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T he P ortland O bserver ; P O B ox 3 137
P ortland , O regon 9 7 2 0 8
(¡Dhseruer
By B ernice P owell
J ackson _______
A n y o n e w h o liv e s in u r
b a n A m e r ic a to d a y k n o w s
th e s t o r i e s . S to r i e s o f b a
b ie s b e in g s h o t in d r iv e - b y
s h o o t i n g s . S to r ie s o f c h i l
d re n d y in g in th e c r o s s f i r e
o r w h e n a n o t h e r c h ild fin d s
a gun at h o m e an d p la y s w ith
it. S to r ie s o f te e n a g e rs
a f r a i d to go to s c h o o l b e
c a u s e o f th e d e a th a ll a ro u n d
th em .
S to r i e s o f to o m a n y c ity
c h ild r e n w h o , w h e n a s k e d i f
th e y k n o w a n y o n e w h o h a s
b e e n s h o t, q u ic k ly ra is e
t h e i r h a n d s . S to r i e s o f p o
l i c e o f f i c e r s w h o a re o u t
g u n n e d b y c r im in a ls w ho are
s o m e tim e s o u t f i t t e d in b u l
l e t - p r o o f v e s ts th e m s e lv e s .
S to rie s o f d o c to rs and
n u r s e s w h o w o rk in e m e r
g e n c y ro o m s a r o u n d th e n a
tio n a n d w h o s e e c a s e a f te r
case ot gunsnot w ounds e v
e ry w e e k - e n d . A n y o n e w h o
l i v e s in u rb a n A m e ric a n t o
d a y k n o w s th e s t o r i e s .
A nd, sa d ly , A m eric an s liv
in g in th e s u b u rb s a n d in r u
ra l a r e a s a re b e g in n in g to
k n o w th o s e s t o r i e s as w e ll.
S to r i e s o f c h ild r e n k i l li n g
o th e r c h ild r e n in s c h o o ls in
A r k a n s a s a n d M i s s is s i p p i
a n d o t h e r p la c e s a r o u n d th e
n a t i o n . S to r ie s o f a c c i d e n
ta l s h o o tin g s in h o m e s o r in
fr o n t y a r d s . S a d , sad s to r ie s
fro m w h ic h so m e f a m ilie s
n e v e r c a n re c o v e r .
B u t s t i l l , in s p ite o f t h o u
s a n d s o f th e s e s to rie s
a c r o s s th is n a tio n , it is s t i l l
le g a l to s e ll h a n d g u n s a n d
Name:_________________ _________________ —-----------------
Address:_______ _______ _____________ —-------------------------------
City, State:___________________ — ----------- ----------------------------
Zip-Code:------------ -- ----------- ------------- -----------------------------
T hank Y ou F or R eading T he P ortland O bserver
a s s a u lt w e a p o n s in m a n y
p la c e s . It is s t i l l le g a l to
s e ll h a n d g u n s w ith o u t t r i g
g er lo c k s . A nd so th o u s a n d s
o f c h ild r e n a n d te e n a g e r s
d ie e v e ry y e a r in th is n a
t io n , p e r h a p s th e o n ly n a
tio n at p e a c e in th e w o rld
w h e re h a n d g u n s a r e so e a s
ily b o u g h t a n d s o ld . A n d
m a y b e th e k e y p h r a s e is “ at
p e a c e ” b e c a u s e so m e w o u ld
a rg u e th a t o u r c i t i e s a re n o t
at p e a c e a n d w ill n o t b e u n
til h a n d g u n s a re re m o v e d
fro m th e m .
F o r a d e c a d e o r m o re d e v
a s ta te d m o th e r s h a v e c r ie d
re a l te a r s on te le v is io n n ew s
a fte r
th e ir
c h ild re n s ’
d e a th s , a n d s o m e h a v e e v e n
s ta rte d su p p o rt g ro u p s and
g r o u p s to f ig h t fo r b e t t e r
h a n d g u n c o n tr o l la w s .
A f te r Jim B ra d y w a s s h o t
in th e a s s a s s i n a ti o n a tte m p t
on P r e s id e n t R e a g a n , h e and
h is w ife b e c a m e o u ts n o k e n
a d v o c a te s fo r s u c h l e g i s l a
tio n a n d th e B rad y b ill e v e n
tu a l l y b e c a m e a r e a l i t y , d e
s p ite fe rv e n t o p p o s itio n
fro m th e g u n i n d u s t r y an d
g u n a d v o c a te s .
S t i l l , th o u s a n d s o f i n n e r
c ity y o u th s e v e ry y e a r a re
s h o t an d n ew re s e a rc h sh o w s
th a t th e le g itim a te g u n m a r
k e t is lin k e d to th e s e c o n d
a ry “ b l a c k ” m a r k e t w h ic h
s e l l s i l le g a l g u n s .
F o r y e a r s , th e g u n i n d u s
t r y h a d s a id t h a t c r im e s
w e re c o m m itte d w ith g u n s
w h ic h h a d b e e n s t o l e n a n d
th a t le g a l g u n s a le s h ad
n o th in g to do w ith g u n s u se d
in c r im e s .
N o w th e B u re a u o f A lc o -
h o l, T o b a c c o a n d F ir e a r m s
h a s fo u n d th a t h a l f o f th e
g u n s tr a c e d to a c r im e w e re
b o u g h t l e g a lly in th e p a s t
th r e e y e a r s . In so m e p la c e s
t h a t tim e p e r io d is e v e n
s h o r t e r , fo r i n s t a n c e , th e
L o s A n g e le s P o lic e D e p a r t
m e n t fo u n d th a t h a l f o t th e
g u n s s o ld le g a lly w e re u s e d
in a c r im e w ith in tw o y e a rs .
N o w th e c i t i e s a re b e g i n
n in g to f ig h t b a c k . L o s A n
g e l e s is c o n s i d e r i n g r e
s t r ic tin g h a n d g u n p u rc h a s e s
to n o m o re th a n o n e p e r
m o n th , u s in g th e c o m m o n
s e n s e id e a th a t no o n e w ith
a le g a l u s e fo r a h a n d g u n
s h o u ld n e e d m o re th a n o n e
p e r m o n th . N ew O r le a n s ,
C h ic a g o , M iam i an d B rid g e
p o rt, C T a re all f illin g c a s e s
a g a in s t h a n d g u n m a n u f a c
t u r e r s , e i t h e r to fo r c e th e m
to p u t s a f e ty t r i g g e r lo c k s
on a ll h a n d g u n s o r to try to
e e t b a c k s o m e o f th e m i l
lio n s o f d o lla r s e x p e n d e d in
la r g e c i t i e s fo r th e c a re o f
g u n s h o t v ic tim s .
In B rid g e p o r t in 1997 o n e
e i g h t - y e a r o ld a c c i d e n t a l l y
w a s s h o t d e a d by h e r te n
y e a r - o ld s i s t e r a n d r e c e n tly
a m o th e r a n d h e r e ig h t y e a r-
o ld so n w e re g u n n e d d o w n ,
a lle g e d ly by a m an w hom th e
so n h a d w i tn e s s e d h a d s h o t
a n d k i l l e d th e m o t h e r ’ s
f ia n c é e a r l i e r a n d a g a in s t
w h o m th e c h ild w a s s e t to
te s tify .
B u t th e m o s t r e c e n t d e
v e lo p m e n t in c a s e s a g a in s t
g u n m a n u f a c t u r e r s w a s th e
c a s e w o n b y a B r o o k ly n
m o th e r w h o se so n w as
k ille d by a s tra y b u lle t from
a s e m i-a u to m a tic h a n d g u n .
S h e a n d s e v e n o th e r f a m i
lie s f i l e d a c a s e a g a in s t th e
m a n u fa c tu re r o f th e w e a p o n ,
a r g u in g th a t th e g u n i n d u s
try f lo o d s S o u th e rn s ta te s
w h e re no p e r m its o r f i n g e r
p r in t c h e c k s o r o w n e r s h ip
r e c o r d s a re r e q u ir e d , k n o w
in g th a t so m e o f th e s e g u n s
w ill o v e r f lo w in to th e
N o r th e r n c i t i e s .
T h e la w y e r fo r th a t c a s e
w a s a b le to f o r c e s o m e d a ta
to be re le a s e d , in c lu d in g th e
fa c t th a t 90 p e rc e n t o f h a n d
g u n s u s e d in N e w Y o rk
c rim e s are le g a lly p u rc h a s e d
e l s e w h e r e , m o s tly in th e
S o u th . T h a t c a s e a ls o
s e e m e d to lin k th e e m e r g
in g
g lo b a l
w eapons
e c o n o m y , in w h ic h A m e r i
c a n h a n d g u n m a n u f a c tu r e r s
a re n o w s e n d in g o u r g u n s
o v e r s e a s , m o st e s p e c ia lly to
A fr ic a n n a tio n s lik e L ib e ria
an d S ie rra L eo n e w h e re c iv il
w a rs , u sin g , te e n a g e d s o l
d ie r s h a v e b e e n r a g in g .
I k n o w a ll a b o u t th e S e c
o n d A m e n d m e n t to th e U .S .
C o n s titu tio n . B ut I can t
im a g in e th a t th e f r a m e r s o f
th e C o n s ti t u t i o n c o u ld
h a v e e n v is io n e d a gun in
d u s t r y w ith th e b lo o d o f
te n s o f t h o u s a n d s o f c h i l
d r e n on i t s h a n d s w h e n it
w r o te th a t a m e n d m e n t. I
c a n ’ t im a g in e w h y w e s t i l l
a llo w h a n d g u n s , w h o se
o n ly p u r p o s e is to s h o o t
a n o t h e r h u m a n b e in g , to be
s o l d . 1 c a n ’t i m a g in e h o w
m a n y m o re c h i l d r e n w ill
h a v e to d ie b e f o r e w e d o
s o m e th in g . I ju s t can t
im a g in e .
' v
You Can N ow Find
U s On th e Web!
h ttp ://
w w w .portland
observer.net
The Meaning of Reform
B y D r . L enora F ulani
B ein g an a c tiv is t in the R e
form P arty and an adv o cate for
p o litic a l re fo rm , I re c e n tly
lo o k ed up th e w ord “ re fo rm ”
in W e b s te r’s D ic tio n a ry . It
tu rn s o u t th ere are tw o d iffe r
e n t w o rd s w ith tw o d is tin c t
d efinitions and pronunciations.
T he first p ro n u n c ia tio n is re
form (ri-fo rm ) and the d e fin i
tio n o f th is u sage o f refo rm -
a c c o rd in g to W e b ste r - is “ to
m ake b etter b y rem oving faults
and d efects;” and “ to m ake b e t
te r by p u ttin g a sto p to abuses
or m alp ractices o r by in tro d u c
ing b e tte r p ro c e d u re s .”
C e rta in ly w hen you lo o k at
th e state o f o u r p o litic a l s y s
tem , m ost A m ericans agree that
th ere is a se rio u s n eed to m ake
it b e tte r by p u ttin g a stop to
abuses and m alp ractice by p o li
tic ia n s and g o v ern m e n t o ff i
cia ls. M ost p e o p le ag ree that
it w ould h e lp c o n s id e ra b ly to
in tro d u ce b e tte r p ro c ed u re s.
A nd th e A m erican peo p le
h av e in d ic a te d at the v o tin g
b o o th and in c o u n tle s s p o lls
som e o f th e p ro c e d u re s th e y ’d
lik e to see in tro d u c e d to stop
th e p e rv a siv e a b u se o f pow er.
T h ese in c lu d e p ro c ed u ra l re
form s lik e term lim its , c a m
p aig n fin an c e re fo rm , the e a s
in g o f b a llo t ac c e ss r e s tr ic
tions
and
open
primaries.Ballot access regu
lations - the laws that govern
how a candidate gets on the
ballot - are shockingly dis
criminatory against indepen
dents and insurgents.
H e re’s ju s t one exam ple. An
in d e p e n d e n t c a n d id a te fo r the
U .S. P residency needs over 1.2
m illio n p e titio n sig n a tu re s to
get on th e b a llo t. A D em ocrat
o r R e p u b lic a n n ee d s ab o u t
40,000. These law s are enacted
by D em ocratic and R epublican
c o n tro lle d sta te le g is la tu re s
who desig n them to p ro tec t in
cu m b en ts - in o th e r w ords -
th em selv es - and to p ro tec t
th eir p artie s. I f w e d id n ’t re a l
ize it b efo re now , the im p each
m ent sp ec ta cle on C apitol H ill
is liv in g p ro o f th at o u r p o liti
c ia n s ’ firs t a lle g ia n c e is to
th e ir p a rty , not to the A m eri
can people. A ll o f w hich brings
us to th e s e c o n d e n try in
W e b s te r’s d ic tio n a ry : R eform
(R E -form ) - m eaning, “ to form
a g a in .” W hen e ffo rts to in tro
duce b e tte r p ro ced u res to put a
stop to sy stem atic abuse and
m a lp ra c tic e are fru stra te d by
those in pow er, it becom es n ec
e ssa ry to - no t sim p ly “ri-
fo rm ” th at sy stem , but to RE-
form it.
W h a t e x a c t l y d o e s th a t
m ean? T h a t’s a d iffic u lt q u e s
tio n . B ut the m ore we look at
the e x te n t o f p o litic a l c o rru p
tio n - the m ore we look at the
fact th at o v er 50% o f A m e ri
ca n p e o p le d o n ’t v o te - the
m o re w e lo o k at o u r young
p e o p le ag es 18 to 25 and see
th at 80% or m ore o f them d o n ’t
v o te - th e m o re e v id e n t it b e
com es th at w e ’re going to have
to R E -form A m erican p o litics.
W e ’re g o in g to h av e to r e
s tru c tu re from the b o tto m -u p
in o rd e r to in s ta ll the k in d s o f
p ro c e d u ra l re fo rm s th a t arc
n e e d e d at th e top. B u ild in g a
new m ajo rity p arty has the p o
te n tia l to do th at.
I have b een ac tiv e in the n a
tio n a l R eform P arty s in c e its
fo u n d in g . L et m e g iv e th o se
o f you u n fa m ilia r w ith its h is
tory a little b it o f b ac k g ro u n d .
The R eform Party was founded
by a m u lti-id e o lo g ic a l, m u lti
ra c ia l c o a litio n o f in d e p e n
den ts to in tro d u ce a new voice
o n to the A m erican p o litic a l
scene.
W hen R oss P e ro t and P at
C hoate polled 8 ‘/ j % o f the vote
fo r P re sid e n t and V ice P re s i
dent, the R eform P arty w as le
g ally e s ta b lis h e d as a m in o r
party . F ive p ercen t o f the vote
in a n a tio n a l e le c tio n is re
q u ire d to a c h ie v e m in o r s ta
tu s. T h is e n title d the p a rty to
re c o g n itio n by th e F e d e ra l
E le c tio n C o m m issio n - a d u
b io u s d is tin c tio n to be su re ,
since the REC is its e lf a s tru c
tu ral m o n u m en t to the tw o
p arty system - th re e C o m m is
s io n e rs are D e m o c ra ts and
th ree are R ep u b lican s.
G u ess w ho a lw a y s g e ts the
sh o rt end o f the stic k w hen
the C o m m issio n v o te s? T he
independents.B y the w ay, at its
fo u n d in g c o n v e n tio n in K a n
sas C ity in 1997 - one o f the
firs t th in g s the R eform P arty
did was pass a reso lu tio n sp o n
so red by Pat C h o ate and m y
s e lf c a llin g fo r the a b o litio n
o f the FEC.
T he firs t th in g the p arty did
on the day after the convention
w as file a law su it a g a in st the
FEC in the U .S. D is tric t C o u rt
for the N o rth ern D is tric t o f
C alifornia, 9,h C ircuit ch allen g
ing its fa ilu re to run n a tio n al
ele c tio n s on a level p lay in g
field.
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