US bishops call for universal background checks, assault weapons ban

[UrbScotty]

From a USCCB press release:

The chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development urged the U.S. Senate to promote policies that "reduce gun violence and save people's lives in homes and communities throughout our nation."

In an April 8 letter, Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, California, addressed provisions in S. 649, the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013,including the expansion of background checks for all gun purchases and strengthening of gun trafficking provisions, which the bishops deem "a positive step in the right direction." He also urged Senators to support an assault weapons ban and limits on access to high-capacity ammunition magazines as they consider amendments to the bill.

Bishop Blaire cited the U.S. bishops' 2000 pastoral statement on criminal justice, which voiced support for "measures that control the sale and use of firearms and make them safer." The bishops especially supported efforts to keep guns out of the hands of children or anyone other than the owner.

Bishop Blaire asked the Senate not to expand minimum mandatory sentences as punishment for gun violations, calling it a cause of rising incarceration rates. "One-size-fits-all policies are counterproductive, inadequate and replace judges' assessments with rigid formulations. Punishment for its own sake is never justified," he said.

http://www.usccb.org/about/domestic-social-development/upload/2013-April-8-Letter-to-Senate-on-Gun-Violence-from-Bishop-Blaire.pdf

[otherone]

1. rock on

[goldent]

2. I can dig it!

[meow2u3]

3. BTW, the USCCB is on the NRA's "enemies list"

In other words, the church is opposed to the wholesale slaughter of innocent human life at the hands of criminals, terrorists, and nutjobs packing heat, all because keeping guns out of their hands cuts into their profit margins.

The "NRA Catholics" are the same ones who want to excommunicate Democrats and others who support abortion and gay rights, but have no qualms about seeing innocent human life being mowed down by gunfire. They have no right to judge and condemn lefties as cafeteria Catholics.

[hrmjustin]

4. I am glad to see that.

Maybe they should make many of their RC congresspeople feel uncomfortable if they don't support gun control. It is about time they make conservatives feel uncomfortable.

[CBHagman]

5. It makes me wonder...

...how, when members of the clergy, educators, law enforcement, and mayors want to take steps to reduce gun violence, there hasn't been a sea change yet. A lot of it, of course, is down to the almighty dollar and the power of lobbying, as well as the media's decision of the past decade to more or less declare the gun violence issue dead.

But here, as with health care, I think the demographics are going to make a gradual difference.

[mykpart]

7. Who are the Catholic Senators who voted against

background checks? Will they be refused Communion?