Renee Baskerville, Montclair’s Fourth Ward Councilor, braved below freezing temperatures on Saturday to show support for strong federal gun regulation at the One Million Moms for Gun Control Rally in Jersey City’s Lincoln Park. This past Saturday’s event was co-sponsored by the New Jersey chapter of One Million Moms for Gun Control and Jersey City Mayor Healy’s office. Its purpose was to rally support for President Obama’s recent executive actions and Senator Feinstein’s Assault Weapons Ban, in addition to strengthening New Jersey’s already strict gun laws.
Dr. Baskerville Rallied for Gun Regulation in Jersey City
Marcia Marley, president and founder of BlueWaveNJ passionately addressed the rally on the long struggle for sensible gun reform. Her call to “Let’s make this happen!” energized the crowd. BlueWaveNJ partnered with North Jersey Cease Fire to hire a bus to bring rally-goers to Jersey City for the event.
In the crowd of 200 demonstrators and state politicians were several local families, including Jaime Bedrin and Mandi Perlmutter, the co-leaders of One Million Moms for Gun Control. And Eugene Stern of Montclair explained why he brought his family to the rally: “We want our lawmakers to keep [our kids] in mind when they write gun rules — kids are small, and more vulnerable, and more reliant on our leaders to build and maintain a social structure that keeps them safe. Â All that seems more important than how cold it is.” Lisa Duggan of South Orange was also in attendance with her family. Spurred to action by statistics like the more than 30 Americans killed with guns each day, her family bore the cold to put action to words:Â ”Sometimes it’s not enough to sign petitions or write letters. You need to show your face, and see the faces of your neighbors and friends, to feel you can affect change.”
Marcia Marley of BlueWaveNJ spoke
As one speaker mentioned, this is an election year for most New Jersey politicians; many wanted a chance to share their views on gun regulation. One of the most heartbreaking stories came from Assembly member Sheila Oliver. She shared a personal story of loss involving a family member. Other speakers mentioned frustration with lax gun policies in other states which allow easy access to guns in New Jersey. Mayor Bowser of East Orange represented the Urban Mayors’ Association, and he urged continued pressure on congress to pass stronger and better bans on weapons and ammunition. Former Governor Florio, Congressman Frank Pallone, and State Senator Buono, who is running for governor, also spoke. One of the most quotable lines came from New Jersey Senate Leader Loretta Weinberg, who asked, “If we could pass a law to have a valid ID to buy Sudafed, we might even be able to pass a law to have a valid ID to purchase ammunition.” See the video on YouTube.
Montclair is far from immune to the realities of gun violence. Memories of the murders of a graduate of Montclair High School, an out-of-town college student, a mother, and postal employees and customers are still fresh and very painful for many. And there are so many more. Too many more.
The takeaway from the rally was, as State Senator Bob Gordon said, “Let your legislators know how you feel. The timing couldn’t be better; every one of us is running for re-election this year. And so is the governor.”
With the ease of on-line communication, contacting your representatives has never been more simple. Take advantage of that and make your voice heard from whichever side your politics may land.  United States Senators from New Jersey. Find your representative.
One million? That’s all? If current population trends continue, eventually there will be 50 billion mothers on the planet.
One must begin somewhere, ‘roo.
If you join up, walleroo, you can start a chapter of One Million Marsupials for Gun Control. Ping them here: https://www.facebook.com/OneMillionMomsForGunControlNjChapter
Imagine how different American history would have been had guns not been readily available to John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, James Earl Ray or Sirhan Sirhan.
Alternatively, Spiro, let us imagine what American history might have been like if the Confederacy had had both Gatling guns and a genuine industrial capacity. Or if the Third Reich had developed a nuclear bomb. Or even if Shays’ rebellion (so beloved of noted anti-Judeao-Christian crank Gore Vidal) been better armed and led.
Or if Guiseppe Zangara had had better aim back in the 30′s. It’s all just idle speculation, in other words.
Spiro posted a well made point of asking us to imagine what American history might have been like if guns were not available to John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, James Earl Ray or Sirhan Sirhan.
I would like to think that most here, including myself believe that America would be a far better place today if these men had not died prematurely, assassinated by gun wielding lunatics. Apparently some others cannot make that statement, calling it idle speculation. What is so speculative about assuming that if Lincoln, JFK, MLK, and RFK had not been gunned down in the prime of their life, America as well as the world, would have been a better place?
In the case of George Wallace, the assassins bullet, fortuitously or not, missed its intended bulls eye, But even he, at the end, from the acute perspective of sitting moribound in a wheelchair for years, renounced segregation, admitting that he did not wish to meet his Maker with unforgiven sin. Interesting how time and incapacitation can change a mans perspective on things.
spiro, why did you omit the mentally ill Charles Guiteau and the anarchist Leon Czolgosz?
Sure, herb, why not.
Just imagine if there hadn’t been firearms available for the rabble colonists. Life would be so much better if we had just followed orders and did as the KING “asked” of his SUBJECTS.
Fortunately, we are well on our way back to that kind of enlightenment. Even better, gun violence will continue virtually unchanged as most gun violence is the result of illegal firearms used in gang-related shootings (yeah, they’ll be lining up to turn them in) and suicide (cuz they couldn’t find another way to do it).
Law abiding citizens will be at the mercy of criminals in and out of the government and our fearless leaders will be ever more fearless with the firearms they continue to possess, because the rabble may start to wake up when the boot on their throats becomes truly intolerable. But by then it will be too late.
eventhorizon, it is unlikely that the “rabble” will triumph over the “KING” through sheer will when all they have at their disposal are hand guns and assault rifles. The “KING” has drones, cluster bombs, stealth bombers, the CIA, the FBI, and so on. My best guess is that any future insurrection will be some kind of war between computers, so you might as well bury those guns now. Or beat them into plowshares.
..so the question becomes, if the Second Amendment’s intent is to provide for citizen resistance to a tyrannical government, would the Second Amendment in the 21st century primarily sanction cyberwarfare? ( considering that home firearms have already become relatively useless in the face of centralized weapons of mass destruction )
it really might have been a better idea to hold this rally someplace where it’s really needed. And I thus suggest Camden.
Which. besides being the murder capital of America, was pointedly not visited by either candidate during the recent Presidential campaign. Nor even mentioned, for that matter.
Et tu, Spiro T?