DID YOU KNOW?
- Americans kill each other with guns 25 times the rate of other high income countries.
- 1 in 5 guns are sold with no questions asked
- Every day 8 children and teens are shot unintentionally by family fire.
- Every 16 hours a woman is shot dead by her current or former partner.
- Gun violence is estimated to cost the American Economy at least $229 billion every year.
The research that is coming out about surging gun sales and violence is startling because it confirms what we already knew: it’s way too easy to buy a gun in America.
There are 393 million firearms in civilian hands — and that number has only been growing over the past few months. These are the weapons used in suicides, accidental shootings, domestic violence incidents, and homicides that are on the rise during the pandemic.
Therefore, the Office of Public Witness reiterates the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s previous call for common sense gun violence regulations. We call for legislation that will:
- Ban all assault weapons and high capacity magazines. These are weapons of war and have no place in the hands of common citizens.
- Require universal background checks when purchasing any firearm.
- Make gun trafficking a federal crime.
- Repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which protects firearms manufacturers and dealers from litigation by victims of their products. We stand with Sandy Hook parents and the many other victims of mass shootings who wish to hold the gun industry accountable.
Call to Action: WHAT IS YOUR CHURCH DOING ABOUT THE SURGING SALE OF GUNS?
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO OFFER THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS, CONTACT: Betty Forsberg b4sberg@gmail.com
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