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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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
