wfn.org | ELCA Wants Safety Locks on Guns

[ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE - NEWSBRIEF

April 21, 1997

ELCA WANTS SAFETY LOCKS ON GUNS

"All persons are entitled to the protection of life and physical
well-being," Kay A. Bengston wrote April 11 to members of the
Crime Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives.  That
committee is looking at the Juvenile Crime Control Act of 1997.
"To our disappointment, this bill does not contain any child
safety lock provision at this time," said Bengston, an associated
director for advocacy with the Lutheran Office for Governmental
Affairs, Washington, D.C.  LOGA is the federal public policy
advocacy office of the 5.2-million-member Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America.  "There are a variety of child safety locks
available, including inexpensive devices known as trigger locks
which can prevent a child from gaining access to a firearm,"
Bengston wrote.  She cited ELCA Presiding Bishop H. George
Anderson for his emphasis of "helping our children by assuring
that they have a future free of violence."  Bengston urged the
subcommittee to include a child safety lock provision in the
bill.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html