NEWSPAPERS n o i t i d E l a i c e p S
LOCAL PRIEST WANTS TO MAKE ART, NOT GUNS
JULY 10, 2024 candgnews.com
Oakland County papers
Joe Lycett and Birmingham Mayor Elaine McLain meet for the “United States of Birmingham” downtown June 20. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
BY KATHRYN PENTIUK
kpentiuk@candgnews.com
SOUTHFIELD/ROCHESTER HILLS — Father Chris Yaw, the rector at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Southfield, said he wants to make art, not guns. “It’s a lot easier to buy a gun in this country than it is to get rid of one, and that’s what we kind of battle, if you will, is that there’s no exit strategy for these things. So what we’re going to do is we’re going to destroy the firearms on-site with high-powered chop saws, and then we are going to use the gun parts to make objects of art with donors who will have an opportunity to get a gift card. They can get art objects made to those gun parts as a ‘thank you,’” Yaw said. He added that attendees of the gun buybacks would be given gift cards of $200 in exchange for assault rifles, $100 for handguns, and $50 for shotguns and rifles. Attendees also have the opportunity to make artwork such as rosaries, crosses, jewelry and keychains themselves at the “Guns and Crafts” tent. Yaw described the gun demolition presentations as “events of unity, creativity and connection with our communities amidst this terrible plague of gun violence.” This event comes just a few months after the New York Times investigation featuring Yaw revealed that the guns collected at buybacks in Flint and Southfield were not destroyed but were instead recycled and resold. The first of the gun destruction demonstrations took place June 18 at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Southfield, with a blessing of the chop saws, just days after two mass shootings in Oakland County — in Lathrup Village and Rochester Hills — and a shooting in Detroit. The Lathrup Village Police Department responded to a call at approximately 12:20 a.m. June 15 for a shooting with six victims at a house party See GUNS on page 9A
BIRMINGHAM STARS IN NEW UK TV SHOW BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com
Photo provided by St. David’s Episcopal Church
Episcopal Bishop Bonnie A. Perry blesses one of the six chop saws at the June 18 demonstration.
BIRMINGHAM — Birmingham, Michigan, is home to unique art, culture and community. One thing less unique about the city is its name, which is shared with a major city in England and 17 other North American locations. A production team from the United Kingdom recently stopped in Birmingham, Michigan, to film part of a series, “Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham.” During their travels, they plan to roadtrip across North America to visit different Birminghams and ultimately sign “Friendship Agreements” to form an official partnership. See TV SHOW on page 5A