New Haven Independent

Posted by: James | June 15, 2009 7:55 AM

Visit missyjenkins.com to see what stary bullets can do to innocent people. Missy Jenkins was paralyzed form the chest down in the 1997 Paducah Ky. school shooting and has written a fascinating, inspirational book about it. Give one to every kid in New Haven.

Posted by: anon | June 15, 2009 9:44 AM

Kids in New Haven already understand stray bullets, James. We need family supports, better teachers, and public safety interventions, not more books.

Posted by: DR | June 15, 2009 9:45 AM

It's against the law:

Connecticut General Statutes §26-25c states:

No person, nonprofit organization, firm or corporation, including the state and its political subdivisions, shall knowingly release, organize the release of or intentionally cause to be released into the atmosphere within a twenty-four-hour period ten or more helium or other lighter-than-air gas balloons in the state.

The problem is that balloons that wind up in the ocean are mistaken for jellies (jelly fish) by sea turtles and eaten. Obviously the turtles can't digest balloons and die from either being obstructed or from feeling satiated and not eating.

Let's find another way to celebrate and mark events than releasing balloons.

Posted by: Edward_H | June 15, 2009 10:20 AM

I wonder if the organizers of this event are going to step up and take responsibility for breaking the law? Let's see what type of example they set for the kids.

Posted by: notimon | June 15, 2009 4:03 PM

Its obvious to me that DR and Edward_H have no kids, and no Heart. How do you make those types of comments when children are violently dying in new haven. Sea turtles, give me a break.

Posted by: Edward_H | June 15, 2009 5:31 PM

Notimon

Its obvious to me that DR and Edward_H have no kids,

You have some amazing powers there!

and no Heart.

I would rather have no heart than a bleeding one.

How do you make those types of comments when children are violently dying in new haven.

Easy, here is how :

1) These kids are going to continue dying no matter what comment I make or don't make

2)If the organizers of this event cannot take responsibility for their own illegal actions how can they expect anyone else too

3)If the organizers of this event are going to pick and choose what laws to abide by then they should expect the kids to do the same

Paul Bass
Its obvious to me that DR and Edward_H have no kids, and no Heart.

This is not a personal attack?

Posted by: DR | June 15, 2009 6:00 PM

And the balloons won't do a damn thing for those kids. Five hundred sixty-four balloons? What good did that do?

I said mark the event in another way.

Why kill something else?

Posted by: Consti2amend | June 15, 2009 6:26 PM

This a ALL well and good for the people most affected by "gun violence". It is a way of sharing their grief and getting help for others to cope.
The ONLY negative I can see is the "Gun Buy-back" plan! They DO NOT work!! You will only collect old, rusty, broken, AND useless firearms! These are NOT what is out there in the hands of the "criminal element".
Besides, will you have a "firearms dealer" to do the transactions? If NOT, you WILL be breaking another law! Only this time it's Federal law!

Posted by: Lifer | June 15, 2009 11:25 PM

Do ceremonies like this do any good? The thugs who are doing the killing are oblivious. It's just preaching to the choir. Not to mention the adverse environmental impact of the balloons.

Posted by: tracey suggs | June 17, 2009 12:33 AM

Iam sitting here reading all the heartless comments. And I am sickend by it.I organized this event and Iam proud of my efforts and others to get off their behind and try to find away to save the life of children and adults.I don't mean to seem as low. and stoned hearted as those that.are making these bs comments. But I rather lose a few turtles than any more children.and you can quote me on that.when you come out your hiding place and take a stand for human life a childs life. Then you can speak to me about a turtles life. Right now I'm all about saving our children.its people like you with no reguards for a human life. that's poisoning the minds of our yes our as yours and mines childrens minds.what you said to any youth reading this. Is go kill each other its the turtles that matter.seriously get a clue.for those that are in support of what myself and others are trying to achieve.thank you we appreciate you. GOD BLESS YOU.

Posted by: Shafiq Abdussabur | June 17, 2009 12:43 AM

Normally I don't respond to the comments here because I too busy think or planning an event that will either make children's lives better or safer. However, I felt compelled to respond to the comments of "Dr" and "Edward H."

CTRIBAT Inc.was not made aware of this law until after the event had taken place. We were not aware that such a law did exist and did not organize the event with the intent to cause harm to the environment or eco-system. So, as the Executive Director of CTRIBAT Inc. I apologize. We will certainly correct this error next year when we plan to release more than 500 balloons marking those whose lives have been destroyed by urban gun violence.

We found the statute on line via a bog 6-17-09
http://aconnecticutlawblog.com/?p=175
Connecticut General Statutes §26-25c states:
No person, nonprofit organization, firm or corporation, including the state and its political subdivisions, shall knowingly release, organize the release of or intentionally cause to be released into the atmosphere within a twenty-four-hour period ten or more helium or other lighter-than-air gas balloons in the state. Any violation of subsection (a) of this section shall be an infraction.

As for the comment made by Edward H, it is soo pathetic; I am reserved to dignify them with a response. However, you obviously don't know what the hand of a dying young boy feels like as he bleeds to death on the sidewalk asking for his mother as he takes his last breath. You obviously have never had to tell a mother that her only child was accidentally shot an killed. You obviously never had to stand by and watch over a teen's brains after they were splattered all over the inside of a car. And you obviously are not concerned with making the world a better place for someone else. Try to see beyond your selfishness. You sound like someone who is angry and needs a hug.

As for the "Balloon Release," it was symbolic. And I commend all that helped to make the day a success, and I also specially commend those family members and friends who lost their love ones and were brave enough to come out.

"Dr" and "Edward H," maybe one day you both will be brave enough to do something for someone other that only for YOU! Maybe one day you'll realize that rather you get involved with Gun Violence Awareness Month or not, you tax dollars are paying for inflated hospital cost to treat gun shot victims who often have no health insurance. Maybe one day you'll realize that urban gun violence costs us all and it is worth our immediate attention.

Finally, if you're going to make impetuous and lifeless remarks like this about issues that are soo close to people's hearts, at least be human enough to own up to them with a real name.

My Name is Shafiq Abdussabur and I Approve this Message.
My email is Shafiq@CTRIBAT.com

Posted by: Edward_H | June 17, 2009 11:33 AM

SHAFIQ ABDUSSABUR

As for the comment made by Edward H, it is soo pathetic; I am reserved to dignify them with a response.

Good ,since I did not ask for a response from you nor was I expecting one. My initial post was merely wondering if someone would at least be human enough to own up to the fact a law was broken. I am not the one you should be responding to anyway. You should be contacting whatever authorities are responsible for enforcing this section of the law and fessing up.

However, you obviously don't know what the hand of a dying young boy feels like as he bleeds to death on the sidewalk asking for his mother as he takes his last breath. You obviously have never had to tell a mother that her only child was accidentally shot an killed. You obviously never had to stand by and watch over a teen's brains after they were splattered all over the inside of a car.

Do these experiences and your position as Executive Director of CTRIBAT somehow entitle you to break the law or are you following the lead of some of your brother officers thinking you are above the law simply because you are a cop?

If you are going to make assumptions about me I guess I am free to make some of my own about you. Is the list of things you witnessed is supposed to impress me, make you better than me? Give you more street cred than me? I grew up in Brooklyn, NY during the height of crack era. I have seen and been through worse. I have probably had more guns pulled on me as a teenager than you have in your whole career as a cop. Luckily you have a gun and a badge and you most likely arrive when any danger has already passed, I have been witness to and victim of more acts of violence than I can list here. And I would not be so childish as to do so. That is something I used to do as a teenager, I grew out of it. You choose to deal with such things when you decided to become a cop as a kid I had no choice.

And you obviously are not concerned with making the world a better place for someone else. You sound like someone who is angry and needs a hug.

I would rather be angry and need a hug than be an arrogant, pompous know-it-all. According to you receiving a hug will alleviate my anger. I however know of no simple cure for your affliction. Perhaps prayer? Did Allah grant you some divine omnipotence when you where writing this post and allow you to see into my life? Did he allow you to see into my past so you can properly judge me?

Finally, if you're going to make impetuous and lifeless remarks like this about issues that are soo close to people's hearts,

Did you actually read and comprehend my comments? What impetuous or lifeless comment did I make?

Posted by: Josh Smith | June 17, 2009 11:31 PM

All right, Edward H, they were unaware of the law about the balloons, and they broke it. But it's not like they blew up a building or something. I could understand calling them out if they did something horrific, but frankly... clowns at kids' birthday parties have probably done worse than 500 balloons at some point. It's a very obscure law, like the new law that requires that motorists give three feet of space to cyclists when passing. The kind of law we all wish that everyone knew, but they just don't know (yet). Calling someone out for releasing balloons illegally while they were trying to do something amazing for the community is like calling the police on someone for helping a confused elderly person cross the street just because the elderly person wasn't in a marked crosswalk. Someone once gave me a great piece of advice: Even when you're 100% convinced that you're right, sometimes it's more important to be tactful, and mindful of what you're saying. Please re-read your first comment and let us all know if that's something you'd like said about YOU in an online forum.

Posted by: notimon | June 18, 2009 2:25 PM

Edward I commend Shafiq who happens to be a friend of mine and a great cop as you say doing something to help the community instead of using his authority to lock them up. He happens to be a cop with a heart. He grew up in the same community he now patrols. I wish other cops on the force care enough about the community they swore to serve and protect. If you ask me shafiq should be chief of police.
I commend Ms Suggs and Ms Whitfield for their strength and love for their community and for our children in putting on these events. If you do not know what its like to lose a child, then have a heart, pray for them in their effort to save someone elses child from the tragedy they have endured.

My Name is Greg Smith and I approve this message

Posted by: Edward_H | June 18, 2009 3:01 PM

Josh Smith

All right, Edward H, they were unaware of the law about the balloons, and they broke it.

Since when is ignorance of the law an excuse? If you were unaware of the law you mentioned concerning passing bikers do you think Officer Abdussabur would decline to give you a ticket? And if he did you can bet there would be a ton of people here posting about how he is not giving bikers equal protection under the law. Do you think the environmental impact was less due to the nature of this event?

Please re-read your first comment and let us all know if that's something you'd like said about YOU in an online forum.

First ,I did not say anything about anyone, unlike Suggs and Abdussabur who seem to enjoy calling names. I merely wondered what, if any, actions the leadership of this organization would take now that this law was brought to light. But rather than finding out what kind of legal ramifications their organization might be exposed to the leadership decided to go on full out name calling attack mode.

Secondly, liking or disliking the comment is irrelevant. If someone posted something factually correct I would try to take responsibility for my organizations actions as an example to the kids. I would not be engaging in online cheap pot shots in the manner Suggs and Abdussabur have. What kind of example is that to these kids ? Teenagers already get into enough trouble with online name calling on their own. Maybe you should ask Suggs and Abdussabur if they would like the things they have said about others posted about them in an online forum? Or do you give them a pass because they were doing something amazing for the community?

Calling someone out for releasing balloons illegally while they were trying to do something amazing for the community is like calling the police on someone for helping a confused elderly person cross the street just because the elderly person wasn't in a marked crosswalk.

So if I take a bunch of kids camping then at the end of the trip dump all our garbage into a stream doing so is OK because I did not know the law while doing an amazing thing?

By the way
Where are all the posters who called for the arrests of the Tea Party protesters for dumping tea into the Sound?

Posted by: Josh Smith | June 18, 2009 5:10 PM

Edward,

Yes, ignorance of the law is no excuse, and the environmental impacts are no less because they were trying to help the community, but I think this is getting blown way out of proportion. The community shouldn't be going into freakout mode just because balloons might kill the fish in the Sound. (I think the lead, mercury, and PCBs in the water are doing a fine job of that already, but that's a topic for another day, not to mention the things that people dump into storm drains that flow into the Sound.)

Your first comment was written in an inflammatory tone, and everyone knows it. Those who read the comment know that you were only trying to push their buttons. To paraphrase your first comment: "I wonder if Edward_H is going to step up and take responsibility for trying to bully police officers online? Let's see what type of example he sets for the kids." Since you're so concerned for the kids, then surely we shouldn't be teaching the children to disrespect police officers who are helping the community... right, Edward?

Posted by: tracey suggs | June 18, 2009 7:35 PM

This is for those that feel myself and shafiq. Are name calling. As for myself I called the comments made cold and heartless. I didn't call anyone out in perticular. And my remarks were made as a mother who lost her 13 year old child in 06. Not as the associate director for CTRIBAT. As for shafiq he had apologized for breaking a law we were not aware of. and possibly causing any harm to marine life and enviroment.and agreed we will go about things differently next year.but ppl by passed that statement it seems to me.we are not the ones that took the cheap shots.and I am not here to disrespect anyone nor did I intend to. But I don't apologize for how I felt about the comment attacks made about the event.also as shafiq said he normally doesn't respond to such remarks. But I don't blame him for speaking out against the remarks made against CTRIBAT where as the event is concerned.we are about making life better if not safer for the children in urban gun violenced plaqued communities around our city & state. Not problems online or off. I just ask that if your not going to be a part of the solution then step aside and make room for those that are.all We are asking for is RESPECT for standing up and caring about the future of ALL our children.