No one should be surprised but Oregon Democrat Kurt Schrader is backing the NRA and saying there is no need for additional laws to reduce gun violence. The congressman needs to hear from people of faith (and all Oregonians) who believe otherwise. You can call Rep. Schrader at (202) 225-5711 or visit http://schraderforms.house.gov/contact/ to send a polite e-mail.
Rep. Schrader is an NRA-backed Democrat. Blinded by their support and influence he fails to see the crisis we face in America today – a crisis where over 100,000 are injured by gun violence each year and over 30,000 die.
People of faith are calling on the president and Congress to act. Rep. Schrader needs to put the people of Oregon and the United States before the special interests of the NRA.
Rep. Schrader's bio lists him as an Episcopalian. It is worth noting that the Episcopal Church USA is asking members to take a "Pledge to Break the Cycle of Violence" which reads:
As an Episcopalian committed in baptism to seeking justice and peace and promoting the dignity of every human being, I commit to being part of the solution to the violence in our culture that claimed the lives of 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School and that claims the lives of 2000 innocent children through gun crimes each year. I commit to the pursuit of laws that keep guns out of the hands of criminals, prioritize the needs of at-risk children, provide care for mental illness, and address the many ways in which our culture both celebrates and trivializes violence. I commit to holding my lawmakers, my community, and my own household accountable. I commit to accomplishing these things in 2013. I commit to being the change we need.
Right now Rep. Schrader's views fall far short of this pledge. Let's encourage him to take the pledge and to support meaningful action to prevent gun violence in our nation.
Photo credit: House.gov
