Plaxico Burress Can Be a Giant Off the Field

Months before he entered prison in September 2009 for carrying an illegal gun, Plaxico Burress said he realized he had made the worst decision of his life when he armed himself before going to a popular New York City nightclub. Burress believed, mistakenly, that he was protecting himself from violence. But as we've witnessed over and over in this country, the presence of a gun increases the risk of violence. It is no peacemaker.

Burress, as most people now know, accidentally shot himself in the thigh when his handgun slipped down a pant leg and discharged. He was released from Oneida Correctional Facility June 6 and is now able to look forward to playing professional football again because he got lucky; the bullet stopped a couple of life-saving millimeters from a major artery.

The man who caught the winning Super Bowl touchdown for the New York Giants in 2007 is prepared now to tell everyone not to bank on luck. Burress contacted the Brady Center last year and told us that when he was released from prison, he wanted to spend his time warning young people, especially, about the risks and dangers of guns.

He told us that his direct, and painful, experience with the gun in that nightclub in 2008 had taught him a lot of lessons. It had taught him, ultimately, that guns make everything worse. And as time unfolded behind bars, his experience helped him understand that once he was free, he would have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children, athletes, the greater sports community, and among everyday Americans.

We're pleased to work with Plaxico on this life-saving issue. The Brady Center is the nation's largest public interest organization dedicated to ending gun violence in America. As a non-profit, 501(c)3, we work to bring justice to gun violence victims in the courts. We educate Americans about the risks and dangers of guns. We fight in the courts to make sure strong gun laws remain on the books.

We have joined forces with people from the faith community, Hollywood, law enforcement, the medical community, education, and other segments of society. We're happy to now add another voice to our movement to address the gun violence in this country which makes everyone, including children, a target.

Children 15 years and under in America are 12 times more likely to die from guns than children in the next 25 largest industrialized countries combined. African-American children and teens are almost five times as likely as their white peers to be killed by firearms. Community violence, including gun violence, has the equivalent emotional impact on children as war or natural disaster.

Gun violence in America is clearly a disastrous problem -- but it's one we can do more to prevent.

America needs more voices like Plaxico's speaking on behalf of sensible gun laws and sensible behavior around guns. America needs Plaxico, other athletes and sports professionals to be active in campaigns against gun violence. Plaxico will occupy a new and important place in this conversation.

He has agreed to work with us to share:

• His life's journey, including how his decision to use a gun illegally injured himself, endangered many, and led to his incarceration;


• The lessons he has learned about the consequences of misusing a gun and the illegal possession of a gun;


• The inherent risks and dangers of guns; and


• The importance of abiding by gun laws.

I will have more to tell you about this partnership in the coming weeks. But for now, I am eager to see this man who has proven he can be a giant in football become a giant in the cause of helping save lives from being lost to gun violence.

Paul Helmke is president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Follow the Brady Campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

This blog is also posted on the Brady Campaign Website.

 

Comments

[Rooster Coburn]

08:54 PM on 07/14/2011

Given the fact that New York State and City lack the most basic of gun laws, a "shall issue" permitting system allowing for lawful concealed carry of weapons, I have no sympathy whatsoever with any attempts by that city or state to attempt to enforce any of their "gun control" laws.

[RonoldisMagnus]

08:09 PM on 06/28/2011

Buriss' problem was simple, nobody ever told him that he shouldn’t put a loaded gun that doesn’t have a safety in is pocket. Education is what is necessary to curb accidental injuries from guns. Burris was carrying a gun because he felt he needed it to defend himself, understandable ideology. What he should be doing now is educating people as to registering handguns, and not carrying them without the proper license, and as to safety whereas not shooting oneself in the thigh.

[Thirdpower]

09:34 AM on 06/26/2011

Well Paul has jumped ship before it becomes a REAL disaster.

http://daysofourtrailers.blogspot.com/2011/06/paul-helmke-jumps-ship.html

[David Carson]

08:53 PM on 06/24/2011

to Paul Helmke--my thanks for promoting the RKBA so successfully on your watch with Heller and McDOnald coming down on your watch, I wonder how long the current carry restrictions in Cali, Illi, NY, NJ and Maryland will survive after you step down on July 10

[Sugarmaker]

03:02 PM on 06/15/2011

Including firearms safety in Burress's program might also save a few lives. But this is the Brady Bampaign, where education takes a back seat to ideology.

[Ohio9]

12:07 PM on 06/15/2011

So the Brady Center adds to their ranks another person who doesn't know anything about the safe handling, carrying, or owning of firearms.

This is hardly a groundbreaking event.

But what it does show is the Brady Center will stoop to any level to get publicity. After all, I don't rememeber animals rights groups welcoming Mike Vick into their ranks.

[GBFive]

03:16 PM on 06/14/2011

The Second step is to marginalize legal gun use and historic precedent. The Revolutionary War was over 200 years ago and the country has not faced a serious threat to its security for 50 years. Confusion has been created about whether gun ownership is tied to Militia membership and the difference between the Militia and the National Guard. This creates an opportunity to minimize the need for civilian arms for the greater defense. Many cities have modern police forces so leave people with the impression that these forces can protect them from all threats at all times. Since the majority of citizens are not currently living in high crime areas or are not involved in crime themselves, these forces alone can be considered as sufficient without personal security measures. It is often helpful to further marginalize civilian arms ownership by portraying gun owners as paranoid, fearful, and to be compensating for some other shortcoming. In today’s modern world, most people no longer have to hunt for food and accordingly, less people are proficient with arms and use them for sport. For profit media outlets rarely report on legal defensive uses of arms since they don’t sell ad space nearly as well as high profile events so, doubt about the value of owning a firearm for personal protection should be easy to impart. Using isolated incidents of the mishandling of arms can further create doubt about their usefulness as well as create uncertainty about their safe use.

http://tinyurl.com/4k346he

[dcaven]

09:08 PM on 06/24/2011

So was Burress carrying an illegal gun or was he carrying a gun illegally? I've been carrying some type of firearm, either long gun or handgun, for the better part of my life and have managed to avoid shooting myself in the foot or any other part of my body. I'm not sure the Brady's should be so proud to elevate this man to the level of spokesperson. Gun safety really isn't that complicated. It just needs to be taught and then followed. It's as if by shooting himself in the foot he came to the realization that firearms are not fashion accessories. What a rube.