US bishops' conference urges support for new federal gun-control policies
February 04, 2013
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has sent out an “Action Alert” urging Catholics to contact their representatives in Congress and urge passage of gun-control legislation.
The alert, sent out by the USCCB office of Justice, Peace, and Human Development, calls for support of federal policies that would:
- Require universal background checks for all gun purchases;
- Limit civilian access to high-capacity weapons and ammunition magazines;
- Make gun trafficking a federal crime; and
- Improve access to mental health care for those who may be prone to violence.
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Posted by: Thomas429 -
Feb. 06, 2013 3:29 PM ET USA
Disipline your flocks about homosexuality, abortion, and other sins. Ownership of pof weapons regardless of type is not a sin. It is no more of a sin than being bornwith a penis. It all depends on where, why and when it is used. It would seem that the church ought to be concerned about maintenance of our second amendment rights it is those which may preserve our others such as freedom to practice the relkigion of our choice.
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Posted by: sarsok8679 -
Feb. 04, 2013 10:20 PM ET USA
They got an opinion about everything, except how to impart the Faith to our children. Why can't they just shut up. and leave the 2nd amendment alone.
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Posted by: FredC -
Feb. 04, 2013 8:54 PM ET USA
If the government wants to apply such rules on items used to commit crimes, why doesn't the government want to apply similar rules against pornography, which probably has a higher correlation with crime than does gun ownership?
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Posted by: -
Feb. 04, 2013 8:28 PM ET USA
I agree completely with Frodo1945! I would add that the USCCB continues to overstep their bounds, as they have here. Instead of playing politics with the Second Amendment, which is not to be trifled with, they should spend their valuable time and energy fixing the problems in the Church in America, of which there are plenty.
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Posted by: TheJournalist64 -
Feb. 04, 2013 8:06 PM ET USA
Background checks I can understand, but the rest is just a way to take guns from defensive-minded citizens and put them in the hands of criminals, or a screen to hide people who are not taking proper care of the mentally ill now, under existing laws. Oh, and wasn't Fast & Furious, a gun trafficking scheme that caused the death of dozens, a federal program?
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Posted by: [email protected] -
Feb. 04, 2013 6:54 PM ET USA
This is but another example of the wrong direction and total lack of understanding of the principles of our Constitution and the first 10 Amendments. For example, gun trafficking is a federal crime except when the feds do it(Fast and Furious). All they propose will impact law providing citizens only. Only mental health one will help not solve violence. Perhaps they should worry more on the convicted homosexual priest restored in the Newark diocese hierarchy.
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Posted by: Frodo1945 -
Feb. 04, 2013 3:19 PM ET USA
I will contact my representative and tell him to read and uphold the 2nd amendment and to not infringe upon the rights of citizens to bear arms. If the USCCB reps are citizens, they too should respect the 2nd amendment in their proclamations.
