Thousands Rally & March Against Gun Violence Saturday in Ann Arbor.

Photo Purple Walrus Press.

By Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

Thousands of people protested gun violence Saturday in Ann Arbor at the March For Our Lives rally and march. Participants began gathering at 10:00 am in the parking lot of Ann Arbor Pioneer High School. Main organizers for the event included Kennedy Dixon, Celeste Kampurwala and Moms Demand Action. The March began at approximately 12:40 pm.

The overwhelming majority of marchers were young people (students) but demonstrators represented a wide age range. Several students spoke at the pre-march rally with passion, energy and strength. It was clearly evident that demonstration/march participants were deeply affected and moved by student speakers.

Following the last student speaker demonstrators marched behind Pioneer High School, headed over to 7th Street, over to Stadium and then back to the Pioneer parking lot. Thousands participated in the March chanting, 'Hey Hey Ho Ho The NRA Has Got To Go, and 'Vote Them Out.' many carried signs reading, 'Am I next, 'Action Now', We Are Watching, 'How Many Prayers Till It Stops, and 'Protect Kids Not the NRA'.


Photos Purple Walrus Press.

Parola Perspective: Unprecedented level of political polarization.

By Brooks Parola, formerly of Flint.

So, I keep seeing these workshops the press does, where they get Republican and Democratic voters together and hash it out.

This new one on NBC is similar to others I've seen, where the two sides agree to be nicer to each other, but get this: they cannot reach agreement on FACTS...hmmm...1) Big surprise, and 2) Well, that pretty much shows that the entire workshop was a substantive waste of time now wasn't it?

Folks, we are at an unprecedented level of political polarization in this nation, ever since the rise of FOX, talk radio, right-wing blogs on the internet, and the loss of the equal time law. Big Surprise! After all of that, we cannot agree on facts...71% of Republicans think the Russia probe, is a made-up non-issue...it seems to me, the problem (the reason we cannot agree on facts) is clear.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Month.

Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

According to the MDHHS, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month offers a perfect opportunity to talk to your doctor about screening for the disesase.

The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 4,510 new cases of colorectal cancer and 1,670 deaths due to the disease in Michigan this year. Through colorectal cancer screening, doctors can find and remove hidden growths (called “polyps”) in the colon before they become cancerous. Removing polyps can prevent cancer altogether, according MDHHS.

“Adults age 50 and older should be regularly screened for colorectal cancer,” said Dr. Eden Wells, MDHHS chief medical executive. “Unfortunately, many people aren’t getting tested because they don’t believe they are at risk or they aren’t aware of the different testing or screening options. The importance of early detection cannot be overstated. Make it a priority to discuss the different testing options, including at-home tests, with your provider.”

MDHHS states that black people suffer disproportionately from colorectal cancer. In 2014 in Michigan, the rate of new cases was 44.54 per 100,000 for black residents compared to 35.3 per 100,000 for white residents. In 2015, the death rate from colorectal cancer was 19.3 per 100,000 for black residents compared to 13.2 per 100,000 for white residents.

Colorectal cancer risk increases after age 50. However, if you have a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, talk with your doctor about starting testing before age 50. Many cases of colorectal cancer have no symptoms especially early on when it can be more effectively treated.

There are several screening options available, including colonoscopy and simple take-home tests. Many health insurance plans, including the Healthy Michigan Plan, cover lifesaving preventive tests. Check with your health plan to find out the details of what colorectal cancer screening is covered.

Parola Perspective: On Tyrants.

By Brooks Parola -  Purple Walrus Press.

I hate to say it, but I fear that tyrannical government is all the Russian people know, and therefore, what makes them most comfortable.

From the Czars to Stalin, to Putin, they’ve only known tyranny. They hated Gorbachev for all of the upheaval he created, but also, for being “weak”.

Then again, when you look at some of the people we’ve elected...Guilliani, Christie, Trump, we love the tyrants too, now don’t we?

U.S. Rep Debbie Dingell delivers opening statement at First Joint Pension Committee Meeting.

Photo Purple Walrus Press.

Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

According to the office of U.S. Representative Dingell, U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) Thursday delivered the following opening statement at the first meeting of the Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pensions.

“Thank you Mr. Chairman. It’s an honor to be here with you and with Chairman Brown on an issue that is so important. 

“We do have a monumental task ahead of us. I have lived with these men and women for years who worked a lifetime and contributed money to their pension fund. They’re not asking for a hand out. They invested in their pension, thinking they would have a safe and secure retirement, and suddenly the system is not there for them.

“I continue to have grown men cry in my arms because they don’t know how they are going to live – they don’t know how they’re going to eat, what they’re going to give their families.

“So we’ve got to roll up our sleeves and get to work. This select committee was created for a reason. It was created because there will be an economic crisis in this country if we do not act on multiemployer pensions by the end of the year. It’s that simple. We’ve got to make difficult decisions, but I know almost everybody on this committee and we’re not afraid of tough work.

“John taught me, and his father taught him, that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. We need to listen. But by the end of the year, we have a moral responsibility to the working men and women of this country to figure this out and come up with a solution. And none of us are afraid of tough work.