by S. Rotan Hale
Turn your firearms into a feast was the catchy slogan heard at the press conference announcing the third annual Groceries Not Guns (GNG) event to be held June 24th, 10 am-2 pm at the Community Action Center on Melrose Avenue in Northwest.
The GNG partnership involves the Roanoke Branch NAACP, Roanoke City Gun Violence Prevention Commission, the Roanoke Quaker Meeting, and the Roanoke Police Department.
“This is the first partnership in the state of Virginia to have a gun buy-back event,” said local NAACP President Brenda Hale, who is one of the three members heading the GNG. “We get calls all of the time, people wanting to know how to do this and we are very proud of our success in our efforts to make a difference in the Roanoke Valley.”
Catherine Kobel Stromberg chairs the GNG. As a gun safety advocate since 2007, she is a walking wealth of knowledge regarding the group’s mission and has engaged in years of efforts to change gun laws.
Stromberg opened her remarks by stating facts that reflected the group’s success since its inception in 2001.
“This event is not about the total number of guns we collect although it’s important,” Stromberg said. She quoted numbers reflecting the first year they collected 91 guns, 32 were semi-automatic handguns. The second year took in 151 guns with 62 being semi-automatic hand-guns, a marked increase from the previous year.
“So when people tell you these are old, broken down long guns that is simply not the case,” she said.
Because semi-automatic hand-guns are the weapons of choice regarding gun violence, the group pays the highest price of $250 in grocery vouchers.
“We are encouraging not just a total number of guns collected but also a divestment from a culture of guns and violence to an investment in non-violence and community. And what is more about community, food, and eating together? That’s why we call it Groceries Not Guns. So turn your firearms into a feast.”
Stromberg said studies show for every 1 gun homicide in Roanoke City alone there is also a minimum of 1 gun owner who dies with their own gun in a gun-related suicide. It was one of many startling statistics offered.
“This is about an investment in the community that protects every single person keeping people safe. Those who might harm themselves and those who might harm others are all protected when we invest in a culture of non-violence and a culture of community,” she said in her closing remarks.
Representing Roanoke City Police Department was Chief Sam Roman who stated, “Anytime we are able to mitigate violence by removing a gun from the home or from the hands of someone who could use that gun to harm another individual it’s considered a success.”
“I am grateful for the collaboration with this organization because everyone has to do their small part in ensuring that we are doing what we can to reduce the violence that we have seen occur not just across our state but across the country as well. Often times when I’m at conferences I get to tout the great work, partnership, and collaboration that is going on in this city as is displayed by the efforts of this collaboration.”
Retired Roanoke College professor Mike Heller is also part of the group’s executive team. Heller is a member of the Roanoke Quakers and brings an element of compassion to the mix.
“In Roanoke, more people die from gun suicide than gun homicide and if we get the guns out of the homes it slows down a person who is in anguish. It might save their life,” Heller said.
With an interestingly thoughtful perspective, as professors generally have, Heller reflected on the future of the planet.
“In a hundred years from now people are going to look back on this time and think this country is crazy with all the guns we have…and wonder what were we thinking,” Heller quipped.
He equated the country’s current gun epidemic to that of slavery and how modern society looks back in disgust at such inhumane treatment regarding human lives.
“The Quakers worked for years in their stand against slavery as the first large group to rise up against it in America during the time of the writing of the Declaration of Independence. It took 80 years and I hope it doesn’t take us 80 years to make the progress we need to reduce gun violence in this country,” Heller said to applause.
Another who spoke was Rev. Dr. David Jones, pastor of Williams Memorial Baptist Church.
“…We know that we are not just exchanging guns for groceries, we are exchanging hopelessness for hope. We are exchanging isolationism for inclusion and community. We are exchanging hate for love.”
In closing Brenda Hale said, “We remain hopeful that we as a group can continue to make an impact and a difference on the epidemic of gun violence in this city. Every citizen in the Roanoke Valley should realize that it is going to take everyone to do all they can in order to reverse this gun violence epidemic. No matter how small you think your input is. If you think you don’t make a difference, I am here to tell you, you can make a difference and be an agent of change. Turn your guns into us and feed your family!”
