Subject:	URGENT DNSIB Update and Action Requested
From:	ZeikS@aol.com
Date:	Wed, Jul 29, 2015 3:04 pm
To:	ZeikS@aol.com
Dear Do Not Stand Idly By Supporter, We've not been standing idly by, but trying to get a meeting with Mayor Michael Hancock since our last meeting.  The electronic letter below to Mayor Hancock is a critical follow-up to the action people agreed to take after the March 31 meeting at Temple Emanuel with Rabbi Joel Mosbacher, one of the national leaders of the Industrial Areas Foundation’s (IAF) Do Not Stand Idly By campaign.    The Mayor's Office requested we first meet with his staff to explain what we would be asking of him.  On May 19 we met with Skye Stuart, Legislative Director and Emily Hauber, Deputy Legislative Director and the liaison to the US Conference of Mayors. We provided a detailed briefing of the DNSIB campaign.   In an e-mail dated June 3, Emily informed us that the "Mayor's formal participation in the DNSIB campaign was not a priority right now."  We informed her that we were very disappointed by the Mayor's response and that we would convene a meeting with the people designated as the delegation to meet with the Mayor.  Those leaders met on July 20 and recommended sending the following letter to the Mayor.   If you live or work in Denver, we are asking your permission to list your name and organizational/congregational affiliation and/or other identification e.g. MD, on the following letter to the Mayor.  Institutions are listed for identification purposes only.  It would be very helpful if you would forward this e-mail and enlist your organizational/congregational leaders to add their names too.   Please send how you want to be listed to Zeiks@aol.com by the end of business on August 5.   You'll also want to read this exciting op-ed piece by the national IAF leaders of the Do Not Stand Idly By campaign that was published in the New York Times on July 17. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/18/opinion/heres-a-way-to-control-guns.html?emc=eta1&_r=0   Sincerely,          Zeik Saidman, Coordinator of the Denver delegation of the DNSIB campaign   Denver delegation members: Patty Cordova, Rabbi Bernard Gerson, Rev. Tony Hill, Julie Meyers, MD, Eileen McCarron, Allan Weiss, Rev. Tina Yankee.   LETTER TO MAYOR HANCOCK July 29, 2015   Dear Mayor Michael Hancock,   Nearly 200 concerned faith leaders and citizens convened to hear Rabbi Joel Mosbacher’s presentation about the national Industrial Areas Foundation’s Do Not Stand Idly By campaign (DNSIB) at Temple Emanuel last March.  We haven't been standing idly by since we learned about the potential of this campaign to save lives by engaging gun manufacturers to produce safer guns and utilize more responsible distribution practices.  (The IAF’s Do Not Stand Idly By campaign takes its name from Leviticus 19:16 “Do not stand idly by while your neighbor’s blood is shed.”  http://donotstandidlyby.org/ )   After two of our leaders met with your staff, they were informed that “the mayor’s formal participation in the DNSIB  campaign is not a priority right now given the many issues that he and City leadership are working on at this time.”  We understand the multiple issues that demanded your attention earlier this summer and hope you will not stand idly by at this time.   We the undersigned citizens, who live or work in Denver, urge you to meet with a small delegation of leaders from the local Do Not Stand Idly By campaign.  We are convinced that once you've had the opportunity to learn more about this innovative approach, you'll join the mayors and public officials from the currently 74 jurisdictions as well as the US Conference of Mayors, who have added their names to a Request for Information (RFI) sent to seven major gun manufacturers, requesting answers to basic safety questions.  Mindful that the purchasing power to procure firearms is taxpayer funded, these officials have committed to begin a substantive dialogue with gun manufacturers about what they can do to help protect the public. (See attached RFI and list of jurisdictions that have signed on.)   We believe that gun manufacturers can be enlisted to help reduce gun violence in our society by using their influence and resources in two critical areas that the RFI addresses: 1.       Identifying and eliminating the small percentage of “bad” gun dealers who sell a disproportionate number of guns that are found at crime scenes. ·         The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) data shows that nearly 60% of the guns found at crime scenes in the U.S. were sold by just 1.2% of dealers. 2.       Supporting and investing in the development of smart guns (Smart guns allow each individual gun to be uniquely coded to the owner’s identity, preventing unauthorized use by children, wrong doers, or anyone other than the registered owner(s).  This technological advancement could be a real solution to preventing needless deaths and injuries, leading to  a reduction in these disturbing statistics: ·         8% of police who die on duty are killed with their own guns. ·         An average of 232,400 guns are stolen each year, many later used in violent crimes. ·         Firearms are used in more than a third of teen suicide deaths.  In some 82% of youth suicides involving a firearm, the gun used belonged to a family member, usually a parent. ·         14 children age 4-17 are injured by firearms every year in the Denver metro area.   We know you care about this issue and look to you to take a leadership role with your colleagues as the influential mayor of great western city.  Your staff has the contact information for the DNSIB leaders they met with to arrange a meeting on your calendar.  We look forward to meeting with you.   Sincerely, (Institutions are listed for identification purposes only)

Subject:	Not Standing Idly By
From:	ZeikS@aol.com
Date:	Sun, May 10, 2015 4:59 pm
To:	ZeikS@aol.com
Update: Do Not Stand Idly By Colorado About 35 people attended the follow-up meeting on April 14 to Rabbi Mosbacher’s talk to move forward with the DNSIB campaign in Colorado.  (See attached meeting summary.)  The group agreed to pursue meetings with the mayors of Denver, Boulder, Golden and one of the towns in Summit County to secure their sign-on to the Request for Information (RFI) to gun manufacturers that has now been signed by 72 cities.  Volunteer co-chairs will be enlisted to lead the effort in each municipality and organize a diverse delegation of 6-8 local representatives.  (Zeik Saidman and Allan Weiss volunteered to coordinate the Denver meeting.)  The national DNSIB campaign has developed an agenda template for these meetings and Rabbi Mosbacher offered to provide training via Skype for the delegates and any other interested persons.  This special training meeting will be announced, once it’s been scheduled.   Since That Meeting ·         A Safe Gun Expo has been scheduled for May 21 and 22 in New Rochelle, NY that our wunderkind from Boulder and inventor of a safe gun, Kai Kloepfer, has been invited to and will be attending. ·         Newburyport, Massachusetts signed on as the 72nd city, following San Francisco ·         An invitation to meet has been extended to Mayor Hancock.   What You Can Do To Help Right Now Send us your suggestions for people to participate in the delegations for each of our designated cities that you know and would be willing to enlist for this purpose.  (No further suggestions are needed for Denver.)  Contact zeiks@aol.com ·         Golden ·         Boulder ·         Summit County   Please include some brief background or the main reason why you are recommending this person.  Ideally, we're seeking ·         Delegate must live in that city ·         Diversity: religious, political, racial, ethnic, gender and age ·         Gun owners as well as those who don't own guns ·         Credibility as local leader, organizational representative or special expertise e.g. a physician ·         No baggage with elected officials in the region   ATTACHED: Jewish Outreach Effort (JOE) to End Gun Violence Meeting Summary - April 14, 2015, Temple Emanuel Follow up meeting to Do Not Stand Idly By event of March 31, 2015 Sandy Mandel called the meeting to order and invited the about 35 attendees to introduce him/herself. Sign in roster circulated. Zeik Saidman reviewed desired outcomes as noted in the Agenda Zeik moderated discussion of the positive aspects of the proposed DNSIB effort and the challenges to proceeding. Positive Aspects Focus on safety, minimizes politics (2nd Amendment) Technological approach is cool, modern Harder to be against Not a direct challenge to NRA Can be "sold" to gun owners Attractive to police Focus on gun manufacturers Does not deprive right of gun ownership No reliance on politicians A grassroots, community effort, activates new people Prevents suicide, including teens Substantive safety benefit Can be supported by pro-gun people Can persuade manufacturers that there’s a potential market opportunity for smart guns Take advantage of energy of audience Challenges Would lead to more guns Police concerns about reliability, officer safety Probably would not work if officer is wearing gloves (technology now includes the use of a special watch) Hacker could gain control of gun NRA opposes (current official position) Technology not yet proven, no track record Effect on relationship between police and community Modification of an existing gun may be unsafe (reliability, reversible) Smart guns considered a "slippery slope" (NJ law – in process of repeal?) Overview of Campaign and Next Steps Municipalities sign-on to DNSIB campaign up to 71 with San Francisco most recent Sign-on by city indicates expanded support for a Request for Information (RFI) to be submitted to gun manufacturers Recommended delegation to meet with mayor and request sign-on should be 6-8 diverse persons Discussion about level of technical expertise among delegation members: basics required, but limited detail. Approach to municipality is not about the technology, per se, but to seek support for an RFI Concern expressed about the current climate of police-community relations (use of force, especially regarding persons of color) Future efforts would get to smart gun specifics and other aspects such as sales and marketing To date, no gun manufacturer response to RFIs submitted. More sign-on’s by cities needed Municipal Initiatives – Decisions Aspen is the only city in Colorado to sign-on at this time Focus on cities that have mayor who is member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG). Form delegations with member(s) who have ability to get in to see the mayor, no history of conflict with officials, and credibility Required volunteers – co-chairs who will lead effort in each selected municipality Denver – Zeik and Allan Weiss would coordinate DNSIB delegation to mayor (Allan indicated that Rabbi Foster would assist in contacting Mayor Hancock if needed) Other possibilities – Boulder (several names suggested including Josie Heath, Rollie Heath), Golden, Summit County (elected County Assessor expressed interest in doing this), Arapahoe County/Centennial (city and Arapahoe County Sheriff); and Steamboat Springs. Despite the shooting at the theater, the city of Aurora has been unwilling to take a position regarding gun violence. Other MAIG cities include: Englewood, Lakewood, Louisville, Manitou Springs, Nederland, Northglenn, Telluride Future Actions No meeting of large group immediately required Pursue effort to assemble delegations Agree that training by Rabbi Mosbacher (via Skype) desired once delegations set Submitted by Charles Kreiman ------------------------------------------- Subject: We're Not Standing Idly By From: ZeikS@aol.com Date: Wed, Apr 08, 2015 11:00 am To: ZeikS@aol.com   Thanks so much for attending the March 31 meeting about the Do Not Stand Idly By (DNSIB) campaign and signing up to stay informed.    http://donotstandidlyby.org/   We had over 175 people attend and nearly half of those expressed an interest in staying involved.  The Intermountain Jewish News published the following story about Rabbi Mosbacher and the campaign:  http://www.ijn.com/ijn-news/national/5332-rabbi-let-guns-be-made-differently   We hope you'll be able to help us move forward by attending the follow-up strategy meeting:   Tuesday, April 14 from 7:00 pm - 8:30 Temple Emanuel - Please enter at the Forest Street door, just south of First Ave and Forest St.   We'll begin developing a plan for implementing Phase 1 of DNSIB in Colorado and determining how to organize our effort.   Please let us know if you can attend by RSVPing at http://goo.gl/forms/0Y4lcr4Mm3   For any questions, please contact: Zeik Saidman at zeiks@aol.com or Allan Weiss at yngtut@aol.com Back to Top