gun control

Protesters were back at the Michigan Capitol on Thursday to voice their displeasure with Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home orders. After armed protesters entered the State Senate Gallery during a protest two weeks ago, some in Lansing began calling for a ban on guns inside the statehouse. That debate picked up steam after reports that people in anti-quarantine Facebook groups were calling for violent action against the governor.

Today on Stateside, we discuss an evolving story about a COVID-related condition that has infected dozens of kids in Michigan. Plus, we get details about protestors back at Michigan's Capitol today.

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Today on Stateside, we look at two traditionally Republican congressional districts in West Michigan that are going through political change. Plus, we talk to poet and prose writer Saladin Ahmed, who has made a stellar transition into comic books and written for several iconic Marvel characters. 

On Monday, Livingston County became the 28th county in the state to pass a resolution supporting gun rights. These resolutions are not legally binding. Language varies from place to place, but the basic idea is to affirm that counties should uphold constitutional gun rights, no matter what laws state and federal governments may pass.

Linda Brundage, the executive director of the Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, told Stateside that she thinks much of the outrage about gun control legislation stems from a misunderstanding about what those laws would do. 

Today on Stateside, we talk to a state senator who wants to see Michigan enact so-called "red flag laws," which allow police to seize firearms from those deemed a threat to themselves or others. Plus, Detroit’s Mosaic Youth Theatre revives one of its most popular productions in honor of Motown Records' 60th birthday.

Lawmakers are pushing for stricter gun regulations following this weekend’s two mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas.

Among them is state Senator Rosemary Bayer from Beverly Hills, Michigan. She’s introduced a package of gun control bills in the Michigan Senate. State Representative Robert Wittenberg has introduced matching bills in the House.

Today on Stateside, how should Congress respond in the aftermath of two mass shootings this weekend that left more than 30 people dead in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio? Plus, with the controversy surrounding CTE and other brain damage in professional football players, should parents be worried about their kid's safety in the sport? 

State representative Robert Wittenberg, D-Huntington Woods,  introduced gun legislation on Wednesday that he said will help prevent mass shootings and suicides.

Today on Stateside, the co-sponsor of a gun safety bill introduced in the Michigan House explains what his proposed legislation would do to address gun violence. Plus, how a Grand Rapids conference is helping people love and accept their bodies exactly as they are. 

Governor Snyder released a plan yesterday to improve safety in Michigan schools following the Parkland, Florida school shooting.

His $20 million plan calls for boosting security at hundreds of schools, setting up a task force to come up with more ways to improve school security between now and the end of the year, more training for school administrators and school resource officers, and expanding the OK2SAY tip line.

The governor says he intentionally stayed away from guns.

Larry Nassar's former boss Dr. William Strampel has been charged with a felony and three misdemeanors. Strampel denies the charges. Michigan Radio's Rebecca Kruth and senior news analyst Jack Lessenberry discuss new developments in the Michigan State University sex abuse case.

Thousands of students in Michigan walked out of their classrooms last week to protest gun violence. They don’t want guns in schools, and they especially want assault rifles banned.

Personally, I would probably go even farther. I don’t think anyone should be allowed to own an assault rifle, except if it were kept under lock and key at a shooting range.

But the tragedy of the student protests is this:

Nobody wants to say this, but they aren’t going to go anywhere. The lobbyists of the NRA can count votes. They are mostly silent now, except for the stupidest among them.

All across the country, students and some teachers stood up at 10 a.m., walked out of their classrooms, and spent the next 17 minutes honoring the 17 people killed in the Parkland, Florida high school shooting.

Many schools in Michigan took part in this national school walkout, demanding action from lawmakers on school safety and guns.

The Trump administration has rolled out its plan to respond to violence and guns in our schools. It wants to provide firearms training to some teachers. But it has backed off on making major changes to gun legislation: For example, there’s nothing about raising the minimum age to buy guns from 18 to 21.

Following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida, where 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz has admitted killing 17 people, President Trump said he was in favor of raising the minimum age but backed off after meeting with the National Rifle Association.

When a young person commits a crime, one common response is to blame video games, especially violent video games, for the criminal act.

The recent mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida was no exception. On Thursday, President Trump will convene a meeting with video game industry leaders at the White House. The meeting will focus on whether violent video games contribute to real-world violence in our country.