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 […]

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.

Thank heavens they weren’t “ready”

Out in Halfway, Oregon, a group of teachers were meeting for an in-service training. Suddenly, two masked gunmen burst into the room and began firing handguns at the teachers, administrators, and trainers.

Click through to find out how this school narrowly avoided an unintended tragedy.

Has Conan O’Brien gone to work writing talking points for Congress???

You know how all those gun shops are running out of ammo to buy? Well, two Republicans in Congress have figured out why: Obama is buying it all.

No, seriously.

Click through if you don’t believe me.

Art is more powerful than violence in the long term

Earlier this month, Van Jones’ group Rebuild America announced a new project that has artists creating amazing art to fight back against gun violence and those that would stand in the way of progress on controlling the proliferation of guns, especially assault-style weapons, in America. The project, called GunShowGallery.com is worth checking out.

Images and links after the jump.

What’s next? Secession?

Since the Newtown Massacre, there have been thousands of additional gun-related deaths in this country. It stimulated a national debate with a heighted push for sensible gun regulation. In response to this debate, Michigan Republicans have introduced legislation that would make it a felony to enforce any federal laws that attempt to regulate gun ownership.

Details after the jump.