Mothers march for gun control
Thumbs up to the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators who
participated in the Million Mom March this Mother’s Day in
Washington, D.C. and around the country. Protesters gathered at the
National Mall and other rally sites around the nation, including
the federal building in Westwood, in the largest gun control
protest in U.S. history. This mass mobilization should finally spur
Congress into recognizing that most of America wants gun control,
and is tired of waiting.
The rally was held to advocate what activists call “common
sense” legislation for greater gun safety, including trigger
locks, a national gun registration and licensing program, and
mandatory training classes. The regulations are moderate in their
scope and are supported by a clear majority of Americans. But due
to the disproportionate influence of the National Rifle
Association, the Republican-controlled Congress has blocked all
efforts to implement such proposals.
The mothers of America aren’t going to take it
anymore.
Spurred by the shooting rampage at the North Valley Jewish
Community Center in Granada Hills last August, organizer Donna
Dees-Thomases, a suburban mother, decided to take action. The vast
mobilization that swept the nation in the preceding months
communicates the pervasive nature of gun violence in this country.
This is no longer just an “urban” problem. It’s
too bad that it took high-profile shootings in largely white
neighborhoods, such as the Columbine High School massacre, to
jumpstart mainstream America. Nonetheless, it’s better late
than never.
Participants in the Million Mom March sent a simple, but
powerful message to their elected representatives: Pass these
sensible gun control laws, or we’ll make you pay for it in
November. The regulations proposed by the marchers are moderate,
and the movement to rid our society of gun violence will require
the implementation of more stringent regulations in order to
succeed. But Congress can no longer justify its inaction on these
“common sense” measures. Mainstream America has
spoken.
Justice cracks down on LAPD
Thumbs up to the U.S. Justice Department for finally enforcing
the reforms so desperately needed in the Los Angeles Police
Department. The LAPD has gone unchecked for too long. Any Angeleno
can cite one of the many injustices perpetrated by the police over
the last decade, including the Rodney King beating and the recent
Rampart scandal. It’s about time something was done about
these problems.
The Justice Department, which has been monitoring the LAPD for
the last four years, is finally taking action, largely due to the
unfolding allegations of widespread corruption in the Rampart
division. Citing lax management and unethical training, the feds
sent a stinging message to the LAPD, threatening to sue for civil
rights violations unless the police agree to serious structural
reform.
In order to achieve needed changes, all parties involved must
recognize that the Rampart scandal is a symptom of a much larger
problem among police officers in Los Angeles. If the LAPD wants to
regain the trust of the people of this city, it must cooperate
fully with the Justice Department, and the feds should not be
afraid to demand large-scale changes. In this case, major changes
sound quite appropriate.
Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down represents the majority opinion of the
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viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.