All week, we've heard suggestions from New Yorkers on ways to end gun violence. We've heard emotional pleas from mothers, frustrated calls from fathers, promising words from lawmakers. But we didn't hear anything from gang members. Connecting with those who are disconnected is the challenge.

New Yorkers took to the steps of City Hall today to call for an end to gun violence. In the wake of several high-profile shootings the past week, clergy members joined elected officials and community organizers to discuss ways to get illegal guns off the streets. Some of the suggestions included more programs for youth, and harsher penalties for gun possession.

Also today, Mayor Bloomberg reiterated his call to reinstate a law banning the sale of assault weapons. The Mayor said Washington politicians might vote differently on gun control laws if they "really had to talk to the parents of people killed." Some of those parents will be participating in an "Occupy The Corner" rally tomorrow in Harlem. What do you say?

Are you planning on participating in a rally, signing a petition, or doing something else to combat gun violence? Do you think more youth programs will lead to a lower crime rate? If Mayor Bloomberg thinks Washington lawmakers are failing to pass effective gun laws, what should the NYPD do about it?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

This is just simply ridiculous that we have so many idiots with a gun in the city just killing people. And the idiots out there have a life that is pointless. We must end gun violence now!

Andrew
Harlem,NY

instead of wasting taxpayers money in arresting minor crimes that result from the"stop and frisk"use our money to fund continuous"buy back gun programs", re-open community programs for our youths to occupy and educate their minds.

Georgette

It is a known fact that the communities that are suffering with the most gun violence are the minorities neighborhoods.. The police stop and frisk save lives, if they get one gun off the street that's one less danger for that neighborhood. Politicians protest the police stop and frisk and their protest appear to the citizens as "snitches get stitches " protest. They need to stand behind the police and let the criminals that if they commit a crime they will not be supported by the politicians. Stop and frisk works.

Jose
Brooklyn

In the past two years I've lost more than 10 friends to a bullet that wasn't even for them and lost more to the bullet just because of an altercation I live in Harlem and I think that every1 is just fed up it's mainly lil boys kids walkin around with guns and shooting each other what happen to back in the days when your parent was able to walk in ur room check ur stuff to make sure ur goin to school doin your home work and not gettin in to trouble now parents are too worried with bein their child friend other than bein their parent

tasia, Harlem

After hearing about the violence in Rucker park , I could not sleep because I am a director of a basketball league in Brooklyn and Harlem. I thought all night about how to lower the risk of violence and increase the risk of someone getting caught. It will take a combination of things and not a 5 second sound bite. If the Mayor & Police Chief are serious about the violence on the courts bring together the people who are in the trenches don't guess

James
Brooklyn NY

I am totally shocked by the shooting at The Rucker because basketball games have been played there for many years and nothing close to such a tragedy never happened. Some people are not psychologically fit to carry a firearm, including some police officers, and gun control should be seriously looked into for the safety of all US Citizens.

M. Caldwell

We can stop everything by having these parents involved people need jobs hobbies and things to look for what happen to places for recreation kids are not in school greater number of kids are dropping out and goin to the streets what happen to truancy I haven't seen them pickin these lil kids up when school Is open why are children babies outside late at night that's where I ask where's the parent

Fantasia

John,

I'd go to a rally if it was to secure the Second Amendment and force the government to give up it's unconstitutional regulation of fire arms.

The Mayor should spend more time fighting crime than denying citizens their rights and their freedom to eat, drink or smoke what he doesn't approve of.
In doing so, he has created thousands of Bloombergian criminals who wouldn't exist in a free society, something he knows little about.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

John,

What is this guy talking about. Once the illegal guns are on the street they will never relinquish them. What happened to the war on drugs? Both this mayor and his cronies no nothing about our life in the city. We all live in different worlds and this mayor should ask himself why is he so concerned now about the drugs, illegal weapons, programs for the youths. Where has he and all the do nothing politicians been all of these many years.
THIS MAYOR SHOULD JUST GIVE IT UP.

Thank you John,
You and your staff work very hard every day.
Maxxiee
mp

Far Rockaway Queens S.N.U.G. which is Gun's spelled backwards, provides gang awareness/prevention and street intervention services to help reduce violence within targeted areas. Since the implementation of Far Rockaway Queens S.N.U.G.within the Redfern Housing Community, it has had 51 consecutive weeks of no reported shootings and/or homicides. The S.N.U.G. program is comprised of highly trained Conflict Mediation and Crisis Intervention Specialist which provides outreach services to help its participants get out of gangs, identify employment opportunities, re-enroll in school, find vocational training programs, housing and locate other social supports. Most importantly, we ask members of the community to put down the guns and stop killing one another and incident bystanders.

As an Outreach Worker for S.N.U.G., I was responsible for 18 participants in which I was able to help 10 of my participants obtain full time employment and the remaining 8 get them back in school to receive their GED and now 6 of the 8 are now attending college fulltime.

However!, S.N.U.G.'s funding has not been reissued for us to continue this great work and recorded success. The community residents are outraged and very disappointed that a great program that works, has not been refunded. The community residents and the surrounding community are going around with petitions to bring S.N.U.G. back in their Redfern community and the surrounding area is requesting for S.N.U.G. to come to there neighborhoods to help continue "Stopping The Violence and Shooting in their Community".
Since the departure of S.N.U.G. there has been 1 person shot and 4 reported shootings.

Ralph
Outreach Worker
Far Rockaway Queens S.N.U.G.

All the rallies in the world won't reduce the gun violence in this city -- the only thing that will is to keep up the pressure on those responsible, with stop, question and frisk and even more aggressive tactics, and also the participation of ordinary citizens, who must be willing to turn in people carrying illegal weapons.

Bruce
Upper West Side
Manhattan

The gun violence currently putting our streets and parks under siege stems from a mindset among many young people and unfortunately adults, that it is OK to pack a gun and settle any disagreement with a bullet. That the young defendant in the Bronx to justify returning fire from someone trying to shoot him speaks volumes. He completely ignores the fact that he is in possession of an illegal firearm; he completely ignored the fact that despite the other defendant shooting at him in a public area filled with people, like the first shooter, he did not care. A four-year old is dead; and he is dead as far as his future is concerned; people, young and old know who the gun dealers in their neighborhoods are; indeed some of them have weapons as well; in many of these neighborhoods, the justification is crime but all too often these same people are the ones committing the crimes; Harsh sentencing for senseless killings like the ones that have taken place and unfortunately will take place in the not-too-distant future; just this morning another young boy in the Bronx was a murder victim of gun violence.

Is this the future of our young people of color? Where are the parents? Where is the community?

Lee
Astoria

Gabbi from East Harlem... I am for tougher gun laws across the country..I've lived in my neighborhood for over 20 years and the summer is worse time around here... Sometimes 2 to 3 times in a week my family and I hear gunshots.... It's very scary.... Police presence is nice but nearly not enough... More programs for youth, summer jobs, better education in our public school system and parents not letting there kids hang out till all hours if the night... There are many many things that can be done but politicians are not really ready to help everyone in all communities.....

John:

The American media might do better by our country, if they would act with less zeal when covering the person behind the tragedies like our most recent one, in AURORA, Colorado. This might possibly make these sick and demented acts, seem less glorified, and lead these sociopaths, in another direction if the current one seemed less iconic

Rick "The Every Man"
UES

Nothing like an election year and a deluge of high-profile events to bring out the vultures. People have been getting shot with about the same amount of frequency for as long as I can remember, the trick is that if they don't die nobody hears about and it's like it never happened. Attempting to tie together what happened in Colorado to what is happening in New York is not going to work, so the residents of New York City need to just worry about where they live. Considering Colorado is where Columbine happened and in days after this gun sales rose in Colorado, it is clear that people feel safer with guns in pretty much every other part of the country even if it is just a potentially dangerous placebo. Many in this country have stirred up a significant amount of fear and distrust that will continue to fuel this need people have to arm themselves, and there is too much money in it for anyone to stop. Just like the shooter in Colorado purchased a good deal of arms legally, I would bet the majority of illegal weapons that end up in the hands of minorities here in New York came from the stockpile of some white male that lives far away from the "ghetto" and probably fancies the idea of minorities committing self induced genocide.

Here in New York nothing will change as long as you have a significant number of people living below the standard poverty line in this country, that actually is much deeper in the city considering the cost of living. The communities that most of these crimes are happening in are damaged to a point that outsiders don't understand and probably don't care about in all honesty. 8 years of Giuliani and over a decade of Bloomberg has plunged most of the poorer neighborhoods back into the late 70's and early 80's, with the added twist of many of these teenagers and twenty-somethings are the "crack baby" generation that you used to hear so much about during the height of that craze. There was probably little or no home life to speak of for them, their parents are probably not educated themselves, and the only lives these people know is the streets. And how do you think you can have a community where people are bounced from living one place to another, family members are separated for various reasons, and the kids don't even go to the same school for more then two years before that closes? This vicious cycle will continue and just like the can't seem to stop outsiders from bringing drugs is to these communities, they won't be able to stop the guns since the two go hand in hand. Those are the only commodities that seem to consistently find their way into these poor neighborhoods and as long as that is the case violence of some type will follow.

Longer jail time will only stop someone after the fact and at a point with all the people they put in jail for minor drug offenses at this point all that will do is require more jails to be built, which I am sure would make the politicians in whatever Upstate town they grant the job to none to happy. And again they would rather spend more money over the life of a person to house them in prison then give them a decent education or provide a level playing field for opportunities. And all that is going to do is up the ante because if someone is going to get ten years for just having a gun they will just go all out since at a point all you can do is lock someone up forever and that never gets the victims life back.

RL
The Bronx

I won't be participating in any protests. I just think that we are living in the times of THE RETURN OF THE BARBARIANS! It is not just the guns in the hands of criminals. It is the mentality of some people now. For example take the school bus driver in the the Bronx who ACCIDENTALLY scratched a driver's car. The driver got out of his car and beat the 65 year old bus driver hitting him so violently that he could not recover! What makes people react with such rage?. This man's fists were his weapons. Today's people don't want to talk or discuss anything. They jusT go from "0" to "60" in 1 second. That's why these gun toting animals shoot first and keep it moving. They don't look back at all to see what happened because as far as they are concerned the matter is over...SMACK THE GAVEL DOWN ....next case step down.

I wish that someone could run a report for the 5 boros and list all of the arrests/reports of battering, domestic violence, robbery beat downs and the numbers would be chilling. Mainly, when these heinous acts result in deaths they then make the news. The numbers of the weekly/monthly beatings would stop a person's heart and really reveal the state of the streets in this city and other urban cities from coast to coast.

Today a man in NJ push a woman and her baby along with another woman thru a 3rd floor window to the ground...all are in critical condition. That is some vitriolic behavior if you ask me? Not just guns...just out right VIOLENCE. FWIW...the woman had an order of protection out on the man...really...seriously? Forget stop and frisk how about putting these folks through a x-ray machine for mental health purposes. Somebody left the gate open at the asylum...bunch of Hanibal Lecter's on the prowl.

Who let the dogs out???
kathy from Throggs Neck da bronx

If the 2nd Amendment has to allow gun ownership, then we should outlaw all automatic weapons except for military and police. You don't need an automatic weapon to kill a deer (we need to cull those herds!), or quail or turkey to eat, or to shoot targets for sport. Get the sport gun at the range, but don't own a gun. You don't need it. There is nothing sporting about automatic weapons; they are for murder only.

We also can concentrate on the USE of guns. I think we should outlaw all ammunition sales , especially ammunition clips, and other ways to do rapid firing of guns. We must ban sales of ammunition from any source including the Internet, outlaw carrying all ammunition across country or state lines ,or shipped through the mail or Fedex, or parcel services, etc. Put dogs in the delivery points to smell them out. If you load a gun and carry it, you are a murderer, because there is simply no other use for a loaded gun. STOP THE GUNS. If people really want to kill each other or are so stupid that they have to solve differences with violence, use your fist..

Keep the young children off the streets after dark unless they are with a parent. No excuse for a 6 year old to be at the movies at midnight. Or a 4 year old to be at a playground after dark.

Terry, East Side.

I believe In the Stop & Frisk will work in not only the Urban Communities but nationally as well. I also believe if your not participating in any Ilegal activity one shouldn't be against Stop & Frisk.

Tisha

Our society can go to moon, spend billions on war, set up surveillance whenever or wherever they want, etc. but they can't get illegal guns (and drugs) off the streets? We are supposed to be the most powerful country but I question that. My suggestion -- put the army in the parks, on the streets, on the trains, in the stores. If a person has the heartless nerve to shoot in a park where babies, children and others are then they should be shot down like the dog behavior they are exhibiting. We are living in a war zone in NYC and you can't handle it with waterguns -- you need the artillery to match what these devils have. The NYPD can't do it alone, the Mayor, Al Sharpton, Pres. Obama or anyone else. When it gets to the serious point that it has reached in our streets now then you have to fight like the criminals fight --

Pissed Off in Queens

How many times tax payer must PAY for youths program which would not help because
they don't want to learn. The police NEEDS TO GET MORE SERIOUS ON THE "Stop and Check" system and give harsher penalties for gun possession.

Ruthann

Did anyone ever think that maybe the guns came in through the playground next to the basketball court which is unguarded. No one is ever searched who goes in the playground and items can be frequently passed through the gate. Dahhhh!

Damien

A lot of your callers don't realize they are asking for a socialist approach to the issue of Gun Control. More monitoring is not the answer. There are two ways to improve this situation, 1) Stricter guidelines for people to legally own a gun, so they can't use the insanity plea and 2) stop and search with a zero tolerance policy that hits illegal owners some serious jail time. You're not going to stop everything but this will definitely avoid a lot of issues.

Ruben / Sunnyside

There is a connection between violence and the economy. We need more opportunities for people to be gainfully employed and not just receiving the minimum from the federal and state government. I am a teacher and i can tell you that kids who cut class have plenty of opportunities to get in trouble. It is the same with adults and young adults. I believe if you improve the financial conditions, bringing back the potential to be successful and believe in our state and country, you will see a decrease in gun violence.

Anthony from UES

John,

Free vocational programs for youths, such as computer repair, electrical , automotive and carpentry. I'm an Iraq war veteran and I saw the money we spend in that country. Well this is a war zone too and we need to be more proactive. Spend money on academic , vocational and athletic programs for our youth.

David
Brooklyn

Yes this has got to STOP its beyond out of control . How do you tell your child he/she cant go play in a playground or play a game of Basketball when that's the only thing they know or have in some cases. Its Ashame to the City Of New York.

Tisha from the Soundview Section of the Bronx.

John,

I will no longer participate in anymore rallies unless and until the "United States Government" publicly announces that the manufactures and distributors of firearms and drugs will face the same penalty as the ones who sell their products illegally. They must be held accountable! Bloomberg's call to ban the sale of assault weapons is nothing new, as many in this country have been calling for the ban for decades - to no avail.

More programs for the youth are great - IF- they include not just recreational activities, but educational, parenting, conflict resolution, mentoring, and last but not least - PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY. Again, those involved in these illegal and brutal activities are in dire need of professional help.

Liz
Rosedale

Sure, we need smarter gun-laws. But the real problem is inner-city youth having no respect for their own lives & the lives of others. Getting rid of all the guns in the world won't solve that problem.

-Dan

Gun are legal in Texas and many states in the united states. They are safe cities. Guns prevent further violence. Criminals will not challenge one with a weapon. Police officers are not prosecuted before a grand jury. And they use effective measures without fear of prosecution.

Joy
flushing
queens

The problem isnt guns its a selfishness and a lack of empathy in these shooters. They don't care about the people they hurt. They don't care about the family of these victims. If these people didnt have guns they would be out beating and stabbing people.

Kerri

Drugs being secretly brought in our community has resulted with gun violence in many community. Today it is a struggle to fight drug trafficking, on the floors we live on. The people who are surviving, in fact has taken their love ones off their lease and is verbally asking those that may be hustling to keep the traffic off their floor.People are desperate to take care of their family and kick the drug or alcohol problem that the their children may have. We have no advertisement for mental,or chemical addictions. There are no long programs for people that are not on parole or probation.

As I continue to hear the many suggestion on the T.V. I hope that we can clearly understand the other problems in our community, dealing with stop and frisk, needs to be reform, and the continuation of improper searches should result to higher penalty to those that file. We have to look at these issues without prejudice and continue to have justice in America. Our Gun laws must be reformed in the USA.

Peggy

I believe that we need our parents, aunts,uncle, grandparents,etc, These are our children who are doing these horrible crimes. They're taking over our streets,we need to come out in our blocks on Fridays and Saturdays as a group hand out pamphlets. Letting our youth know that we are feed up with there behavior. We also need the churches, and leaders, polices in the community to come out. I plan on getting involve in my community. We all need to do something !

Sharon, Manhattan

I do not believe the more youth programs will solve gun violence. Being that the state is already having finical troubles funding youth programs, These programs will cause more families to contribute more taxes, which will take more parents away from their children for working purposes, which will lead more youths to gangs to fulfill that absence of love, which will teach them they ways of gang violence. Since NYPD has a good perspective on gun use themselves and in different neighborhoods, I believe the NYPD should be teaching about gun violence to our youth and decide how to go about gun violence in troubled communities. And I would participate in a rally, in hopes of raising and keeping awareness on gun violence.

Sadieann, Queens N.Y