Like the National Council of Churches, I maintain that: "Present-day violence is made far worse than it otherwise would be by the prevalence of weapons on our streets."  We need sensible gun control measures in our nation to protect the American people from gun violence, a public health crisis.  The NRA and their politicans in Congress want to expand the "rights" of gun owners so that they can carry weapons into churches and school yards across the nation.  Today The New York Times reports on the violence that has been caused by their victories at the state and local level.  People of faith and mayors are fighting back against the NRA.  As we approach the one year anniversary of the Tucson shootings it is time to double our efforts to stop gun violence in the United States.