Get TSD news, online anytime at TSDMemphis.com
VOL. 70, No. 17
April 29 - May 5, 2021
www.tsdmemphis.com
Walking down gun violence – the journey continues
by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
At the time of Saturday’s latest “Community Walk Against Gun Violence,” 84 shootings had been documented in Shelby County in 2021. And, participants were told, Tennessee’s new no-permit, gun-carry law will create a “wild west” effect. “There are too many guns on the streets of Memphis,” said a key organizer, Stevie Moore, president/founder of FFUN (Freedom From Unnecessary Negatives), whose mantra is “Stop the Killing.” “This law is not helpful in alleviating shootings in our communities. That’s so crazy to me. Gov. Lee has already signed it, and this bill becomes law on July 1.” Moore said the Black community has been too silent on the issue
Young and old joined many ages in between at the most recent Community Walk Against Gun Violence. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley) “We should have spoken up and let our voice be heard when the governor was still considering the bill,” said Moore.
The Community Walk Against Gun Violence was a 1.9 mile trek that launched from MLK Prep Academy, 1530 Dellwood. It followed a February walk in Whitehaven. The weekend prior to the most recent walk there were 12 shootings; five died from their injuries. Seven cases remained under investigation. On Wednesday, April 28, three shootings had occurred in two hours. Moore said gun violence continues in too many neighborhoods. “I have already been to the sites of three shootings,” said Moore. “It looks like Memphis and Shelby County are headed for another record-breaking year of killings and accidental shootings,” he said Moore. “We’ve got to pass more laws on the front end before someone fires, not at the back end when a murder is being investigated.” Participation is great, but marchers must be
SEE WALK ON PAGE 2
$1.00
COVID-19 UPDATE
“COVID-19 is now a managed public health issue in Tennessee and no longer a statewide public health emergency,” according to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee. (Photo: Twitter)
Gov. Lee declares end to pandemic restrictions Local officials seeking to make sense of declaration by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
The Community Walk Against Gun Violence was a 1.9 mile trek launched from MLK Prep Academy, 1530 Dellwood.
House speaker: Permitless carry law does not set up more gun violence by Karanja A. Ajanaku kajanaku@tsdmemphis.com
During a Q&A session Tuesday with members of the Tennessee Press Association (TPA), House Speaker Cameron Sexton took issue with those who argue that the new “Constitutional Carry” law harms the effort in Shelby County to stem gun violence. The push to heighten awareness about the need to stem gun violence returned advocates to Memphis streets last weekend, with some doubtful about the quality of support coming from the majority of state lawmakers. The New Tri-State Defender, a TPA member, questioned Sexton about those expressions of doubt during a conference call. “This past weekend there was a Community Walk Against Gun Violence. During the event there were several references to the permitless carry measure and how it really wasn’t helping the effort in Shelby County to combat gun violence,” TSD Associate Publisher/Executive Editor Karanja A. Ajanaku said in setting up the question directed initially at Gov. Bill Lee, who had left the call before it was posed. “If you had been there governor, what might you have said to help them see that bill/mea-
“What we did do … is in the bill … hold people who commit theft of guns, commit gun crimes or felons who are caught with guns, increase the punishment for (such offenses). I think it is a delicate balance of restricting law-abiding citizens’ constitutional rights when they are the ones not committing the criminal activities.” — Cameron Sexton
House speaker Cameron Sexton sure (now law) in a different light?” Sexton then volunteered to answer the question. “What I would say is that the gun violence we are having, for the most part, for gun crimes are not due to people who are purchasing guns legally, right? You do have gun violence from criminals who have laws on the books and they disregard the laws on the book.” Sexton said the legislature passed permitless carry for people who are law-abiding Tennessee citizens and who can legally purchase a gun. “What we did do … is in the bill … hold people who commit theft of guns, commit gun crimes or felons who are caught with guns,
increase the punishment for (such offenses). I think it is a delicate balance of restricting law-abiding citizens’ constitutional rights when they are the ones not committing the criminal activities.” Places with restrictive gun control have gun crimes higher than Tennessee, Sexton said, pointing out Chicago among them. “The bill (signed into law by Lee) has not done anything to increase the gun crimes in our state,” Sexton said. “I think with the permit system that we had in place, I think with the way people were purchasing guns legally, I think allowing law-abiding citizens the right to carry – as the Constitution allows – is the right direction to go.”
Shelby County is not among the 89 counties where Gov. Bill Lee can remove the option to mandate wearing masks in public to combat COVID-19. That has local officials hustling to define their position regarding’s Lee’s declaration on Tuesday that COVID-19 is no longer a statewide public health crisis. Lee’s Executive Order 80, which he signed this week, ends a city or county’s local authority to mandate use of masks in public. The order is effective in 89 counties because the state health department directs policy for those counties. Tennessee’s “Big 6” counties, which operate their own health departments, have been asked to join the unmasking policy by May 30. In addition to Shelby County, those six counties are: Davidson County (Nashville), Hamilton County (Chattanooga), Knox County (Knoxville), Madison County (Jackson) and Sullivan County (Blountville). “COVID-19 is now a managed public health issue in Tennessee and no longer a statewide public health emergency,” said Lee. “As Tennesseans continue to get vaccinated, it’s time to lift remaining local restrictions, focus on economic recovery and get back to business in Tennessee.” Memphis Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen said Tuesday he didn’t think now is the time to be talking about lifting the mask mandate. He would like to have more people vaccinated before having that conversation. A legal team is also looking at Lee’s request. “Masking in public and social distancing will continue to be required,” said McGowen. “Especially, if they have not been fully vaccinated.” Tennessee joins a number of states peeling away their remaining COVID-19 restrictions. Lee’s message comes as the state faces a public more hesitant of the COVID-19 vaccine than the rest of the country as a whole. Tennessee sits in the bottom three for its percentage of adults with at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, at 42.8 percent, compared to the national rate of 53.9 percent, according to the Centers for Dis-
SEE PANDEMIC ON PAGE 2