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SENT BY FAX AND E-MAIL April 4, 2000
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Million Mom March --- Sunday, May 14, 2000 Attached for your information are materials regarding the Million Mom March, a major rally in support of gun safety legislation that will take place in Washington, D.C. on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14, 2000. Jewish agencies that have endorsed the March include the JCPA, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, American Jewish Congress, Hadassah, National Council of Jewish Women, B’nai B’rith, and the Jewish Community Center Association. The recent tragic shooting of a 6-year old girl by one of her classmates in a Michigan school has once again cast a spotlight on the need for enactment of stronger gun control and safety measures on both the federal and state levels. President Clinton and the National Rifle Association have been locked in an often-bitter public battle on this issue over the last several weeks. A strong showing at the Million Mom March in May will demonstrate to Congress the national will for passage of stronger gun safety laws. A coalition of faith groups is working to coordinate programs on the morning of May 14th, immediately prior to the March, as well. Further details on interfaith and Jewish activities planned for the day of the March will be forwarded to you as it becomes available. Additional general information on the Million Mom March can be found at www.millionmommarch.com.
JCPA Member Agency Activities Attached are summary notes from a special meeting on gun control that was held at the JCPA Plenum last month. The featured speaker was Matt Dorf, Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs for the American Jewish Congress. As you are likely aware, AJCongress is spearheading a national petition drive in support of stronger gun control laws, entitled "Stop the Guns: Protect Our Kids." For more information on this campaign, please consult AJCongress’ website at www.ajcongress.org. In addition to AJCongress, many of our other national and member agencies are working on this issue. The National Council of Jewish Women www.ncjw.org and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) www.rj.org/rac have helpful gun control programming information on their websites. Legislative Activity Recent months have witnessed increased advocacy in Washington on the issue of gun violence reduction. The JCPA is currently participating in several coalitions devoted to this objective. A wide ranging strategy, including legislation, litigation, and grass-roots activism, is being employed. One initiative was an interfaith call to end gun violence that was orchestrated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, with help from the RAC. This document was signed by more than 100 religious organizations and leaders, including the JCPA. As many JCPA Plenum delegates learned when they brought this issue to Capitol Hill, there has been very little movement on the legislative front. Over 125 bills relating to gun control linger in Congress, with more on the way. Senator Feinstein (CA), for one, is preparing to introduce new legislation on gun licensing and registration in early April. However, even with considerable debate and continued public outcry, we expect little movement and much posturing in preparation for the November election. One exception might be found in the budget process. President Clinton has introduced an initiative to provide $280 million in the FY 2001 budget to: (1) target illegal gun traffickers; (2) fund new federal, state and local gun prosecutors; (3) create a ballistics testing system and expand crime gun tracing; (4) fund local media campaigns to discourage gun violence; and, (5) expand development of "smart gun" technologies. Congressional appropriators will be forced to debate the issue later in the year. The modest gun control initiatives passed last year in the Senate as part of the Juvenile Justice bill still linger in the Conference Committee, which is charged with reconciling the House and Senate versions of the legislation. The bill would: require trigger locks to be sold with handguns; ban the importation of high-capacity magazines; and, close the "gun show loophole," subjecting those who purchase guns at gun shows to background checks. You may recall that this legislation also contained many significant non-gun related flaws, including charitable choice and "Ten Commandments" clauses and provisions that could prove harmful to efforts to rehabilitate juvenile offenders. The House held two votes on the gun control provisions this fall, one which provided three days to implement the background check, the other allowing for 24 hours to complete the check. Neither was able to garner enough votes to pass, and it remains unclear whether passage is possible this year. We must keep pressing our legislators to: (1) support final enactment of these modest measures; (2) appropriate funding for the enforcement of existing laws and regulations; and, (3) consider supporting new initiatives that would require the licensing of gun owners and the registration of handguns. There has been intensified activity on gun control at the state level as well. For example, last night the Maryland state legislature passed a bill requiring that all new handguns be sold with built-in locks that open with a key or combination. Massachusetts is set to begin carrying out regulations issued under its consumer protection laws that would, among other things, ban the sale of Saturday night specials and require trigger locks and other safety devises for all guns sold in the state. In New York, Governor George Pataki has also called publicly for a series of gun control measures to be enacted. Litigation
A full list of federal, local and state initiatives can be found
at www.handguncontrol.org
(Handgun Control, Inc.) or www.gunfree.org
(The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.) We would appreciate it if you would complete the attached response form regarding gun control activities underway in your communities, particularly participation in AJCongress’ petition drive and the Million Mom March. Responses may be returned via e-mail or fax to Jonah Goldman (202/293-2154, jonah@thejcpa.org). As always, please feel free to contact either Reva Price or Guila Franklin Siegel should you have any questions or require additional information. JCPA SURVEY ON MEMBER AGENCY PARTICIPATION IN GRASS-ROOTS GUN CONTROL INITIATIVES
Community/Agency __________________________________________________ Contact ______________________________________________ Phone _________________________________ E-mail _________________________________
Our agency is participating in the following activities:
1. _________ AJCongress petition drive 2. _________ Million Mom March Please specify nature of participation (i.e. community publicity, renting buses for CRC/federation supporters, etc.) _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 3. _________ Other (please specify below).
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Million Mom March Fact Sheet The Goal The Million Mom March is a grassroots movement of mothers and others who want Congress to pass sensible gun legislation. Many of the mothers and others are those who lost loved ones because of the easy access of guns in our country. The March mission statement calls for licensing and registration of all handguns. Place, Date and Time The March will take place on Mother's Day (Sunday, May 14, 2000) at the National Mall between the US Capitol and the Washington Monument. An interfaith service will take place at 10:00 a.m. The rally will begin at noon and will finish by 3:00 p.m. Logistics Buses are being organized from major cities. Those traveling from the DC metropolitan area on the Metro should exit at the Smithsonian, Federal Center SW or Capitol South on the Blue or Orange lines. Those on the Red line can exit at Union Station. Special Needs A Deaf Moms group will be organizing sign language for the hearing impaired. Wheelchair accessible bathrooms will be provided. Family Needs Strollers, blankets, folding chairs and picnics are all allowed on the National Mall. Bathrooms, water and food venders are all available. Additional Marches and Events Marches are scheduled in: Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA; Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Los Angeles, CA; San Antonio, TX; Tucson, AZ, Baton Rouge, LA; Tulsa, OK; Austin, TX; Little Rock; AK, Salt Lake City, UT; Denver, CO. Million Mom March Leadership Handgun Control, Inc., The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, The Bell Campaign, PAX, The Movement to End Gun Violence Supporting Organizations (Partial List) The National PTA, The Children's Defense Fund, The National Education Association, NAACP, The US Conference of Mayors, The American Jewish Congress, The League of Women Voters, Church Women United, Physicians for Social Responsibility, National Association of Mother's Centers, Center for the Prevention of School Violence, Presbyterian Church, USA, American Medical Women's Association, Jewish Community Center Association, National Council of Catholic Women, Mothers Against Violence in America, Union of Orthodox Congregations of America
For organizational questions: 202/ 530-0340 ext. 18 Fax: 202/ 783-8477 Million Mom March P.O. Box 762 Washington, DC 20044-0762 1/ 888-989 MOMS www.millionmommarch.com Million Mom March Goals Every day, a dozen children die from gun-shot wounds. On Mother's Day -- May 14, 2000 -- mothers and others who have lost kids, husbands, siblings and friends because of the easy access of guns in this country will join together in Washington, DC. Also joining the March are Moms who have never lost anyone to a gun... and want to keep it that way. We want Congress to create a meaningful gun policy that treats guns like cars. It is only common sense that gun owners be trained in gun safety and be licensed. It's only common sense that a deadly weapon be registered so that its owner thinks twice before giving or selling it to someone else who may want to cause harm. Licensing and registration -- it's only common sense. What is licensing, and how does it work? Too many people who should not have access to guns can buy them legally. Many others who cannot legally buy guns can get them easily through illegal channels. Licensing would help address both of these flaws in the current system. Under a responsible licensing scheme, an applicant for a license must be fingerprinted and pass a thorough, extensive background check. Authorities must have enough time to ensure that the check is complete.
In addition to the background check, the applicant must demonstrate an understanding of how to handle a gun safely and legally. Like a driver's test, this would include both a written test and a hands-on demonstration of safe handling and proficiency. What is registration and how does it work?
Registration creates accountability for gun owners, to protect against illegal sales and to promote responsible use and storage. Studies show that guns used in crimes tend to be relatively new guns that were legally sold within a few years of the crime. Because most of the guns in circulation are much older, this suggests that guns used in crimes tend to get to criminals through subsequent illegal sales rather than through theft. That means that some people who buy new guns resell them illegally. Without registration, we have no reliable way to spot illegal sales or to identify the sellers.
A responsible registration system would require gun owners to claim responsibility for each specific gun they buy or own. Every year, the gun owner would be required either to renew the registration for each gun or to explain why s/he should no longer be responsible for its whereabouts.
Million Mom March P.O. Box 762 = Washington, DC 20044-0762 1/888-989-MOMS = www.millionmommarch.com
SPECIAL JCPA PLENUM MEETING ON GUN CONTROL Monday, February 28, 2000 Baltimore, Maryland Chair: Monroe Mayer, National Commander, Jewish War Veterans Summary Notes On Monday February 28, 2000 the JCPA convened a special Plenum meeting on gun control. The featured speaker was Matt Dorf, Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs for the American Jewish Congress. Dorf began his presentation with an anecdote demonstrating the vast power of the National Rifle Association (NRA). Last year, while a gun control bill was pending in the House of Representatives, a gun control organization set up a toll free number to connect callers to their members of Congress to urge them to support the legislation. In response, the NRA posted fliers in gun clubs across the country urging gun control opponents to flood the toll-free line with calls, in order to deal a heavy financial blow to the sponsoring organization and tie up the telephone lines. This strategy proved to be very successful. Due to its immense grass-roots strength, the NRA succeeded in ensuring that the next time a gun control vote occurred in Congress, the gun control organization in question did not sponsor a toll-free number again. Dorf exhorted Plenum delegates to urge their CRCs, synagogues, JCCs, and day schools to serve as the Jewish community’s equivalent of the NRA’s gun clubs. The need for an improved grass-roots network in support of gun control was one of the main motivations behind AJCongress’ creation of its petition drive, called Stop the Guns: Protect Our Kids. Gun control advocates are working on two fronts to promote their agenda, legislation and litigation, Dorf explained. Lawsuits against gun manufacturers, spearheaded by the NAACP, municipalities, and many of the lawyers that brought suits against tobacco companies, are intended to "pinch gun makers where it hurts." Among other things, such lawsuits might compel gun manufacturers to manufacture more responsible guns. Dorf pointed out that it is absurd that while there are strict regulations regarding the manufacture of toys such as teddy bears, there are no similar consumer protection laws pertaining to the manufacture of guns. However, despite the efforts of gun control advocates, Dorf said there is a lack of political will on Capitol Hill to pass gun control legislation. The NRA has long claimed that America does not need new gun control legislation, but rather should enforce current laws. President Clinton did successfully call the NRA’s bluff, however, by calling for increased funding for the enforcement of current gun control laws. Grassroots efforts are a vital counterweight to the NRA’s historic ability to impede federal gun control legislation. It is therefore crucial for people to express their views on this subject to their members of Congress. Participation in the Million Mom March, on May 14th in Washington, D.C., is one way to demonstrate the strength of national support for gun control legislation. The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism has convened a faith-based coalition in conjunction with the March. Dorf concluded by predicting that there would soon be another highly visible shooting that would focus even more attention on this issue (in fact, one occurred the next day in Flint, Michigan, resulting in the death of a six-year old girl in her own school classroom). He said, "the Jewish community must be able to say we did everything to prevent it. We must ensure that Congress does not fail to act again." Reva Price, JCPA Washington Representative, pointed out that rarely does Congress pass sweeping legislation. Rather such change is often incremental. She said that the bid for extensive gun control legislation is a "long-haul fight," so the Jewish community must accept even small steps as an important advancement towards achieving its ultimate goal. During the discussion period the following points were made;
Resolution Calling For The Passage Of Meaningful Gun Safety Legislation Adopted by the JCPA Plenum 2000 Monday, February 28, 2000 Baltimore, MD The easy access of firearms and its accompanying violence has taken a terrible toll on America, particularly on its youth. The proliferation of firearms, both legal and illegal, and illegal gun use is staggering. Thus, there has been an explosion of gun violence in our country, which each year kills or wounds more than one hundred thousand innocent children and adults. No community, no segment of society is safe from gun violence. Last year in Chicago, a white supremacist indiscriminately fired on individuals walking down the street and families returning home from synagogue. In Littleton, Colorado, two high school students gunned down twelve fellow classmates and one teacher before killing themselves. And in the Los Angeles area, a lone gunman opened fire on children at the Jewish Community Center, and later shot and killed a Filipino American postal worker. Almost fifty people every single day intentionally kill themselves with firearms; since the 1950's, suicide has increased by three times among young people. Countless others are killed or maimed by accidental or negligent firearm use. The American people are deeply troubled by these firearm tragedies, and our public officials need to respond. Individuals of all faiths and beliefs must join together to stop the gun violence, and the Jewish community must take the lead. The JCPA and its member agencies support local, state, and federal legislation that does the following:
We believe that current laws must be enforced and that new common-sense legislation is needed to stem the rising tide of gun violence throughout the United States. The JCPA and its member agencies call on all legislators to make this country safer by stemming the tide of violence that puts us all at risk. |
