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Louisiana Shootings; An Arrest in the Sandra Cantu Case; Oklahoma Wildfires
Aired April 11, 2009 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEMON: A mother and children gunned down -- One child survived. We have an update on her condition tonight, all right now.
Hello everyone, I'm Don Lemon. We start with a developing story out of Tracy in North Central California. The arrest of a Sunday school teacher suspected in the murder of eight year old Sandra Cantu. The little girl's body was found on Monday stuffed in a suitcase and submerged in a pond. Twenty eight year old Melissa Huckaby, a local minister's granddaughter, is in jail tonight, she faces charges of kidnapping and murder. And get this, Huckaby knew Sandra Cantu well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SGT. TONY SHENEMAN, TRACY, CALIF. POLICE: Sandra was very close friends with Melissa's daughter. They used to play together frequently at Melissa's home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Let's go now to where all this is playing out. Her name is Sharonika Shams, she joins us from Sacramento, our affiliate KCRA. Tell us what the latest is there. What are you hearing about this suitcase and about this Sunday school teacher?
SHARONIKA SHAMS, KCRA CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, the suspect Melissa Huckaby had told an interesting story to a local newspaper, "The Tracy Press", about that suitcase saying that yes, the suitcase belonged to her but she said was stolen the same day little Sandra Cantu disappeared. Now also, yesterday she told us at KCRA that she had found a mysterious note on her mailbox with Sandra, suitcase and water, almost as though this note were some kind of odd hint of where Sandra might be. Apparently, though, police didn't give much credit to either story. In fact, they say the inconsistencies between her statements to them and to the media is what helped lead to her arrest.
LEMON: All right. Sharonika Shams, thank you very much from our affiliate KCRA in Sacramento, California.
Meantime, we have some new information on another disturbing story, this one out of Louisiana. And an 11-year-old's condition is improving tonight after a horrific shooting in New Orleans. Police are looking for the gunman who shot her and who killed a woman and two children early this morning. It all played out in Jefferson Parish in an apartment there and police say two men in dark clothes kicked in the door and opened fire. The 11-year-old girl was shot multiple times. She is in stable conditions and neighbors are very concerned. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It don't make sense at all especially when you are killing children now. There person who did this, they need to get them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It shouldn't have happened. It was just babies. Whoever did this needs to be caught.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, the woman who was killed age 19 was the mother of one of the children, a 23-month-old boy. Police say they found pot and crack in that apartment.
Well, the hunt for the gunman is going on right now. We want to go now to New Orleans and Gina Swanson from our affiliate WDSU. She joins us live.
Any word on what could have sparked this really heinous crime and are they getting any closer to finding this gunman?
GINA SWANSON, WDSU CORRESPONDENT: Police actually have not been able to nail down a motive. The only things that we do know were the description you gave earlier. Two gunmen who kicked in this apartment door early, police say both of them were dressed in dark clothing and opened fire, literally, just killing two people actually inside the apartment. The third up with, the six-year-old boy died on the way to the hospital. And as we've mentioned earlier the 11-year-old is in stable condition at Children's Hospital. All of this comes at a time when law enforcement officials in this community are trying to quell all the concern about violent crime.
They don't want people to believe that crime is running rampant in this community but when you have events like this when children are getting killed who were asleep in an apartment at 4:00 in the morning, certainly there is new concern. We even talked to one neighbor on the block who said you know what? He spoke to his landlord this morning. He is ready to move.
LEMON: Let's hope they find these gunmen, thank you very much, and do something about this crime. Thank you Gina Swanson, from our affiliate WDSU down in New Orleans.
We want to get to the drama playing out in the high seas specifically in the Indian Ocean. And we're talking about pirates. Sources say the Somali pirates holding Captain Richard Phillips hostage on a lifeboat fired on U.S. sailors trying to reach the boat today.
The sailors who did not return fire retreated. The captain's boat the Maersk Alabama docked safely in Kenya today with the remaining crew members. FBI agents planned to interview the crew members as efforts continue to free the ship's captain.
The Maersk Alabama docked in Mombasa, Kenya tonight. It is now under the control of the FBI. It is a crime scene, now. And investigators are questioning the crew.
But CNN's Stan Grant managed to get close enough to crew members to tell him how they overtook these pirates.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This guy is a hero. He is the chief engineer and he took down the pirates. (inaudible) Dark (inaudible). He led them down (inaudible). And then he gave them to us. We were all hiding out. But it was (inaudible)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: The first officer of the Maersk Alabama is Shane Murphy. He was in charge as the ship steamed to Kenya. His father Joe is an instructor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. We heard from Joe Murphy earlier tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE MURPHY, FATHER OF FIRST OFC. SHANE MURPHY: We know the difficulties that the Phillips family is going through and we continue to support them. We believe Captain Phillips will survive the situation. We want him to know he has the support of all of us, the American people and people around the world. We appreciate his courage and we know he will survive because he will never give up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And next hour, CNN's Special Investigation, "Somali Pirates, Can They be Stopped?" CNN takes you inside a story that has captured the world's attention, 11:00 p.m. Eastern tonight right after this broadcast.
And new information tonight in the string of fires sweeping through parts of Oklahoma and a new front in the fight over same-sex marriage. Provocative new ads hit the airwaves but do they go too far?
Also we want to here from you tonight. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or ireport.com. That's how you get on the show and become part of our community.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Dangerous flames are again flaring up tonight as firefighters battle a string of wildfires in Oklahoma. Meantime officials say at least one of the devastating wildfires that ripped across the state this week was intentionally set. But they are stopping short of calling it arson saying it is unclear if malice is involved here. No arrests have been made. Dozens of homes and businesses burned down in the series of Oklahoma fires and more than 60 people were injured. Wildfires in neighboring Texas are blamed for three deaths there.
Dangerous weather including tornadoes took lives and homes as it rolled through the South last night. And a second round is on the radar. Boy, oh boy. In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, damage as far as the eye can see. That city near Nashville got hammered by up to five reported tornadoes. The storms were part of a vicious weather system that also caused damage in several other southern states. In Murfreesboro one of the twisters killed a woman and her nine week-old daughter at home. Her husband was seriously hurt as well. The baby was found in the car seat where her parents had put her thinking it would be safer. At least 250 homes in the city were damaged or destroyed.
LEMON: And just listen to that. You definitely want to leave home - don't want to leave home, I should say, when you see this outside of your windows and when you hear it. This is Phillip Coombs, he is an iReporter and he sent us this from Charlotte, North Carolina, one of many places across the South pounded by hail.
Karen McGinnis joins us now from the CNN Severe Weather Center. I heard that outside of my door, went outside and saw it last night. That was a really, really ferocious round of storms that came through.
KAREN MCGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It was wicked. It was.
LEMON: I'm seeing on the radar again there is a possibility of another one. Maybe not as big? Do we know?
MCGINNIS: Well, we've got a very dynamic weather system that's across the interior West. And right now there's a frontal system that's draped to the south. And along that frontal system. That's why we are seeing a lot of energy right now. Several severe thunderstorm watches have been issued into the early morning hours local time right across Central Texas. And earlier we saw some of these big storms up right around Midland and now we're starting to see some along this extreme southwestern corner of Oklahoma, Tillman County is one of them, Harman County, also under the threat of possibly severe thunderstorms and the possibility of tornadoes. They've seen 60-mile- an-hour winds, they've seen large-sized hail. Primarily that is the concern across this area right now.
Want to point out in Murfreesboro we had a terrific iReport. Sent in lots of images. Josh Billingsley, he was driving along an industrial area and photographed at least a dozen images. This one being from a floor covering business. And here the car is upside down. I want to show you also another area. Let's go ahead and show you this.
This is the path that that tornado took around Murfreesboro. All right. If you were to go along Interstate 24 from Nashville, head towards the southeast, here is Murfreesboro, has about 100,000 residents and the tornado touched down about seven miles to the southwest of Murfreesboro and then about 15 miles to the northeast. The widest path that it had was about a half a mile wide. If you can just imagine, you look across the street at your neighbor that is not a half a mile. So in some cases there was a huge path of destruction. Certainly stayed on the ground long enough and the folks there still reeling from the damage in this area.
Across the Southeast we will watch out for a chance of thunderstorms for the next 24 to 48 hours. Back to you, Don.
LEMON: Oh, man. And when you hear it, those NOAA weather radios, everyone should really get one.
MCGINNIS: Yes, they should.
LEMON: And you know, they can be a lifesaver. When they go off, they tell you exactly where it you can seek shelter. Mine was going off last night.
MCGINNIS: I was being battered by the wind as well. You got a huge branch that fell off and was on top of your house?
LEMON: Nothing to compare to - but just telling you how violent the system is and how you can protect yourself, watching people like you, seeking shelter and getting a NOAA weather radio. Thank you, Karen McGinnis.
MCGINNIS: We appreciate it.
LEMON: Here are your responses. He is talking about some stories that we have on our air tonight. He says, "Church should be a haven, a refuge, especially in these times. She might have gotten off if she didn't mention the suitcase was hers." She's talking about the death of Sandra Cantu.
And Leelesworld (ph) says, "There are demons in the church house as outside it. I am not shocked but I am saddened for the family."
Talking about the person accused in that case is a Sunday school teacher. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, ireport.com. That's how you can get your responses on the air. We really appreciate your responses here on the show. We want you to be a member of our team.
Make sure you stay with us. We'll have the very latest on all the developments coming out of Somalia and we'll try to answer the question, did it have to come to this?
And take a look at this incredible picture. Does it look real? What do you think? Is it photoshopped? I don't think so. What in the world is going on? You'll be surprised.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: The Somali pirate hostage crisis so far has defied any easy fix. But how did it get to this point? And once it is over how do we keep it from happening again? Earlier tonight I put that question to columnists Ben Ferguson, Jada Daffer and David Sirota.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Did it have to come to this? And, you know, we certainly hope that Captain Phillips is OK. Did it have to come to this to get people's attention, our nation's attention? Because this has been happening for a very long time.
DAVID SIROTA, AUTHOR, "THE UPRISING": Well, look, the problems on the Horn of Africa are real problems, and you're right, they have been happening for a long time. I think it is unfortunate that it had to come to this for our country to probably focus on this. The question now is, what do we do?
I think that what you've seen the Obama administration say is that what we need to do is work multilaterally to deal with this region of the world after this immediate crisis is over. The hope is -- my hope is that after this crisis is over, and God willing it will be over without a loss of life, that we will deal more holistically and systemically with this national security issue as a multilateral issue.
LEMON: And Jay Dedapper, you have been blogging about this. What's your blog again?
JAY DEDAPPER, JAYDEDAPPER.COM: Get Real, it's at JayDedapper.com. Spell my name, you got the blog.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Yes, D-E-D-A-P-P-E-R. Just like it sounds.
DEDAPPER: Yes.
LEMON: So, listen. You've have been blogging about this and I'm surprised about the viewer response and just how much people are paying attention to this. And also, Jay, sort of becoming angry saying -- why can't the U.S. do something? Why is it taking so long to get to this captain? And they get angrier and angrier with every minute as this goes on.
DEDAPPER: Right. Well, that's, Don, that's the natural reaction. I mean, we all want to go "Rambo," you know? You want to act out the movie and you want to blow up the boat, nuke them.
And I think it's interesting though that two editorial pages today that are usually right in line with each other, the "New York Post" and "The Wall Street Journal," both papers own by Rupert Murdoch, both reliably conservative, took absolutely opposite tacks today. "The Wall Street Journal" said, "patience." "The Wall Street Journal," patience on this.
LEMON: Right.
DEDAPPER: "The Post" said, "Rambo, nuke 'em." I think it is easier for us, as armchair generals, to say, "Let's go in and blow them up."
LEMON: Yes.
DEDAPPER: And that's a very difficult thing to do. It's something that the Bush administration and the Obama administration have been trying to deal with off the Horn of Africa, in Somalia, the problems with the piracy. And there is no easy answer. The easy answer isn't simply to blow up the boat.
LEMON: Hey, hold that thought because I want to talk about the administration. I want to get to Ben first. Ben, with this question, you know, we've been wondering, you can see in people's homes, they say that they have these helicopters with the scopes and you can look through walls, infrared and all of that. Well, can't they see through this boat that's out there and pick off the right person?
BEN FERGUSON, ICON RADIO NETWORK: Well, I think we have watched a lot of really cool movies, but the reality is I talked to a sniper earlier this week and he said look, the reason why we can't shoot from the air is because with the helicopter, you've got too much wind differential coming from the blades. And so the reality is you can't just shoot down like that, otherwise, I think we obviously would have.
What worries me more about this than anything else is the fact that this is the first time in 200 years that a boat like this that was flying an American flag has been attacked and part of that is because as everybody knew, you do not mess with America. You can go mess with other country's flags on their boats, but you don't go with ours.
DEDAPPER: But Ben, it's not the first time.
Two U.S. Navy ships were attacked two years ago.
FERGUSON: I'm not talking about Navy ships. I'm talking about cruise ships, I'm talking about ships that actually have stuff on there like these ships have. It's been 200 years.
LEMON: But he does present a very good point, if they will attack two U.S. Navy ships, you know, they're pretty ballsy, I'd have to say.
FERGUSON: I think what we have to do afterwards is we have to look at this and go what is our response after whatever happens with this captain happens. I obviously hope we get him back, but afterwards we have to send a very strong response and go after these pirates. Everybody knows where they are, we know where they're coming from. We know where they live and we know which villages over there allow them to come in there and to base out of there so we have to have a strong response.
LEMON: David, I'm going to get to you in a second but I want to ask Jay this. Jay, since you've been covering politics, some people are wondering why the administration or why I should say why the White House hasn't responded to this. But isn't there a response in secretary of state Hillary Clinton's statement? Isn't that a response from the administration?
DEDAPPER: I think it is, but also the response is to let General Petraeus figure out what to do here. He's the one in charge of Afghanistan and Iraq which means he's in charge of this operation. Whatever's going to happen, Petraeus is somebody respected by the Bush administration, and people supported, respected now. This is the guy who's going to be in charge and who's going to try to figure out what to do. And I think as a political item, there's no win here for the Obama administration to jump in right now and start saying anything. Let the military professionals handle it.
LEMON: David, hang on. David Sirota with every minute that goes by, you know, you think that they're trying to wait these guys out, food, water, what have you, they're waiting it out. But don't you think the Somali pirates, too, it's giving them the chance to band together and maybe go in to try to help their brethren in there? DAVID SIROTA: It's not clear that it's that well coordinated. I mean Somalia is a failed state, it's a chaotic nation. There's no real functioning government. I think the administration needs to, I think deal with this as both a diplomatic issue in terms of getting a coalition together to deal with this region and the military. So I don't buy the idea they couldn't do anything, or that they should defer all judgment to the generals on the ground. The president is the commander in chief. But again, this is a more multilateral issue and I have to say that the fact that the Bush administration, I think, blew apart all of our multilateral or many of our multilateral coalition efforts in the past is going to make it hard to marshal a multilateral force.
FERGUSON: I disagree with that. I think the Somalis are very smart ...
LEMON: Ben, five seconds.
FERGUSON: And they knew they wanted to test this administration to see what this administration would do. They didn't mess with Bush over there. They didn't go after American -
SIROTA: This is not a government. This is not a government. This is a band ...
FERGUSON: They are smart enough to take over these massive tankers.
SIROTA: They are dealing with a civil war in Somalia.
FERGUSON: They're smart enough to tank on tankers. They've done this to test us.
LEMON: Ben and David, I have to separate you two. Can we move them on the screen, we'll have to put David where Ben is or something, where Jay is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the "Brady Bunch", right?
LEMON: Jay, how does it feel your maiden voyage here?
DEDAPPER: No problem, I just got to repeat, though, that they did attack two U.S. destroyers. Now if that's not attacking America and testing the Bush administration, I don't know what it is. They also took on an Israeli cargo ship last week ...
LEMON: All right.
DEDAPPER: You go after Israel, you're testing somebody's mettle.
LEMON: All right. Jay Dedapper, David Sirota, Ben Ferguson. Hey, thanks, guys, appreciate it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Our outspoken panel earlier tonight on CNN. And next hour, CNN Special Investigation, "Somali Pirates, Can They Be Stopped?" CNN takes you inside a story that's captured the world's attention. 11:00 p.m. Eastern right after this broadcast.
A new front in the fight over same-sex marriage. We'll take a look at some provocative new ads hitting the airwaves. Do they go too far?
And the first lady getting down and dirty in the White House garden.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Just checking in on Twitter. Man, you guys are really responding to this story we are going to play right here. The push to legalize same-sex marriage is gathering momentum. But opponents call it a gathering storm. Our Randi Kaye looks at tactics to keep such marriages off the books.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, the battle over same-sex marriage has been heating up in recent months and weeks, a growing number of states have moved toward making those marriages legal which has prompted a new advertising campaign by opponents, hoping to stop anymore from doing so.
KAYE (voice-over): One way to keep same-sex marriage illegal may be to paint its impact on those who oppose it as dark and scary. That's the latest tactic from the National Organization for Marriage which just released this $1.5 million ad campaign.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a storm gathering.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The clouds are dark and the winds are strong.
KAYE: Do you acknowledge that the ad is dark and scary and paints this picture of this gathering storm?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think there is a gathering storm, unless we act to protect marriage, we're going to see more and more moves to overturn the roles of people.
KAYE: But Evan Wolfson, an advocate for same-sex marriage calls the ad an assault on gay people that undermines civil rights.
EVAN WOLFSON, ADVOCATE FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: Everything in these ads is phony, from the scary zombie special effects to the actors reading the lines, to the arguments they're making to try to try to scare people into thinking that allowing gay people to marry is somehow a threat to everyone else.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But we have hope.
KAYE: The ad was supposed to be released late spring but recent decisions by Vermont and Iowa to legalize same-sex marriage prompted the group to act now. Connecticut and Massachusetts already allow it. But Vermont is the first state whose legislature approved same-sex marriage and not a court. In fact, legislators overrode the governor's veto.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have voted to override the veto. The house will come to order.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But the people don't want this, this is being forced by both the courts and by out-of-touch legislators.
KAYE: Brown wants to create an army of marriage activist in every state to put a stop to whatever momentum gay couples are gaining.
KAYE (on camera): In California, there's the petition to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage. Governors in both New York and New Jersey say they will sign same-sex marriage bills and Maine, later this month will hold hearings on the issue. New Hampshire's House of Representatives has approved it and even the District of Columbia is moving towards recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When gay people marry they don't use up the marriage licenses. And the idea that somehow treating gay people as equal under the civil rights laws of this country is a threat to other people is as bogus as it was when they made this claim in other civil right chapters in American history.
KAYE (voice-over): In the last CNN opinion research poll, 55 percent did not want to legalize same-sex marriage. But Wilson hopes the more time people have to think about it, the more they'll be able to ignore what he calls "the scary ad campaign."
(on camera): The National Organization for Marriage is quick to point out that 30 states have voted to protect marriage as that between a man and woman including California, Oregon, Michigan and Hawaii. Don?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right. Thank you for that, Randi Kaye, for that reporting.
OK. David Sirota, Jay Dedapper, Ben Ferguson, thank you very much. Ben.
FERGUSON: Yes.
LEMON: If the guys or girls next door who are minding their own business have a great house, keep up their lawn, pay their taxes, why do you mind if they get married?
FERGUSON: Well, I think a lot of it comes down to - for many its religious issues. The same way that abortion is a religious issue in many ways. The fact of the matter now is what you see ...
LEMON: Hang on. Hang on. The argument for abortion is that it's taking a life, correct?
FERGUSON: Again, it comes back down to the issue of religious -
LEMON: Hang on. Answer my question. The argument about abortion is that its taking a life? FERGUSON: Correct.
LEMON: Gay marriage, nobody is dying. OK.
FERGUSON: No but I think a lot of people believer that the Bible says marriage between a man and woman. And I think the other ...
LEMON: I got that. So ...
FERGUSON: But here's my main point. In 2004, every state where they had same-sex marriage on the ballot, it failed. And these were states who were supposed to win. And I think what you see now as you have people that say, we want the people to be able to speak on this. They realize it's not working when people walk into a voting block. It's many other people everywhere it was on the ballot. So now they are going to the courts and the legislature.
LEMON: I get that. I get that. But even when its a civil right's debate and that's what everyone said but even when it was married between races, we're all the same race, of course.
FERGUSON: Don.
LEMON: Hang on. Much of the country did not want a black person, a white person, a black person, a Hispanic person and a white person to get married. It's the same argument. But here's what I'm asking, OK, so let there be a compromise. If it's not same-sex marriage don't let people get married in the church. If it's a religious don't let people get married in the church. Let them go to a justice of the peace, that way you solve both problems?
FERGUSON: I don't-
SIROTA: You're making the right point. It's a legal issue. That's the issue here. It's a legal issue. And let me just say as a happily married man to my wife, Emily, for the last four years, I think anybody who says that anybody else's marriage threatens their own marriage needs to seek a marriage counselor. Gay marriage should be legal because it's as a matter of law. We're talking about making laws here, not religious doctrines.
LEMON: The reason I'm asking this is and I said that because every - it seems like during the election this issue comes up and it is often viewed as a distraction. It's not a distraction this time because you can see that it's law in certain states and provinces already. And it seems to be growing.
LEMON: Jay, go ahead.
DEDAPPER: You mentioned the interracial thing. I don't think that's a minor point. In 1967 when the Supreme Court ruled that Loving versus Virginia, an interracial marriage that bans against interracial marriage was unconstitutional. 72 percent of people in the Gallup poll, 72 percent of Americans said that they didn't think that two people of different races should get married. Now if you left it up to voters and referendum that would have not passed in almost any state in America. Would anyone here argue today that that was the right decision for the people?
LEMON: OK. So we're doing all this talking back and forth and, you know, some of your views, liberal, Ben as a conservative - but I don't believe he's a true conservative.
FERGUSON: I'm a conservative realist.
LEMON: But you know, I'm the only one who seems in this to have offered a solution. Let people who want to get married in a church and let the others go to the justice of the peace. Anybody has a solution, David, you have one?
FERGUSON: I trust that we have come a lot farther than what we're talking about when it came to race relations. We have the first African-American president of the United States of America, which I was thrilled about, especially coming from Memphis, Tennessee. But the reality is, I have a huge problem when what happens is the people's word - and I think we're a lot more progressive than we've ever been are saying, OK, we didn't like what you did. So now we're going legislate from the bench.
LEMON: Finish, go ahead.
SIROTA: People elect their legislatures. So if the legislature takes an issue and decide on it, people have a right to throw out their legislatures or not. A legislature is elected by the people.
FERGUSON: So why not let people vote on the same day they vote on the legislature for gay marriage?
LEMON: We're out of time, Ben and David! I'm going to get you some boxing gloves.
All right, guys. Thank you.
SIROTA: Thanks.
LEMON: Appreciate it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Our outspoken panel earlier this evening. Here is what some of you are saying.
Core 17 says, "There is absolutely no reason why it shouldn't be legal. This is the 21st century, for Pete's sake. What happened to equality?"
And Tabby 012 says, "A man is meant to marry a man and a woman is meant to marry a man. Anything different is an abomination and disgrace."
Let's see, let's get some ones that are newer. Can we get these on over here? Here is what Hurricaneme (ph) says. "He says, Don, thank you, Mr. Sirota. Religion is a freedom not a requirement even for marriage, get the discrimination out of the law." Other persons commenting on the death of the little girl.
Irishpsych says, "I think the marriage issue shows how screwed up this country is because of religion. It causes racism, sexism, et cetera."
The last one here from Envy of the World says, "Marriage is a civil right not a heterosexual privilege and we have money. Hello marriage, goodbye recession."
All right. Thank you for weighing in on this. We really want you to become part of our community. We'll post some of your responses to our panel as well. Twitter, facebook, MySpace, ireport.com.
Time to talk about the greener side of the first lady just ahead. Take a look at this. Yep. What is going on with this picture? We'll tell you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: No honorary degree but Arizona State University will honor President Obama by naming its most important scholarship program after him. The school has been criticized for saying it wouldn't recognize him because, quote, "his body of work is yet to come." Mr. Obama is slated to give the commencement address there next month.
At the White House the first family is getting in on the new and old trend of community gardening. Check out what CNN's Erica Hill found out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY: Well, hello.
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On a beautiful April afternoon the White House garden is springing to life.
M. OBAMA: You have brought another perfect day. Thank you for that.
HILL: Kids from Washington's Bancroft elementary school back to help the first lady plant the seeds that will keep the White House kitchens humming. Rhubarb, kale, cilantro, sage and plenty more where that came from.
M. OBAMA: All right. Well, let's get to work. Come on. Let's go.
HILL: It is a moment renowned Chef Alice Waters has been waiting for.
ALICE WATERS, EXECUTIVE CHEF, "CHEZ PANISSE": That image of Michelle Obama in the garden with the children so maybe the most important message we can give about food. It's just the most wonderful way to make the connection between the garden and the table.
HILL: And Americans are getting the message. With spring barely on the calendar the impact of Mrs. Obama's garden is growing, like, well, a weed.
SCOTT MEYER, EDITOR, "ORGANIC GARDENING MAGAZINE": All of the seed companies I have been speaking to and everybody in gardening is experiencing a great boom in sales driven by this enthusiasm for people to grow their own food and to imitate the president and his wife.
HILL: It is also a smart move financially. Despite high estimates from these students, one thought the garden cost $100,000. A figure Mrs. Obama said would make her husband crazy. This 1,100 square foot garden actually costs less than a fancy dinner for a family of four.
M. OBAMA: This garden can not only feed my family, but it's going to feed all the staff at the White House, we're going to use these vegetables to help feed you guys, we're going to serve it at some state dinners. So we can produce enough fruits and vegetables to feed us for years and years to come for just a couple hundred dollars.
HILL: The last time there was a vegetable garden at the White House Eleanor Roosevelt was the first lady and Americans were planting so- called victory gardens to feed their families and the troops.
M. OBAMA: (Inaudible) and now what are you going to do?
HILL: In today's America $50 of seeds can yield $1,200 of produce. There is honey to be had in this White House garden. The bees are on loan from a White House staffer and come with very important instructions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't mess with the bees.
HILL: One of the many lessons these kids will take home. Erica Hill, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right. Time to check in with some of you are saying.
Janet S. 98 says, "Would any civil rights been advanced if we left the rights of the minority up to the majority?"
And Karen Cross (ph) says, "The Constitution even says all men are created equal. Governments should uphold that."
Here is what SZach 87129 says. "I don't mind same-sex marriage. Let them be, happy, too."
And we'll go the board, too. Let's find the latest ones here. Here's what says. "Humans get equal rights and protection under the Constitution. Legal no brainer but morals conflict the issue at bar here."
Someone is talking about her garden here. "Sugar snaps are coming up. Gardening is a favorite way to save money."
Let see. This one wants to legalize marijuana here and someone says, "I agree with the comparison of having a justice of the peace presiding over gay marriages is an excellent solution to this issue." These are the very latest ones. Interesting one. "My 85-year-old mom has no problem with gay marriage. It doesn't affect her 59 years of marriage and it won't."
Someone's commenting on the schoolteacher. Saying, "What's wrong with people? Why are they allowed to kill children."
"Same-sex marriage is wrong. You will never please everyone and if you half they just want your half, too, wise up."
Thank you for your comments. We appreciate it. Go to Facebook, MySpace or ireport.com. That will get your comments on the air every single time.
As the saying goes, what is old is new again and during these tough times, real tough economic times that is definitely holding true here. We will show you how to look good and to pay less and even make some money.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. A German woman found out the hard way. It is not a good idea to jump into a polar bear pen. Yes, this picture is real that we have been showing you. The bear did what bears do and bit the 32-year-old several times on her arms and legs. Somehow Berlin zookeepers managed to get it off the woman and pull her out. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. No word on what prompted her to jump into the polar bear enclosure. But guess what? She is lucky to be alive.
Don't know why she did that. She probably won't do it again. OK. We want to hear from you. Let's go to the ones that are up here on the board coming in right now. This is from Twitter, Andrew Whitley 75 says, "It is time that the term," and -- one right here on the hand held camera. "It is time that the term land of the free can be said the same for same sex couples."
Hilarious on the top of gay marriage. Someone wrote, "Maybe we should just be friends first."
"I know a bunch of friends are starting their own gardens." They are talking about the first lady. One of which has knocked down 10 trees for a greenhouse. "Gardens, yes, community gardens, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes."
OK, there is also some coming up. One says, "Easy, let gays marry but call it a civil union and have it performed outside of the church, same benefits done and move on."
Other folks are weighing in as well. They love the garden story. Someone said, "I believe in God and I believe God made a woman for a man and a man for a woman."
Core17 says, "There is absolutely no reason why it shouldn't be legal. This is 21st century for Pete's sake. What happened to equality?"
We really, really love your responses. Twitter, FaceBook, MySpace or ireport.com.
There is some sad news to report to you tonight. A lot of you have been asking me about this on Twitter and Facebook. You said, who died? Who died? I caught the end of your story. Here it is. Here is the story.
One of the creators of the so-called sound of Philadelphia has died. His name is Randy Cain. He was a founding member of the Delfonics. He died Thursday at the age of 63. They created some really, really great music. The cause of his death, though, wasn't revealed. Cain formed the Delfonics with his brother William and Wilbert Hart (ph) while attending high school back in the '60s. Their hits include this classic.
(MUSIC)
LEMON: Randy Cain, 63 years old. We're back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. If your money is tight but you still want to dress right, consignment may be the way to go. I learned that a long time ago. Not only can you save, it is also a way to make extra cash as you do your spring cleaning. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON (voice-over): Check out the pile of clothing in Kate Gorimshteym's arms.
KATE GORIMSHTEYM, CONSIGNER: I have some stuff for consignment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. You can go right to the back.
LEMON: It could end up paying off for her big time. She hopes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you consigned with us before?
GORIMSHTEYM: No, I haven't. Shopped here before but I've never consigned.
LEMON: The Alexis Suitcase Consignment Shop in suburban Atlanta and thousands of shops are a god send for Gorimshteym and millions of Americans who in this economy are finding alternative ways to dress well and make a little cash in the process.
GORIMSHTEYM: They are probably going to sell for about $25 that I would get and there are some that maybe 10 bucks a piece. Every little bit helps.
LEMON: Not everything here is second hand. Some struggling local boutique owners bring new merchandise to consignment owner Jayna Thompson who can sell just about anything, including big expensive name brands, like Coach, Prada and Louis Vuitton, to name a few.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Louis Vuitton is one of the most popular. I can't keep these bags in.
LEMON: And consignors know, new clothing and brand names add value.
GORIMSHTEYM: You can also donate them, but since those are really good pieces I thought I can make some money off them and for everybody it's pretty tough out there now because of the economy.
LEMON: Tough, and big retailers know it. In February, Macy's announced 7,000 layoffs. And in March, posted a sales drop of 9.2 percent. Also in March, Nordstrom's sales dropped 13.5 percent. Abercrombie and Fitch, a whopping 34 percent.
LEMON (on camera): Here's what's paying off for consignment shops like Alexis Suitcase and Stephan's Vintage here in Atlanta. Low overhead. Many new clothing retailers who bet on bulk and big inventories are now struggling to unload it.
Professor Charles Goetz says it all adds up to a reversal of fortune for consignment owners.
CHARLES GOETZ, PROF. GOIZUETA BUSINESS SCHOOL: In a recession even though demand goes down, supply, competitors actually drop much faster. So that if you start a business in bad times, by the time the economy starts to turn around, you're actually positioned well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've doubled every year for the last two years in our sales volume. Now we are opening a second store. So we're also going to double in size.
LEMON: Another consignment shop to add to 20,000 others across the country. $8 billion in sales a year. And helping customers save.
GORIMSHTEYM: I can buy more clothes or I can spend the money that I didn't spend on full price items somewhere else like groceries or bills. Or maybe go on vacation.
LEMON: A real life lesson in getting the most for your money.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON (on camera): So I was trying to get my fellow anchor Fredricka, to go with me, she said, other people wore it. Fred, get it cleaned. You don't have to worry about that. For a list of consignment shops, you want to check out our Web site at consignmentshops.com or check out cnn.com and it will lead you there.
Just ahead, healing the wounds of war with fishing. Our CNN Hero will lure you right in.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: How do you heal the wounds of war? Sure, there is surgery, there is therapy, but what about fishing? I'm not kidding you here. What about fishing? Ed Nicholson found out a way to make it all happen and that's why he's our hero.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: This is "CNN Heroes."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was in Afghanistan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I broke a vertebrae.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got hit by the blast. Blew up about 20 feet in the air.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My teeth were just shredded up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I lost my right eye.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My mouth was blasted out.
NAVY CAPT. ED NICHOLSON, CNN HERO: The demons of war, you just don't set them aside. But once you get out on the river, the serenity is incredibly healing.
My name is Ed Nicholson, and I founded a program that helps wounded servicemen and veterans to fly fishing. I spent 30 years in the Navy. More recently, I was down at Walter Reed. It was impossible not to see the servicemen and women of missing limbs and serious wounds, and I thought many of them probably would love to get out of the hospital and go fishing.
Instead of cranking it in, you strip, strip.
You become more independent.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My injuries are to my right arm. It really helped me to start using that right hand and adapt to skills of everyday living.
NICHOLSON: I've heard from other participants when I'm out there fishing, I don't think about the pain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The doctors can't heal the heart and soul. Being out in nature does that. What it shows you is that life is not over. It's only beginning.
NICHOLSON: OK. Here we go.
I'm not a psychologist. I'm just an old naval officer, but I can tell you this that the individuals that work with our program, they get a great deal out of it. That's what keeps me going.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: If you would like to get involved or you know someone else doing something extraordinary nominate them at cnn.com/heroes. We're back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Well, you probably heard of self-made millionaires. Of course, generally older men and women with a life time of experience climbing the corporate ladder. And then there is this guy, his name is Farrah Gray, an African American first. The youngest black man of his generation to make his mark on Wall Street and become a millionaire. And you can guess he didn't waste much time on the playground before he started hustling for his first fortune.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FARRAH GRAY, ENTREPRENEUR: When I was six years old I said I'm not going to come home until I have helped my mom pay the bills and make some money. So I just walked around looking, scouting and I saw oversized rocks. So my first business, I took oversized rocks, I painted them and I started knocking on people's doors. I took water paint, it was cheap. I would knock on people's doors and I would say hello. My name Farrah Gray. Would you like to buy this?
And people would look at me like isn't that the rock that is in front of my door. I said yeah, but now it is different. It can be used for paperweights, bookends and doorstoppers. So people were like, hmm, OK. I made $50.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: And that's how he started. His story tomorrow night between either 6:00 here on CNN or 10:00 here on CNN. Both times. 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. Eastern. I'll see you then. I'm Don Lemon.
