W. Paul Helmke, Jr. joined the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr. on Saturday in Melrose Park, Illinois. The two led a march in front of a Melrose Park store, Suburban Sporting Goods Guns and Ammo.
CBS2 TV of Chicago reported:
The Rev. Jesse Jackson is on a mission to stop guns from getting to Chicago. Jackson led gun control advocates and other community leaders in a rally Saturday afternoon outside a gun shop in west suburban Melrose Park.
The group is targeting stores that is claims sell the guns later used in crimes in Chicago. Jackson is also calling on better programs to help kids get summer jobs to protect them from violence.
Former Fort Wayne Mayor Helmke was also a guest Saturday on Rev. Jackson's nationally syndicated radio show, the PUSH Saturday Forum.
A press release from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence stated:
Federal data on the sources of guns recovered in crimes, released before Congress blocked public access to such data at the request of the gun industry, shows that between 1996 and 2000 Suburban sold more than 700 guns traced to crime.
Rev. Jackson has called for protests in 25 cities across America on August 28 -- the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's historic March on Washington -- to demand action against the gun violence plaguing our cities.
Elsewhere in Chicagoland Saturday, Mayor Richard Daley announced a faith-based gun buyback program:
On Saturday, July 21, 23 faith-based institutions will hold gun turn-ins, all over the city. People can call 311 to find the nearest location.
Owners can hand over any firearm, shotgun, rifle, automatic or semi-automatic pistol or revolver – no questions asked.
In return, the person will get a $100 prepaid Mastercard for each firearm. A $10 prepaid Mastercard will be given to anyone turning in a BB or replica gun.
Corporate donations made the free Mastercards possible.
Presumably, "no questions asked" means that Fort Wayne area residents are eligible to get $100 Mastercards. It will be interesting to see the police statistics for break-ins occurring during the next two weeks.
Image of Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Paul Helmke, Jr. from video by CBS2 TV, Chicago.
So over 700 in four years, out of how many?
Is that especially high or low, compared to any other dealer or source? Is it an especially high percentage, period? What constitutes "traced to crime," illegal use or simple unlawful possession as well?
I kind of expect guns used in crimes to come from somewhere, anyway, unless there's some way to make them appear from thin air.
In any case, "over 700" doesn't end up meaning that much all by itself.
This makes about as much sense as picketing a car dealership based on the number of cars used in crimes that can be traced back to it.
Posted by: Michael Kerney | July 08, 2007 at 09:12 AM
Gee, kind of appropriate for Paul to be carrying a rainbow. Back to cleaning my glock..
Posted by: Dan Turkette | July 08, 2007 at 11:18 AM
Helmke's employer, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, was originally "The National Council to Control Handguns (NCCH)" founded by Dr. Mark Borinsky (Monster.com), a man with a mission since he himself was a victim of gun violence. The NCCH was renamed "Handgun Control Inc" which spawned the "Million Mom March" organization and "The Brady Campaign".
Essentially then, we have Mike Borinsky and his underlings (including Mr. Helmke) teaming up with the Reverend Jackson and his "Monochrome Coalition" to challange the Second Amendment (again).
Posted by: Bob Stackhouse | July 08, 2007 at 01:48 PM
Helmke needs to understand that gun control simply does not work and targeting specific retailers is stupid because people that want to commit crimes will find their weapon of choice somewhere else.
It is a false conception that by promoting gun control, somehow we become safer as individuals.
We need to remember that guns don't kill people; people kill people. Individuals with an intent to harm another will do so with a gun or no gun.
Posted by: Cory Craig | July 08, 2007 at 03:22 PM
Once again, time money & resources all aimed (pun intended) at the WRONG target.
Posted by: Tim Zank | July 09, 2007 at 12:46 AM
That picture is a Helmke political career death sentence.
Posted by: C. Edward Eckert | July 09, 2007 at 10:10 PM
You make a good point C. Edward Eckert. One has to assume Paul no longer has ANY aspirations whatsoever within the Republican party. If he ran for dog catcher, the first pic would be that one.
Posted by: Tim Zank | July 09, 2007 at 10:58 PM
On the topic of proliferation...
Pulled from a post on Retro Thing (referring to a Guardian article), Kalashnikov had this to say about his most famous design:
When asked whether he regrets his lethal invention, he explained to The Guardian, "I made it to protect the motherland. And then they spread the weapon [around the world] - not because I wanted them to. Not at my choice. Then it was like a genie out of the bottle and it began to walk all on its own and in directions I did not want. But I sleep soundly. The fact that people die because of an AK-47 is not because of the designer, but because of politics."
(http://www.retrothing.com/2007/07/ak-47-assault-r.html)
Posted by: Michael Kerney | July 10, 2007 at 05:15 AM
Helmke's activities aren't a political death sentence in the sane wing of the GOP, the moderate majority who are trying to take back control of the party from the radical elements who've stolen and desecrated the once-honorable mantle "conservative." Giuliani's significant lead is doubtless owing to the fact that he's willing to kiss off the Guns 'n God crowd, much to the relief of the rest of us.
Posted by: Alex Jokay | July 10, 2007 at 10:16 AM
Wonder how much "faith" Paul has in that placard when it comes to having some thug yank a chrome semi-auto (that he most likely obtained illegally) from his sagging waistband?
It's ALWAYS better to be judged by 12 than be carried by 6!
Good points made all around.
B.G.
Posted by: Bob Gaul | July 11, 2007 at 12:44 PM