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April 1, 2008
Murder Banned for 40 Hours Starting Friday*
Photo by discarted via Flickr
If you take the above headline literally, then apparently murder is allowed all other times except for 40 hours this weekend if a Los Angeles city council motion is passed today. And some might say murder feels legal these days with the rise in violence in 2008. Four people were shot dead within minutes and miles of each other in East LA yesterday, police in two separate incidents shot and hit suspects within the last 24 hours (one in Glendale last night where the suspect was killed and one on the 105 freeway this morning) and the list could go on.
Today's motion, if passed, would start the ban "on Friday at 6:01 p.m. to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.," explains LA Times' David Zahniser (whose car has been stolen three times). "The ban, which would also apply to other forms of violence, was proposed by Los Angeles author and political commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson, who was so alarmed by the city's recent spike in gun violence that he urged its elected leaders to make a bold statement."
It's symbolic indeed and murder and violent crime will always be illegal, however, some think this is silly. "I'm sure that the people who are doing the killing will hear that the council is calling for a moratorium and then cease and desist," Joe Hicks, who once served as executive director of the city's Human Relations Commission, told Zahniser sarcastically. "It's more silliness from our wonderful City Council."
Councilwoman Perry knows it won't temporarily stop the violence, but "thinks it will cause people to talk." And look at that, here we are talking about it.
Update: The motion was passed, no murder this weekend. "Anticipating criticism that the homicide ban is a gimmick, council members said the moratorium is a way to generate dialogue on violence in Los Angeles neighborhoods," reports the Daily News.
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This is great in theory. Sadly, murderers don't spend much time paying attention to City Council ordinances.
Isn't there *anything* else the Council could be doing with its time? How about getting people to "talk" about the lack of parking, terrible traffic, incessant potholes, increased fees for trash collection, the poor quality of schools and Griffith Park's continued closure?
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"Isn't there *anything* else the Council could be doing with its time?"
It's a good question checkerspot. Everything you listed deserves attention but also needs funding, which the city doesn't have much of these days.
Sometimes a dialogue among community members is just as powerful, if not more, than funding.
What can this lead to? I hope more people start thinking about their neighborhood watches, reporting graffiti, meeting their Senior Lead Officer at the LAPD, etc.
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As your attorney I recommend you use another newspaper to recycle the news out of, that motion did not pass...LET THE KILLING COMMENCE!!!
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As the Editor I recommend that you check your sources first. According to the city clerk's office, who I just got off the phone with, the motion passed unanimously with some slight amendments ("40 hour period" instead of "moratorium" and it is not a murder ban per se, but a time to promote peace, justice, and nonviolence.)....LET THE PEACE COMMENCE!!!
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I do not feel that the change from "Moratorium" to "40 Hour Period" is a mere "slight adjustment"...that is huge...HUGE.
From the LAT:
"Despite their words in defense of the ban, council members voted only for a resolution that promises to build awareness and dialogue about "the root causes of violence and killing."
but also:
"At Hutchinson's urging, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed its own resolution, declaring a moratorium on violence during the same 40-hour period."
For the record, I must state that there is a ban in effect on the County Level.