A new law awaiting Governor Rick Snyder’s signature would force county clerks in Michigan to issue concealed weapons permits (formally “concealed pistol licenses” or CPLs) to people covered by Personal Protection Orders (PPOs) unless the PPO explicitly forbids them from carrying a firearm. The issuance of concealed weapons permits will be transferred from county concealed weapon licensing boards under Senate […]

Unfair as it may be, there are certain things we northerners think of when you think of southern states. The first is bigotry and intolerance. Another is a near worshipful devotion to guns and anything related to guns. Hunting is part of it but just walking around with a big weapon strapped to your body is a much bigger part […]

Imagine this scenario: you’re taking your third-grader to school and you look over and there’s a guy in front of the school with a handgun strapped to his hip. What do you do? Is this a crazy guy who is going to start shooting the place up? Is it just a gun-loving lady making a point about her Second Amendment […]

In what was a surprise to pretty much nobody, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Republican Rick Snyder this past week. He’s also spending $2 million on pro-Snyder ads. I say it’s unsurprising because (a) Bloomberg held a mega-fundraiser for Snyder back in June in the midst of the road funding battle in the Michigan legislature that ended […]

On September 2nd, Derek Flemming, a 43-year old married father of two young children was driving with his wife in Livingston County to pick up their kids when a pick-up truck nearly t-boned them as they drove down Grand River Avenue. Instead, the truck swerved and cut them off. The truck driver then slammed on his brakes and was clearly […]

Back in March I wrote about white nationalist Kyle Bristow’s support of Attorney General Bill Schuette’s effort to maintain Michigan’s bigoted ban on same-sex marriage. Bristow filed an amicus brief in support of Schuette’s appeal of a federal court ruling declaring the ban unconstitutional on behalf of an extremist group called the “Traditionalist Youth Network LLC”. At I wrote at […]

After George Zimmerman was aquitted for the murder of Trayvon Martin in Florida, the owner of the Pompano Pat’s gun store did what any compeletly (ir)rational person would do: he gave Zimmerman a free gun. The store’s owner Pat Johnson let Zimmerman know about the offer in a letter to Zimmerman’s attorney: “Upon receiving your confirmation that he is well […]

The fact that nations with fewer guns have lower gun-death rates should surprise no one. Except maybe the NRA. Really, it’s just common sense and the law of averages. But now researchers report that countries with lower gun ownership are safer than those with higher gun ownership. This is sure to tick off the NRA, which has been actively promoting […]

Calling all artists! Harbor Country Progress is putting together an art show on gun violence in America at their office/gallery in Union Pier, Michigan in the very southwest corner of the state. The show is titled GUNS? They are soliciting artwork from artists around the country. Here’s the schedule: Submissions being accepted now via email to gunstheartshow@gmail.com. Deadline for submissions […]

Michigan’s “stand your ground” law resembles Florida’s more than any other state Graphic by Chris Lozos The tragic death of unarmed Trayvon Martin in Florida was a direct result of that state’s odious “Stand Your Ground” law. The fact that George Zimmerman was acquitted of his death is a direct result, not of the six female jurors ignoring the law, […]

Actions speak louder than words

As Michigan Republicans continue their corporatist agenda of eviscerating the middle class, destroying unions, harming public employees and taking women’s rights back to the middle of the last century, Michigan Democrats are proposing important pieces of legislation that solve actual problems.

The first comes from Representatives Jim Townsend, Vicki Barnett, and Andy Schor. They are introducing a package of legislation designed to reduce gun violence in our state and to increase public safety. A separate package of bills will be introduced by State Representatives Gretchen Driskell, Jeff Irwin, Adam Zemke and state Senator Rebekah Warren that will reverse some of the restrictions Republicans have put on women’s health care, educate women about health care options, support rape survivors and address health care inequities women face.

Details after the jump.