Murder Moratorium.

Los Angeles officials are asking that you respect their wishes and stop murdering people.

If it only it were that simple, right?

Did I just fall for an April Fool's Day article? But it's been in every newscast I watched tonight.

From KTLA news:

The Los Angeles City Council dropped plans Tuesday for a symbolic moratorium on killing, deciding instead to use the upcoming anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination to promote peace.

Council members had been asked by a handful of activists to declare a 40-hour ban on murder and other violence, a concept one critic quickly derided as "silliness."

After a 45-minute debate, the council reworked its resolution, saying the city's opposition to homicides should last more than a single weekend.

"A moratorium on violence and killing is something we should support 365 days a year and every minute we live," said Councilman Richard Alarcon.

The symbolic ban on homicides had been proposed by Los Angeles author and political commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson, who had urged the city to make a bold statement about the recent spike in homicides, which are up 32 percent compared to the same period last year.

Others called the ban a hollow gesture, saying the council should focus on more substantive anti-crime proposals.

"I'm sure that the people who are doing the killing will hear that the council is calling for a moratorium and then cease and desist," said a sarcastic Joe Hicks, a former executive director of the city's Human Relations Commission. "It's more silliness from our wonderful City Council."

Councilman Tony Cardenas responded angrily, telling his colleagues that a murder moratorium is not silly at all. "That's the kind of attitude that Martin Luther King had to step over and step across to get the job done," he said.

Despite expressions of support, council members voted only for a resolution that promised to build awareness and dialogue about "the root causes of violence and killing."

That period of dialogue is scheduled to begin at 6:01 p.m. Friday, the 40th anniversary of King's death, and end at 10:01 a.m. Sunday.

My favorite line is

After a 45-minute debate, the council reworked its resolution, saying the city's opposition to homicides should last more than a single weekend.

"A moratorium on violence and killing is something we should support 365 days a year and every minute we live," said Councilman Richard Alarcon.

I personally don't support that statement, and I'm sure many other Southern Californians will agree with me. It's super awesome to turn on the news at lunch and have the first five stories be about dead people.

Awesome.

Captain Obvious - I dedicate this post to you.