The League of Women Voters of Marion will provide a public forum this Thursday entitled “Guns in Our Community: How Can We Achieve Safety and Security?” The forum on Thursday, November 21, 2013 will include 5 panelists and a moderator who will aid in a discussion about the gun violence, as well as violence in general, that afflicts the community and the nation.
After the panelist presentations, audience members will be able to submit questions to the moderator and panelists.
The public forum will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Tri-Rivers’ Giauque Auditorium.
Jo Ann Radwin-Zimmerman, a representative of the local League, says that with the increased proliferation of “horrific gun violence” during the past several months, Leagues across the nation are hosting public meetings to encourage community residents to participate in reasoned conversations about the gun violence problem. With conflicting passions/ideas running high on this issue, Zimmerman says League organizers are hopeful that a public meeting with a moderator and panelists will provide a more fruitful setting for discussion.
Suggested topics during the evening could include the possible causes for gun violence, along with some potentially constructive approaches to significantly reduce, if not completely prevent, the incidence of gun deaths.
Larry Cline, who will serve as the forum moderator, has been a member of League of Women Voters in Delaware for many years. Last spring, he acted as moderator for Delaware League’s community meeting on gun violence. Cline is a farmer in Delaware County who continues to serve in many volunteer community leadership positions that have included school boards, Chamber of Commerce committees, public commissions, business and agriculture councils, and the United Way. He currently is a member of the Delaware County Finance Authority (formerly Port Authority) and is a Trustee Emeritus of the Ohio State University Marion.
The five panelists, who will each have about five minutes to set forth their knowledge about, their work and experience with, and their perspective on the gun violence issue, include Marion County Sheriff Tim Bailey, Marion City Interim Police Chief Randy Caryer, Marion/Crawford County ADAMH Executive Director Jody Demo-Hodgins, Marion City Schools Superintendent Gary Barber, and the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence Director Amy Pulles.
Cline, a long time concealed carry permit holder, will make it clear to attendees that the League forum is not a debate about the constitutionality of bearing firearms: it will be a community conversation about the here and now of the gun violence that has become part of our national culture, and about how all of us might best work with this serious problem.
Zimmerman says the Marion League hopes to have a broad range of representatives from the community attend this public meeting, including community residents, the media, public officials, schools, law enforcement, social workers, church leaders, organizations. She says that anyone concerned about gun violence and how to constructively resolve it is encouraged to attend.
For more information, contact Jo Ann Radwin-Zimmerman at 740-389-5795.
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