In the long run, society finds a benefit from those who work to make a difference. Included in the fabric of our society are police officers when they properly do their sworn duty and anyone who uses a First Amendment right to peacefully state a case of injustice which needs to be changed.
The March For Our lives is the most recent situation. Rallies were held throughout the United States and in some foreign countries, most notably Paris, France. Walks and rallies were held in most major cities in the U.S., including Chicago, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Denver, Houston, to name a few. Communities which are smaller, but, held rallied included Oswego, Glen Ellyn, Downers Grove, Elgin, Huntley, Woodstock, Vernon Hills, and Frankfort.
Organizers who found the time and made the effort use their voices and organize rallies took their First Amendment rights seriously. See the photos this week within the pages of The Voice.
Many organizers were adults, however, there were many youth and children involved. Those experiences will be to their benefit. In some cases church leaders, especially youth leaders, were involved. What will be important to them is sustaining what they started. Last weekend will mean little if their vision is shortsighted.
See below the mission statement of the March For Our Lives, its genesis derived from the February 14 school mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., on top of other mass shootings in the last 20 years. Their appeal is to find a seam in Congress to pass laws which would stop mentally ill from having easy access to weapons, especially automatic weapons.
• The Aurora Police Department 2017 Employee of the Month Award went to Officer Steven Pacenti for heroics that went above and beyond. See photo on page 1. He received Employee of the Month honors in March 2017 and shared honors with Officer Ryan Blaskey in December 2017. There were 20 honors for heroics last year and here are the other officers, sergeants, and investigators who received monthly awards: Patrick Camardo, Bryan Adams, Casey Jeka, Matthew Bowman, George Lill, Joseph Howe, David Brian, Richard Fabrie, Timothy Jones, Jay Ellis, Jason Russell, Marco Gomez, Nathan Petschke, and Jason Woolsey. Ellis, Lill, and Pacenti, received multiple monthly awards for their heroics. Congratulations!
• Fledgling political candidates who are not parts of the Republican and Democratic Parties, must collect many more signatures on petitions to place their names on ballots. Gubernatorial candidates need 25,000 legitimate signatures. The two major party candidates need only 5,000 legitimate signatures each. The Libertarian Party in Illinois seeking signatures to be on ballots for governor must obtain 25,000 signatures in every county except McLean (Peoria area). Because Libertarian Gary Johnson received substantial votes in McLean in the 2016 presidential run, Libertarian candidates in that county are required to obtain only 5,000 signatures.
• Here are excerpts of the March For Our Lives mission statement: Not one more. We cannot allow one more child to be shot at school. We cannot allow one more teacher to…jump in front of a firing assault rifle to save lives of students…March For Our Lives is created by, inspired by, and led by students across the country….School safety is not a political issue. The mission is to demand a comprehensive bill be brought before Congress to address these gun issues.