On the 23 October 2006, some members of STAND attended a VIP viewing of the movie... THE AMERICAN GUN. I think for those of us who have NOT been victims of some violent crime or other, this movie may have gone straight over our heads. I, however, got the whole concept and was incredibly moved and very saddened that the people of the world have to live under this incredible weight of fear. But more than that, South Africans live with this fear every second of every minute of every hour of every day... to the point that we have become so blasé about everything, that we call ourselves lucky when we're not hurt, raped, tortured or worse, during a violent criminal episode.
While at this event, we met two of the most wonderful women [one of which i personally think should be the MEC of Safety and Security in Gauteng - go Judy], and the other whose story we have been given kind permission to publish. Pam, just so u kno, i could NEVER have stood up in front of all those people and without one quiver of my hand, delivered the speech you gave. People like you make our cause so much more worthwhile, keep telling the world - and one day we'll win the fight - Charmaine
I have taken the liberty of publishing Pam's speech EXACTLY as it was given:
"Good evening everyone and thank you for joining us at this very thought provoking movie.
My name is Pam Crowsley and I have lost three members of my family because of guns.
My twin brother was gunned down at his work place at Sasko Distribution Centre in Eshowe, in 1998. The case has never been resolved. His wife Anne, died three years later due to cancer and I have no doubt it was due to the trauma of his murder
In 2001, my nephew's sister-in-law, Jenny, who was 17 was an innocent party at a foiled robbery and was shot in the ensuing gun battle.
In May 2004, our 16 year-old son was visiting a friend on a small holding. The friend's father foolishly gave the boys a loaded .22 handgun to go on a hike in the Magaliesburg, to protect them from baboon and leopard. Boys, being boys, were examining the gun, when it went off and our son was shot. After being airlifted to the hospital and an emergency operation, our big beloved son died the following day from a tiny little bullet.
The outcome has been total devastation to our family. When you lose a parent, you lose your past, when you lose a sibling, you lose your present, but when you lose a child... you lose your future.
I sought out and joined Gun Free because in all three cases none of our family owned or possessed a gun and they were victims of those who did possess guns. Even if they had, it would not have helped them in any way.
It saddens me when I hear, everyday, of more devastated families and there is almost a desensitisation in our society where guns and gun violence, on our news everyday - has almost become a way of life.
My dream is to have no guns at all - I doubt that this would happen, but if there were more control over the sale and abundance of unlicensed guns, then there is a possilbility our family would all have been alive today to complete their full term of life which does not seem to be a right anymore, but just a chance.
I beg those of you, who are firearm owners, to look to another way of self-protection and make South Africa a place where one can go Gun Free and Live Free
Thank You"
Written by Pam Crowsley - published with permission
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