Press gun control case

By KATE BLAIN- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

As an advocate of gun control, Barbara DiTommaso of the Albany diocesan Peace and Justice Commission joined New Yorkers Against Gun Violence for "Sensible Gun Legislation Day" May 12 and was shocked by some of the statistics she heard:

* In the past decade, 10,000 children have been lost to guns in the U.S.;

* Every day, 13 children are shot to death in this country;

* In New York State, there is no minimum age for a pistol permit.

Suffering

While the Peace and Justice Commission itself is not involved in gun-control lobbying, Ms. DiTommaso is a member of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence because she believes that even if a shooting death is accidental, "it breeds more suffering."

She cited as a case in point the death of 14-year-old Mike Steber of Liverpool, N.Y., whose friend was showing off his father's loaded pistol when the gun went off, killing Steve. At the lobby day, Ms. DiTommaso said Steve's family recounted how, not long after their son's death, another friend of his committed suicide by shooting himself through the heart.

"I don't know how you can listen to that and not be affected by it -- the grief of people that never goes away," Ms. DiTommaso said.

She was also inspired by speakers like former New York City police officer Steven McDonald, paralyzed when shot in the line of duty, whose son prayed in school for the person that shot his father.

Legislation sought

The legislation day was primarily intended to push a "Child Access Prevention (CAP)/safe gun storage law" bill that would require gun dealers to advertise safe storage requirements and sell locking devices with every firearm purchased, as well as imposing penalties on gun owners who fail to store firearms and ammunition safely away from children.

New Yorkers Against Gun Violence would also like to see background checks on those who buy guns at gun shows and flea markets, tracing of any weapon found in the possession of someone under 21, improved handgun safety, and a ban on assault weapons and "Saturday night specials."

Ms. DiTommaso was pleased at the opportunity the group had to speak with staff members for Senators Joseph Bruno (R-Brunswick) and Dale Volker (R-Erie).

Both senators' staffers debated with the group about gun control, said Ms. DiTommaso, but she remained firm in her views. In response to a staffer who argued that even locked boxes can be broken open if a child wants to get to a gun, she noted, "Nothing works 100 percent of the time. Is that an excuse for leaving this highly dangerous thing lying around?"

Issue for Catholics

The Peace and Justice Commission head believes Catholics should become involved in gun control lobbying.

"When you put somebody's life in danger, then that becomes a life issue," she stated. "Guns are meant for one thing only. Unless you just use it for target practice, it's to kill, whether you kill by hunting, kill a person or threaten to kill a person."

(Contact New Yorkers Against Gun Violence at 212-674-3710 or www.nyagv.org. Contact the diocesan Commission on Peace and Justice at 453-6695.)

(05-20-99) [[In-content Ad]]