it is, if they see a gun to tell a parent, tell somebody in authority," said Chicago Police Cmdr. Christine Kolman.
To the older students, the message was: resolve your conflicts without violence. It got through to some.
"Don't say nothing to them that makes the fight go on and get bigger and bigger," said one student in a discussion about the pledge.
The message also was sent by police officials and educators on B96 radio Wednesday morning.
Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan said, "Our society values guns, values the right to bear arms more than we value our children. Our priorities are 100 percent backward."
The kids were listening.
Student Julia Mosqueda said, "We're changing the world and not doing it very big but doing it a school at a time."
Community outrage over the recent deaths of two Chicago Public School students has added more urgency to today's events recognizing the National Day of Concern.
A funeral for 10-year-old Arthur Jones was held Wednesday morning at the Fellowship Baptist Church, 4543 S. Princeton Ave. Meanwhile, assemblies will be held at public and parochial schools, with children learning what they can do to prevent and avoid violence.
Jones, known to friends and family as "A.J.," was killed by alleged gang members firing at each other near 55th and Halsted one week ago.
Three teens have been charged in Arthur's death. Police say 17-year-old Lesean Jackson is one of two people who fired a gun at rival gang members last week, killing Jones instead. Jones, an innocent fifth-grader on his way to buy candy, was in the median area when he was hit. Police say the community's response prompted Jackson to turn himself in.
An alleged 14-year-old accomplice was charged as a juvenile Saturday, while Steven McCaskill, 17, was charged as an adult for allegedly providing one of the guns used in the shooting. Police are still searching for a second gunman.
"The community was outraged at this senseless act of violence," said Wentworth Area police Cmdr. Patricia Walsh. "Many people in the community took a stand; they gave us information, they gave us leads."
Police are also looking for two teenage suspects in the fatal shooting of Samuel Benavente, 14, an eighth grader at Eberhart School on the city's Southwest Side. Samuel was shot Sunday evening at 63rd Street and Central Park Avenue as he tried to stop another teen who was stealing his friend's bicycle. He died a day later.
In all, 69 people under the age of twenty have been the victims of fatal gun violence in Chicago so far this year, despite the city's tough anti-gun laws.
Mayor Daley says there needs to be more outrage on the part of city aldermen to prevent violence.
"How about them looking at more and more children being killed?" the mayor said Tuesday. "It's easy to criticize police; there's only 13,000. But again, where are (the aldermen) when it comes to violence in their own communities?"
Daley is also angry at 28 aldermen who want to see a blacked-out list of police officers accused of misconduct more than 10 times. The city has so far refused to release that list.
And disarming the sheep continues.
And when the pledge signing was over, hundreds of students celebrated by shooting off their guns into the air....
That’s odd — I consider firearms an important part of life, not pledging to keep them out of life.
“All over the city, hundreds of thousands of students were taking the “no gun” pledge, promising to keep firearms out of their lives.”
What was the response from the gangs?
When they’re 30,have a wife and two young daughters and learn that there’s a rapist on the loose in their neighborhood and that the cops don’t have the faintest idea of how they can catch him then these kids might understand that guns sometimes serve a useful purpose.
Problem solved! If only libs completely ruled the world....sigh
Maybe they can introduce a “gun buyback program” as tried by Mumbles Menino, the May-uh of Boston. They offer cash for older firearms, which the gang members use to buy newer firearms.
And now, children, the daily brain washing goes on!
I pledge to not use a firearm on anyone who is not trying to steal, hurt, kill me, my family, or my possessions.
LOL!!
I used my Ruger Blackhawk today loaded with shot shells to kill a 4 foot water moccasin near my pond.
Cool. How many shots?
Yep! Aren't you glad we're hawks? ;o)They can't deceive us, nor can they scare us. They will never get my guns. Not as long as I'm alive.
How far? Personally, the farther the better for me, if you know what I mean :>)
I don’t care for snakes.
I was on my tractor so I felt pretty safe, I was around 10 to 12 feet from the snake. I always take my Ruger when I bush-hog our land.
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