The foundation created by Mexican-American “social entrepreneur” and billionaire Daniel Lubetzky is funding a group called the “Tennessee 11,” which seeks to pass a red flag law and other gun control legislation this year in Tennessee.
The 2024 session of the Tennessee General Assembly is scheduled to convene in Nashville on Tuesday, January 9.
According to his personal website, Daniel Lubetzky was born in Mexico City in the late 1960s and came to the United States with his family as a teenager.
In 2004, Lubetzky is the founded the snack company Kind LLC. It was reportedly worth $5 billion when the company was sold to Mars Inc. in 2020. When the company was under his management, Lubetzky was named a Presidential Ambassador of Global Entrepreneurship by former President Barack Obama and his administration’s Commerce Secretary, Penny Pritzker.
His foundation received its tax-exempt status in 2017, and a federal tax filing from 2021 indicates the Lubetzky Family Foundation has offices at 3 Times Square, also known as the Thomson Reuters Building, in New York. The Lubetzky Family Foundation spent nearly $3.5 million in 2021, when its eight highest-earning employees were each paid more than $100,000, and collectively were compensated $1,294,410.
Lubetzky’s involvement in Tennessee politics comes through a group called Citizen Solutions, which is a project of Starts With Us, which in turn is a project of the Lubetzky Family Foundation. Citizen Solutions seems to exist to spread awareness of the suggestions made by the Tennessee 11, a group of 11 Tennessee residents affiliated with Citizen Solutions.
The Tennessee 11 apparently met for the first time in September, when the group held a “solution session” in Franklin.
In October, the Tennessee 11 announced eight proposals for new laws, regulations, and initiatives they claim would contribute toward the prevention of gun violence. Among the proposals, according to a press release by Citizen Solutions, are calls for Tennessee to pass a red flag law, which would allow courts to order the temporary suspension of an individual’s right to bear arms, require Student Resource Officers (SROs) be trained in “mental health first aid” and “trauma-informed care,” and create “an incentives-first approach to gun ownership rights and responsibilities.”
Another proposal includes Tennessee investing resources to prevent traumatic childhood experiences that could potentially precipitate gun violence.
The Tennessee 11 also proposed laws or regulations requiring Tennesseans obtain a license or permit to carry a handgun, though the group noted, “the TN11 reached a majority but not unanimous consensus on this proposal and now asks the public for feedback.”
In November, the Citizen Solutions “opened a public feedback platform,” according to The Daily Beacon, which reported the activists “are encouraging [University of Tennessee] students to give feedback on the proposals” made by the Tennessee 11.
On the Citizen Solutions website, the activists claim their gun control proposals were drafted by “Tennesseans with very different perspectives.” Citizen Solutions also bills itself as “an ambitious civic experiment empowering Americans to counteract the extreme voices dominating media and politics by elevating the will of the people.”
However, several of the activists who comprise the Tennessee 11 appear to be partisan, and some worked for the Democratic Party or are former Democratic political candidates.
One of the Tennessee 11, Brandi Kellett, is an Associate Professor at Lipscomb University, and her “areas of scholarship focus on culture, memory and faith as a resistance to oppression in the African disapora across the Americas,” according to her university biography.
Arriell Gipson, a Memphis Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for Shelby County Clerk in 2022, is another member of the Tennessee 11. A profile for her campaign revealed she is “the committee chair for the Mayor’s Young Professional Council, Violence Prevention and Criminal Justice Reform Committee, First Vice President for the Shelby County Young Democrats, a graduate of Leaders of Color, Organizing for Action, New Memphis Leadership Institute, and The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.”
Another member, former Tennessee state trooper Mark Proctor, wrote in a guest column for The Tennessean in August that “stricter gun regulations save lives.” The Tennessee 11 member specifically argued in favor of a “[s]trict permitting process” and new legislation to “[k]eep guns away from the wrong people.”
Therapist Adam Luke joined the Tennessee 11 from Columbia, Tennessee. In October, Starts With Us published a lengthy statement from Luke on social media. Luke lamented, “When we talk about guns, there’s so much division. Either we’re attacking traditions or we want people to be in harm’s way.”
He urged Tennesseans to “have that bigger discussion of recognizing that what you’re feeling is legitimate, but sometimes our feelings alone aren’t the only information we need to be taking in.” While Luke seemed hesitant to support a red flag law in his statement, the group’s proposal to “[a]llow courts to temporarily remove someone’s firearms if they are deemed a danger to themselves or others based on certain criteria showing they are at risk of committing violence” had the unanimous support of the Tennessee 11.
While Lubetzky funds the Tennessee 11 through his New York-based Lubetzky Family Foundation, he is also an Inaugural Board of Directors member for the controversial Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The ADL notes Lubetzky is the recipient of awards from the World Economic Forum, Skoll Foundation, Conscious Capitalism, and Hispanic Heritage Foundation.
It remains unclear if Lubetzsky’s efforts will bear fruit after a significant push for gun control failed in 2023, when Democrats were joined by Governor Bill Lee (R) in calls for restrictions following the Covenant School shooting.
Red flag legislation was unsuccessful during the regular session in 2023, and though Lee called a special session for the Tennessee General Assembly to pursue gun control initiatives, the governor did not back a red flag law proposal for a second time. Ultimately, no gun restrictions were passed during the special session, and Lee recently signaled that he does not intend to push for red flag legislation in 2024.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Daniel Lubetzsky” by Daniel Lubetsky.
Another carpetbagger from the Northeast
There are now 25,000 +- gun control laws. Many very restrictive.
I do know there once was a billionaire from NYC that conspired to make straw purchases of firearms around the USA and planned to bring those illegally purchased firearms back to NYC as part of his I gotcha BS.
It was strange how the investigation went bye-bye and the individual never saw a day in court.
I do believe a straw purchase of a firearm is a federal felony.
Also, why is it that New Yorkers and others have turned their States and City’s into Socialist Hell Holes and then go on to destroy the good States and Cities. Try cleaning up the poop you have cast in your city and leave others alone and stop trying to control society. You are not GOD!
I’m old enough to remember when the definition of “leftist” didn’t include billionaire members of the Satanic Council, nor did it include transnational mass media conglomerates run by the Satanic Council.
I don’t see this as being any different from Tom Cotton coming to Tennessee to help Hagerty and Blackburn…. but I still don’t like it. Stay in your own state.
Want to solve the “gun problem”? Outlaw Democrats from having them.
remember the alamo. spend your filthy dollars in Mexico
As I read the Citizens Solution webpage, I would like to respond to the bullet points on their platform;
“Allow temporary removal of firearms based on risk of violence”
I believe law enforcement already has this capability. By creating yet another law it opens the door to the abuse of a person’s rights, whether they are actually guilty or not.
“Develop and promote tools for responsible gun ownership”
Anyone can take a firearms safety course or apply for a Concealed Handgun Permit of their own free will. By making it mandatory the law-abiding people will be financially penalized, while the criminals, who are the problem, will just ignore the law.
“Broaden the SRO role to include law enforcement and human services”
Good idea.
“Take an incentives-first approach to gun ownership rights and responsibilities”
Now you are starting down the road to infringement. A large number of people receive firearms training from a family member and therefore already engage in safe firearms ownership. Again, the people who are committing most of the violent crime in America, that would be the criminals, will just ignore this as well.
“Reduce trauma that contributes to gun violence by investing in communities”
This has been a goal since LBJs Great Society. And year after year the same political party continues to let criminals walk free to commit more crime. I have countless articles archived reporting on how a violent offender is arrested for a felony, then released with no bail, then goes on to violently commit another crime, like murder. Criminals need to be removed from society.
“Ease path to restoration of gun rights for some people convicted of felonies”
I agree, under certain non-violent crimes.
“Develop gun issue literacy resources for schools, communities, and media”
I agree, start actually teaching shooting sports and safe firearms handling in schools.
“Require a handgun carry permit”
While this sounds like a good idea, and Tennessee already has a Concealed Handgun Permit, criminals are going to ignore this because, guess want…they’re criminals.
Our society doesn’t have a gun problem, we have a morality problem. You can divide gun owners in America into two camps, the law abiding, and the criminal. All of these proposed laws will only penalize the law abiding and will do nothing to stop the violence in America at the hands of the criminal side. People who commit crimes with firearms must be locked up until they learn their lesson.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/10/it-must-be-said-america-is-facing-national/
The Tennessee Loser 11
There, fixed it.
Perhaps this guy needs to go back to Mexico. In America we have the 2nd Amendment and any law passed in TN that infringes on the 2nd Amendment is unconstitutional and we will NOT COMPLY. Remember folks, nullification applies at the state level not just the federal level. The people just need to stand up and REFUSE TO COMPLY. There is a process to amend the Constitution and that process does not include laws, EOs, regulations, rules, international agreements or treaties. There is only ONE way to change the Constitution and that is the amendment process.
One of this groups include gun removal from people from whom there is a “risk of violence” as indicated by “criteria for removal should include history of violence, erratic behavior, making threats, stalking, sharing plans or desires to hurt oneself or others, or other behavior that is a strong indicator of violence.”
History of violence … how many of our citizens with long rap sheets would qualify for all gun removal based on their repeated violations of laws demonstrating a history of violence, even if they are not convicted felons? This will target those with a criminal history for gun removal. Not a bad idea for many of our repeat offenders … and yet they already don’t follow the law and so their gun removal may not make a significant impact.
One of the greatest disservices the “red flag” debate of the last 8 months in TN has been is to imply there is not already a process in places to remove guns from the mentally ill who are threatening violence exactly as described in their proposal. At this point, many Tennesseans think that there are no “red flag” procedures/policies currently in place and think there is nothing to be done in situations of a mentally ill person make violent threats. This is misinformation that is damaging and endangering Tennesseans safety. I hope that journalist with integrity will explain to Tennesseans what is already in place for situations the leftist group describes.
The #1 problem with their focus on gun removal from the high risk people described on their website is that they are removing only 1 method of murder from individuals they Know are Dangerous to society &/or themselves … only 1 method. The PEOPLE are the danger, not the guns.
My guns are not a danger to anyone unless they attack me/my family to the point we are afeared for our lives and can not safely escape. Why? Because I am not a threat/danger to anyone. Guns are merely a tool and their threat to society is Only the level of threat those holding the guns pose.
Their guns are a danger ONLY because the People are a danger! Remove their guns and the People are Still a Danger to themselves &/or society!
Remove the PEOPLE who are a danger! There are, sadly, multiple methods of murder/violence. Removing one method does not make the people safe to be free. Institutionalize the People who are a danger to themselves &/or society until they are no longer a danger.
Focusing on the tool rather than the person is shortsighted and a distraction from the actual threat, the dangerous person.
So what are these 11 people (+ 1 New York billionaire) pushing here in TN?
One of their Proposals:
“Reduce Trauma that contributes to gun violence by investing in communities {by} …
-Programs and services should be open to all, at no cost or even with incentives provided. However, they should be targeted to communities that are most in need and at risk, including both urban and rural communities.” (https://cs.startswith.us/citizensolutions/tn/issue/2/proposal/7)
At no cost … unless the social service providers are working for free there is a cost involved. Who will pay for these services? What services? The services are never specified.
They then link to the CDC who lists children being around adults who have substance use problems, mental health problems and jailed parents/family members as being risk factors. The list of risk factors is long and includes young parents, single parents, poor parents, early engagement in sexual activity, etc.
The prevention strategies include “promote social norms that protect against violence and adversity” and “ensure a strong start for children”.
The #1 social norm that protects outcome of children is a 2 parent home, in which the parents are married. The left will now start promoting marriage? Wonderful!
A risk factor listed is “Youth who start dating early or engaging in sexual activity early” … the left will now stop pushing sex and sexual activity on our young elementary students and stop normalizing youth sexual activity? EXCELLENT! So good they now recognize their “values” as causing the denigration of the American family in those who listen and follow their social agenda.
The left is ready to start promoting social conservative values? EXCELLENT! If so, we will see a drop in violence, in mental illness, in drug use, in crime, in abortion, school drop outs and in poverty.
https://www.cdc.gov/injury/budget/acespolicy/ACEsInvestment.html
and
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/riskprotectivefactors.html
The politicians that need the looney left to get elected will support this effort. In addition to the ones that find financial benefit for themselves and their donors. Expect the Tennessee legislature to pass red flag laws.