Telegram - Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944

LANSING- Today, the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus offered support for the victims and impacted families and community members of yesterday's mass shooting at Michigan State, and outlined the policy needs to help prevent such tragedies from happening again.

Last night, another mass shooting occurred–this time on the Michigan State University campus–a day before the five-year memorial of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and just 15 months after the gun violence at Oxford High School in Michigan. Once again, because of senseless gun violence, students have been murdered in a place they are supposed to be safe. The Michigan Legislative Black Caucus (MLBC) fears what could happen tomorrow and believes until we do something, this will happen again.

The members of the MLBC want to extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the MSU students who have died, wish healing for the injured, and wrap our arms around the entire MSU community as it grapples with and tries to heal from this unspeakable tragedy. The MLBC appreciates thoughts and prayers, but thoughts and prayers devoid of action do nothing to save the lives of children trying to attend school, congregations in worship services, people trying to enjoy a concert or show, people buying groceries to feed their families, or people enjoying open spaces. We need action both in Lansing and Washington, D.C. to curb this prevalent plague of gun violence that has become a sickness in this country.

Last month at the State of the State address, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called on the legislature to enact common-sense firearm violence prevention policies. The MLBC aims to continue to join forces to protect Michiganders from mass shootings in our schools and other communal spaces, and work to address the everyday gun violence that is too often overlooked in our underserved communities.

"The gun-violence prevention policies being worked on are common-sense reforms that will protect Michiganders in all communities," said MLBC 2nd Vice Chair Rep. Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac) who is also co-chair of the Michigan Legislative Firearm Violence Prevention Caucus. "Thankfully, the MLBC is confident that this year our colleagues will move on these bills expeditiously so that we don't have to continue asking 'How many more Michiganders have to die before these common-sense reforms are enacted?'" she continued.

The MLBC feels strongly in the words we share today. Today, we mourn and grieve with the MSU community. Tomorrow, we continue the work towards ending this plague of gun violence that continues to cause harm and devastation in too many communities