From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


Lutherans Oppose Changes to Gun Ban


From Brenda Williams <BRENDAW@elca.org>
Date 01 Apr 1998 11:58:08

Reply-To: ElcaNews <ELCANEWS@ELCASCO.ELCA.ORG>

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 2, 1998

LUTHERANS OPPOSE CHANGES TO GUN BAN
98-12-072-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "We oppose any weakening of the Domestic Violence
Offender Gun Ban.  Such action could place many innocent lives in danger,"
the Rev. Russell O. Siler, director of the Lutheran Office for Governmental
Affairs (LOGA) in Washington, D.C., wrote March 17 to members of the U.S.
House of Representatives.  LOGA is the federal public policy advocacy
office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
     The Domestic Offender Gun Ban "is designed to keep guns out of the
hands of wife beaters and child abusers by making it illegal for anyone
convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or child abuse to
possess a gun," Siler wrote.  A bill in the House would make that law apply
"only to those abusers convicted after the date of the law's passage:
September 30, 1996."
     Siler noted a Bureau of Justice Statistics report that more than 500
convicted wife beaters and child abusers were denied handguns between
October and December 1996.  The proposed change may make many of those
purchases possible.
     "The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is committed to working
with and on behalf of those who suffer.  We believe that all persons have
the right to protection against abuse," Siler wrote.  "Violent crime and
those who perpetuate it must be stopped.  The challenge is to restrain
violence in ways that effectively limit it.  The Domestic Offender Gun Ban
works for the abused women and children it was designed to protect."

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


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