wfn.org | Urges House to Pass Gun Ban

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3156 notes).

Note 3153 by UMNS on Sept. 9, 1996 at 16:14 Eastern (6971 characters).

SEARCH:Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news
agency of the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville,
Tenn., New York, and Washington.

 domestic violence, gun ban, firearms, 
CONTACT:  Joretta Purdue                         439(10-71B){3153}
          Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722           Sept. 9, 1996

Staff member joins in urging house to pass 
gun ban to protect domestic violence victims

by Shanta M. Bryant*
 
     WASHINGTON (UMNS) -- Stressing that passage of the Domestic
Violence Offender Firearm Ban is a step toward reducing the threat
of domestic violence, a United Methodist public policy and social
action agency executive and the bill's House and Senate sponsors
urged the House of Representatives to vote swiftly on the
legislation here Sept. 5.
     Hilary O. Shelton, a program director of the denomination's
Board of Church and Society, said that the proposed legislation
will not end domestic abuse against women and children and is not
the only solution, but it will "take firearms from the hands of
those who have proven their propensity toward violence," he said. 
     "It will lower a victim's risk of being killed by her
abuser," he reiterated.  "It will be an immediate step toward
denouncing the crime of domestic abuse."
     Shelton was speaking on behalf of the board and the Coalition
to Stop Gun Violence, of which the board is a member.  Others
participating were the bill's sponsors Sen. Frank Lautenberg
(D-NJ) and Rep. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ), Rep. Patricia Schroeder
(D-CO), and Karen Johnson, vice-president of the National
Organization for Women (NOW).
     The House bill, H.R. 3455, would prohibit people convicted of
any crime involving acts of domestic violence, including offenses
classified as a misdemeanor or felony, from owning a firearm. 
Current federal law prohibits only people convicted of a felony or
under a restraining order from owning a gun.  The Senate version
of the bill, which was incorporated into anti-stalking
legislation, passed unanimously on July 25.
     "Our legislation will make clear that if you are not
responsible enough to keep from doing harm to your spouse or
children, then society does not deem you responsible enough to own
a gun," said Torricelli, a United Methodist layman.
     The nation's "poorly conceived" law system, Shelton charged,
has resulted in many people guilty of domestic violence being
convicted of a "mere misdemeanor."  He added that only 20 percent
of domestic abuse cases qualify as felony aggravated assault under
state laws.
     "This isn't a matter of gun rights or states' rights," said
Sen. Lautenberg.  "It's a matter of victim's rights."
     According to the Violence Policy Center, owning a gun in the
home makes it three times more likely that a member of the family
will be murdered by another family member or intimate partner.  In
addition, statistics have revealed that about 150,000 of domestic
violence offenses involve firearms.
     "Despite the myths about gun violence, most incidents of
violence occur in the home and not on the street," said Shelton. 
"Women are more likely to be killed by gun wielding spouses than
they are to be shot down by gang members or drug dealers."  
                              #  #  #

     * Bryant is associate editor of Christian Social Action and
program director of communications for the United Methodist
Church's Board of Church and Society.   

SEARCH:Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news
agency of the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville,
Tenn., New York, and Washington.

 domestic violence, gun ban, firearms, 
CONTACT:  Joretta Purdue                         439(10-71B){3153}
          Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722           Sept. 9, 1996

Staff member joins in urging house to pass 
gun ban to protect domestic violence victims

by Shanta M. Bryant*
 
     WASHINGTON (UMNS) -- Stressing that passage of the Domestic
Violence Offender Firearm Ban is a step toward reducing the threat
of domestic violence, a United Methodist public policy and social
action agency executive and the bill's House and Senate sponsors
urged the House of Representatives to vote swiftly on the
legislation here Sept. 5.
     Hilary O. Shelton, a program director of the denomination's
Board of Church and Society, said that the proposed legislation
will not end domestic abuse against women and children and is not
the only solution, but it will "take firearms from the hands of
those who have proven their propensity toward violence," he said. 
     "It will lower a victim's risk of being killed by her
abuser," he reiterated.  "It will be an immediate step toward
denouncing the crime of domestic abuse."
     Shelton was speaking on behalf of the board and the Coalition
to Stop Gun Violence, of which the board is a member.  Others
participating were the bill's sponsors Sen. Frank Lautenberg
(D-NJ) and Rep. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ), Rep. Patricia Schroeder
(D-CO), and Karen Johnson, vice-president of the National
Organization for Women (NOW).
     The House bill, H.R. 3455, would prohibit people convicted of
any crime involving acts of domestic violence, including offenses
classified as a misdemeanor or felony, from owning a firearm. 
Current federal law prohibits only people convicted of a felony or
under a restraining order from owning a gun.  The Senate version
of the bill, which was incorporated into anti-stalking
legislation, passed unanimously on July 25.
     "Our legislation will make clear that if you are not
responsible enough to keep from doing harm to your spouse or
children, then society does not deem you responsible enough to own
a gun," said Torricelli, a United Methodist layman.
     The nation's "poorly conceived" law system, Shelton charged,
has resulted in many people guilty of domestic violence being
convicted of a "mere misdemeanor."  He added that only 20 percent
of domestic abuse cases qualify as felony aggravated assault under
state laws.
     "This isn't a matter of gun rights or states' rights," said
Sen. Lautenberg.  "It's a matter of victim's rights."
     According to the Violence Policy Center, owning a gun in the
home makes it three times more likely that a member of the family
will be murdered by another family member or intimate partner.  In
addition, statistics have revealed that about 150,000 of domestic
violence offenses involve firearms.
     "Despite the myths about gun violence, most incidents of
violence occur in the home and not on the street," said Shelton. 
"Women are more likely to be killed by gun wielding spouses than
they are to be shot down by gang members or drug dealers."  
                              #  #  #

     * Bryant is associate editor of Christian Social Action and
program director of communications for the United Methodist
Church's Board of Church and Society.   

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