Approved by the Governing Board,
representing the following church body members of the Pennsylvania Council
of Churches:
Introduction
The Principles for Legislative Advocacy: 2003-2004 of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches contain both the underlying principles for the Council’s legislative advocacy ministry and the policy positions that can be derived from the principles. This biennium, for the first time, the Principles also contains printed reference to the denominational positions of the forty-two member church bodies of the Council. A writing team comprised of the following persons wrote the first draft of the Principles: The
Rev. Donrico Colden, Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention Ms.
Kathleen Daugherty, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania The
Rev. Richard Guhl, Penn Northeast Conference, United Church of Christ The
Rev. Eric Snyder, Diocese of Bethlehem, Episcopal Church The
Rev. Gary L. Harke, executive director, Pennsylvania Council of Churches The Rev. K. Joy Kaufmann, former director of public advocacy, Pennsylvania Council of Churches Several drafts of the document were read by the members of the Council’s Public Advocacy Action Team and the Steering Committee prior to two readings by and final approval by the Council’s Governing Board. Purpose
It is the aim of the Governing Board and all who took part in crafting the Principles that it serve at least three purposes: §
To
reflect the policy positions of the member bodies of the Council, where
those bodies are in agreements, and thus witness
to those bodies unity in Christ; §
To
serve those member church bodies by providing a compilation of the policy
positions and principles they hold in common, and §
To
provide policy-makers with a compilation of the positions held by the
Council. Suggestions
for use
For the forty-two member bodies of the Council, here are some suggestions for use: §
Use
this resource as the basis for adult classes. §
Place
the document in the church or judicatory library for reference. §
Use
the document at annual conferences as part of a workshop on ecumenical
activity. §
Prepare
groups of citizen advocates for legislative visits through study and
analysis of particular topics. § Review particular policy positions related to legislation and analyze the implications for action within the member church bodies. Principles
for Legislative Advocacy
The Principles for Legislative Advocacy: 2003–2004 state the principles that the 42 member church bodies comprising the Pennsylvania Council of Churches want to see governing legislators’ decisions. The principles are organized around the Biblical concepts of justice and shalom (wholeness, health, loving kindness and peace.) The second part of this document gives specific policy positions held by the Council, positions derived from our deeply held principles. Together, the principles and policy positions constitute the total current policy statements of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches. Part three lists the church body and communion documents cited in the footnotes. Preamble
“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, New Revised Standard Version (nrsv)) The Pennsylvania Council of Churches envisions a Commonwealth characterized by a profound sense of justice in human relationships and social structures at all levels of society. Such justice is rooted in God’s commandments to ancient Israel, in Jesus’ teachings, and in the witness and life of the church throughout its history. Just as Scripture bears witness to a vision of justice on earth, so too Scripture shows us God’s loving kindness toward all Creation. This loving kindness leads to a vision of health and wholeness, of shalom, in relationships and systems.[1] There are five particular areas of justice we believe crucial to the achievement of a just Commonwealth: economic justice, social justice, civil justice, environmental justice, and criminal justice. There are three areas of shalom we believe will make this Commonwealth better reflect the loving kindness God intends for creation: health, wholeness, and peace. Shalom:
Health
Our understanding of health comes from our belief that Christ is the great physician, for he “came that we might have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, NRSV) A Commonwealth that fosters healthy persons and communities exhibits high regard for those who are physically and mentally ill as well as those who are physically and mentally well. A healthy society does not promote activities that lead to addictions. In a healthy society, those who require health care have access to it and are not forced to choose between health care and other necessary goods and services, such as food, shelter, and transportation.[2]
Shalom:
Wholeness
Wholeness is achieved when persons know themselves to be worthy of respect simply because they are, each one made in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26a, 27, nrsv) We experience wholeness in society when: § every child is nurtured and educated because each child is recognized as precious, § the value of human beings is not based upon their monetary worth or power of position, upon their abilities or disabilities, upon their demographic characteristics or culture or language, but rather upon their being part of the human family, § its most vulnerable citizens—the young, the old, the poor, the mentally or physically fragile— § are not penalized or made to suffer, but rather have access to all that helps create a decent life: adequate housing, food, and nurture.[3] Shalom:
Peacemaking
Peace and reconciliation between persons and within the systems of society are both matters of faith and the result of human beings’ partnership with God in God’s work throughout the world. Scripture gives a vision of a world at peace in numerous places, among them “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4b etc., nrsv) Brokenness and sinfulness are not the final words for humankind. God is constantly at work healing the brokenness that exists in individual lives, in families, communities, congregations, political processes and systems and in the environment around us. Peacemaking is the human response to the divine gift of peace, wholeness and reconciliation.[4] There will never be peace on earth as long as there is injustice. Biblical witness affirms over and over that those who are committed to peace need to work for justice for all of God’s people. Peace and justice are integral to faithfulness.[5] Economic
Justice
Economic justice is rooted in our awareness of abundance—abundance visible in creation and testified to by scripture. “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26, nrsv) Beginning with a presupposition of abundance frees us to live in generosity, recognizing that there is enough for all. God’s riches are not to be stored up selfishly in barns of our own building, but rather shared generously by all. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-20, nrsv) and “It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God of hosts.” (Isaiah 3:14a-15, nrsv) Since we are freed from the fear that we need to accumulate, we are also freed to affirm “enough” is sufficient for our needs and best for healthy human life and society.[6] The whole of society is strengthened as its members participate in and contribute to the common good.[7] We affirm the need to eliminate poverty for it destroys and degrades human lives.[8] All people should be educated and empowered, to the extent possible, so that they can enjoy the benefits of economic opportunity.[9] It is the Commonwealth’s responsibility to provide a thorough and efficient education to every child. The failure of a society to provide adequate educational opportunities for children and youth and opportunities for gainful employment condemns some people to poverty and weakens the fabric of community life.[10] When people have no hope for a better future, crime increases and society suffers. We need to provide adequate supports for entry into the workforce at a family-sustaining level.[11] Labor is not a commodity, but a means to benefit society and also a means to affirm the dignity and worth of workers.[12] All workers, including those whose work has traditionally been under-valued, deserve a family-sustaining wage.[13] Public and private employees have a right to organize for collective bargaining freely and without intimidation, keeping in mind not only their own interest, but also the common good. Workers have a right to strike, and employers must not permanently replace striking workers.[14] Through taxation, society provides for the common good. Taxation is a shared responsibility of both businesses and individuals.[15] Taxation in general should exclude income sufficient to keep reporting households above poverty guidelines. Poverty guidelines should be set so that households earning income to this level are self-sustaining. Gambling is a poor way to raise state revenues, as it weighs most heavily on the poor, the elderly, and those prone to addictions.[16] Given the importance of healing in the Biblical tradition, we affirm that all persons must have access to adequate and affordable health care.[17] Social
Justice
Social justice is rooted in our awareness that God values all people without regard to any identifying characteristics. The Bible affirms that every person is made in the image of God. The apostle Peter testified, “God shows no partiality….” (Acts 10:34b, nrsv) God values all people in their rich diversity, and therefore we support full civil rights for all persons.[18] Racism is a sin and a rejection of the teachings of Jesus Christ. We commit ourselves as communities of faith to eliminate all forms of institutional racism.[19] This vision is not reality and so we affirm the need to continue the legal struggle against discrimination and prejudice, personal or systemic. Legislation should take into account the historic suffering certain classes or groups of people have endured under the oppression of racism, sexism, ageism, and other dehumanizing manifestations of sin. Furthermore, legislation should consider the disparate impact seemingly neutral laws may have on such groups and classes and be modified accordingly. Programs of education, credit, housing, employment and income, health and banking should address historic injustices and wrongs.[20] We know that people may disagree about the meaning of given events, as different persons and groups have different experiences in our society. Because we believe it is possible for reasonable people to disagree about the meaning of events, laws that would directly influence an affected group’s life need to take into consideration the opinions of that affected group (e.g., cases of harassment, job discrimination or housing discrimination, and racial profiling). To the extent possible, the law must take into consideration pluralism of perspective.[21] The assets and earnings acquired during marriage should be counted as owned by the marital unit. Civil
Justice
Scripture describes a good society as one in which those who act with sovereignty provide justice for all. “Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son. May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.” (Psalm 72:1-2, nrsv) In a democracy, representatives of the people act with sovereignty, and need to provide justice. A just Commonwealth protects the rights of individuals and groups, and imposes corresponding responsibilities on the whole community that support and sustain the common good.[22] A just society offers full civil rights for all persons and holds accountable those who infringe upon the civil rights of others. Society and the law should enhance human lives, promoting the dignity and worth of each human being. At the same time, a just society calls all persons to contribute to the common good by achieving their full potential. We support Supreme Court decisions affirming the separation of church and state; such decisions assure both the free exercise of religion and the appropriate role of government. In a just and religiously diverse society, each person has the right to practice his or her religion according to individual conscience.[23] Environmental
Justice
“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it….” (Psalm 24:1, nrsv) We believe creation belongs to God, and that we are called to act as stewards of creation on God’s behalf. Our stewardship makes us stakeholders. We envision a Commonwealth that honors the integrity of God’s good creation and acknowledges our dependence upon and solidarity with creation. Therefore, decisions that would affect creation require careful discussion among stakeholders.[24] We support government decisions related to the land and the environment that eliminate racial, sexual, or economic discrimination, which occur when people have little or no voice in decisions affecting them.[25] Within this context, we hold up the following priorities: § Protection of species and their habitats; § Preservation of clean land, air and water; § Reduction of wastes; § Care of the land; and § Greater responsibility in the use of energy.[26] Each of these priorities centers on the principle of sustainability. Dangerous outcomes result when short-term practices such as human population pressures, excessive consumption, and abuse of the global climate and the ozone layer continue unabated. Sustainability, however, results when the quality of life for future generations is not compromised by current practices and when decisions affecting an immediate locale do not ignore the larger impact on the entire planet and its ecosystems.[27] We support economic growth achieved through implementing sustainable practices and not at the cost of environmental degradation. Because sustainable environmental practices require committed, long-term involvement from everyone, we challenge both government policy-makers and persons within our congregations and church bodies to make personal and political decisions today that honor tomorrow. Criminal
Justice
Criminal justice requires a balance between the rights of victims, the good of society, and the rehabilitation of the perpetrators of crimes. We want a criminal justice system that is just for all involved, a longing expressed in Isaiah 28:5-6 (nrsv), “In that day the Lord of hosts will be… a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment” and Matthew 25:36b (nrsv), “I was in prison, and you visited me.”[28] We recognize that prevention of crime is the best way to keep persons out of the criminal justice system. To that end, we encourage the Commonwealth to provide a good quality education for all children and economic opportunities for all adults.[29]
We envision a Commonwealth whose criminal justice system provides · protection, so all may live in safe and secure communities; · appropriate restoration to those who have been victimized by offenders; and · opportunities for rehabilitation and redemption of those offending the Commonwealth’s laws.[30] Consequently, we believe there is no room for vengeance and retribution in the Commonwealth’s criminal justice system. Because we believe every soul is redeemable, we oppose capital punishment in any form because it denies opportunity for rehabilitation and restoration and is often racist and classist in its application.[31] We urge greater discretion for judges in sentencing and fewer mandatory-sentencing laws, so judges can look at the total picture of each case and person before the court.[32] Sentencing convicted offenders to community service programs should be a regular practice. Incarceration should be limited almost entirely to dangerous and/or repeat offenders who prey upon the community. Rehabilitation and restoration of the offender to her/his community should be the first priority of the corrections system.[33] We urge educational projects aimed at basic literacy skills for all inmates, job or vocational training, expanding work-leave opportunities, and family-leave for qualified prisoners as a means of easing their reentry into society. Since the family is an integral part of any prisoner’s rehabilitation and to facilitate family visitation and support, prisoners should be housed in facilities as close to home as possible. With some offenders, rehabilitation is difficult. These persons need to be housed in humane, secure settings, and prevented from further harming society for as long a time as necessary. It is essential, however, that attempts be made to rehabilitate even the most hardened offender. All inmates must be guaranteed the right of religious expression, including opportunity for communal and sacramental worship under the leadership of ordained or otherwise accredited clergy or religious leaders.[34] Because bail requirements discriminate against the poor and others without access to money, we support releasing without bail those accused of non-felony crimes on their own recognizance and we oppose the use of bail to achieve what is commonly called preventive detention.[35] Part
II:
Policy
Positions
Some of the policy positions that follow appear under two headings, e.g., “Shalom: Wholeness” and “Civil Justice” regarding adequate state funding to assure long-term care for persons who have a mental illness. The Pennsylvania Council of Churches speaks to both our constituents in the 42 church bodies and to our legislators. While the emphasis of our work is in Pennsylvania, the Council would avoid an important responsibility if did not, on occasion, speak to legislators in Washington, D.C. Shalom:
Health
The Council… ·
advocates
availability of family planning services, and supports individual freedom
of decision in the use of family planning. ·
supports
legislation that will make relevant medical and genetic information
available to adopted children. ·
affirms
that government must assure that all people have access to adequate health
care. ·
encourages
the Commonwealth to adequately fund both chaplaincy programs in state
institutions and services, including those meeting persons’ religious
needs, that enable persons to make a transition from an institution into
the wider community. ·
affirms
prenatal care and health care and insurance for the very young. The
Council urges designation of state and federal funds to educate parents
about the availability of the Children’s Health Insurance Program
(CHIP). ·
urges
the strengthening of in-home health care support services. ·
advocates
partnerships between medical providers and faith communities for the
consideration of the moral and ethical implications of bio-medical
advances. ·
advocates
allocation of resources for health care education programs and for an
expansion of human resources in the health care professions. ·
asks
that private and public resources be appropriated for HIV/AIDS prevention,
for care of patients with HIV/AIDS and for research toward a cure for the
disease. ·
encourages
legislation that makes more treatment options available for addicts.
Health insurance is critical for those involved. Because the members of the Council believe alcoholism and drug addiction are treatable illnesses, the Council affirms state control of alcohol, opposes privatization of the system and opposes the expansion of alcohol advertising. The Council encourages the just and efficient enforcement of laws addressing drug abuse and trafficking. Further, the Council urges the use of alternatives to incarceration for drug offenders, where appropriate and possible.
Shalom:
Wholeness
The Council… ·
supports
legislation that enhances the ability of families to flourish, recognizing
that families are variously constituted. Such legislation would include
that which assures adequate nutrition and health care. ·
supports
legislation that mandates cooperation between all agencies working toward
children’s adoption. Further, we support subsidization for adoption
placement of children who otherwise would not be adopted. The Council
urges public policy that encourages promotion and publicity about adoption
as a means of responding to unplanned pregnancy. ·
affirms
that in matters of sexuality, the state rightly seeks to protect the
young, the innocent, the unwilling and the incompetent. We do not believe
the penal code is the proper instrument of control for privately exercised
sexual practices between competent and consenting adults. ·
supports
adequate income and provision of support services for persons with mental
and/or physical challenges, regardless of cause of the disability. The
Council also supports legislation that will provide opportunities for
persons with disabilities to work, play, and serve in all segments of our
community. Further, the Council supports the concept of a living wage for
participants in government programs for the disabled, and adequate funding
for such programs. ·
affirms
the right of persons with limited financial resources to received federal
disability income when adequate documentation and a physician’s
affirmation exist. The Council also supports legislation that will provide
grants for the teaching of skills for persons with disabilities that will
lead to jobs for the persons trained. ·
advocates
for adequate state funding to assure long-term care for the mentally ill. Shalom:
Peacemaking
The Council… ·
supports
legislation that protects families from family violence. When family
members are living with violence, the Council supports the family staying
together only if it is in the best interests of the children and any other
family members that might be vulnerable. · strives to make peace between hostile groups. Economic
Justice
The Council… ·
out
of concern for the poor, rejects discrimination based on economic status. ·
supports
legislation fostering economic compensation and advancement based on
ability rather than gender. ·
because
the ideals of justice and equality inherent in a democratic society
require that education be available to all, supports a free public
education as basic to a democratic society. ·
calls
for greater state support using the broadest and most equitable tax base
to produce financial security for all public schools. Further, the Council
urges movement toward parity between poor and wealthy school districts. ·
supports
the broad mandate given to public education, including responsibility for
educating students differing widely in their physical and mental
abilities. ·
supports
life-long learning, especially for those without high school diplomas,
those forced to consider second careers, and those retraining for a
changing economy. ·
believes
the use of both qualitative and quantitative means will provide the best
mechanisms for measuring student achievement. While the member bodies of the Council affirm the legitimate place of non-public schools in a democratic and pluralistic society, yet it opposes vouchers or other means that directly subsidize students and/or their families in non-public education. Further, the Council insists that non-public schools be held to the same standards as public schools. In a just society, each person has adequate opportunity to work for his or her own benefit and for the welfare of the community. Therefore, the Council supports the empowerment of all people to obtain employment that provides economic self-sufficiency and economic opportunity. The Council… ·
supports
legislation that will guarantee those who work an income sufficient for at
least a basic standard of living. ·
supports
the right of public and private employees to organize for collective
bargaining, freely and without intimidation. Further, the Council supports
legislation to prevent the permanent replacement of workers who engage in
a lawful strike. Seasonal farm workers contribute to the economic life of the Commonwealth, and are to be valued for their contributions. They are more than an economic commodity. The Council advocates that such workers be treated with respect and be guaranteed the full protection of the law. The Council supports legislation to improve the health, safety and living conditions of seasonal farm workers, and opposes any lessening of the protections already afforded them.
The Council… ·
promotes
adequate resources to provide a continuum of support services to reduce
homelessness. More shelters, more transitional housing and more decent,
safe, low-income housing are also needed across the Commonwealth. ·
advocates
human services directed toward education, employment, shelter, mental
health and substance abuse for persons who lack housing. We further
advocate public policy directed toward keeping people from losing their
homes, as well as enabling homeless people to find housing. ·
encourages
legislation that fosters development of low-income housing stock. ·
supports
enforcement of laws that require just treatment of tenants by landlords. ·
affirms
the need to eliminate poverty as a destructive and dehumanizing force in
people’s lives, and also affirms the goal of self-sufficiency for those
caught in a cycle of poverty and welfare dependency.
The Council urges welfare reform that provides adequate supports
while persons who are able find employment. ·
strongly
supports the availability of 24-hour a day child-care, seven days a week.
For those seeking to leave the welfare rolls and enter the workforce, we
urge at least supports addressing issues of child-care, transportation,
health care, addiction, English as a second language and family violence. ·
supports
the concept of family and medical leave, paid or unpaid, for a significant
number of weeks on an annual basis so that a worker can care for a
new-born or adopted child, or a very ill or dying family member. The
worker should have the right to return to the same or similar job with
benefits intact. ·
urges
legislation providing a mechanism for the conversion of facilities
threatened by closure or cyclical reductions in the labor force. The
Council further supports initiatives that promote creation of living wage
jobs and retraining of workers. ·
believes
all persons deserve food security. This implies expansion of the state
food purchase program, adequate government funding for school and
community-based nutrition programs, and expansion of the federal WIC
program. ·
believes
taxation should be the shared responsibility of business and individuals.
Income taxation is among the least regressive means of raising revenue for
public purposes. The Council urges that taxation exclude income sufficient
to keep reporting households above poverty guidelines. ·
believes
the long-term financial costs of gambling outweigh any short-term economic
gains in a given community, gambling is a de facto tax on the poor,
elderly, and otherwise vulnerable persons, and is a poor mechanism for
raising public funds. The Council opposes gambling and the expansion of
the gambling industry in Pennsylvania. The Council believes the state
should not sponsor gambling, nor allow other organizations to sponsor
gambling. ·
favors
choice among utility providers. The Council encourages the Commonwealth to
educate consumers about their rights regarding utility choice. ·
supports
academic freedom in textbook selection and course outlines. ·
agrees
with Supreme Court decisions that affirm the state has no right to
establish or authorize devotional practices in schools. The Council
therefore opposes proposals to amend the U.S. Constitution to permit
school-sponsored prayer in schools. · supports public policy prohibiting the use of corporal punishment in all public, private and parochial schools. Social
Justice
The Council… ·
supports
full civil rights for all persons. ·
supports
legislation that enables government to root out patterns of racial
discrimination in employment, housing, credit, health, education and
banking. ·
supports
legislation that will prevent elder abuse or discrimination. Civil
Justice
There is a tension inherent in being both a creature of God and a citizen of the state. Citizenship includes rights and responsibilities. One of the responsibilities is faith-shaped resistance to the government, upon occasion.
The Council… ·
supports
full civil rights for all persons. ·
is
in favor of ease of voter registration and making retention of the right
to vote as simple as possible. ·
believes
in rule by the majority and protection of the constitutional rights of the
minority. ·
is
in favor of campaign finance reform for the sake of integrity of
government and the processes of governing. ·
supports
adequate income and provision of support services for persons with mental
and/or physical challenges, regardless of cause of the disability. The
Council also supports legislation that will provide opportunities for
persons with disabilities to work, play and serve in all segments of our
community. Further, the Council supports the concept of a living wage for
participants in government programs for the disabled, and adequate funding
for such programs. ·
supports
the enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act. ·
advocates
for adequate state funding to assure long-term care for the mentally ill. · supports legislation protecting medical, legal and financial electronic records. Environmental
Justice
Because we believe all people have a God-given responsibility to be stewards of the environment, the Council affirms the following principles: ·
a
simplified lifestyle ·
living
in harmony with nature ·
weighing
the impact of economic progress on resources ·
recycling
all possible substances ·
controlling
pollution emitted by all vehicles and machinery ·
avoiding
over-consumption and waste ·
using
renewable resources ·
preserving
our forests and wildlife habitats · using alternative energy sources. The Council… ·
supports
all measures to reduce air, water, land, noise and thermal pollution. ·
urges
the elimination of non-biodegradable products and reduction of industrial
processes that generate hazardous waste. The Council is concerned about
the safety of nuclear power plants, especially the safe disposal of
nuclear waste. ·
supports
minimal packaging. ·
supports
conservation of energy. · supports legislation to preserve farmland and to prevent sprawl. Criminal
Justice
There must be both law and order in a just society; law exists to protect individual rights and order exists to guarantee their free exercise.
The Council… ·
believes
individual freedom must not be impinged any more than absolutely necessary
to preserve order and promote social good. ·
is
in favor of restorative. ·
deplores
the growth of prison construction and the use of the corrections industry
as economic development for several regions in the Commonwealth. ·
affirms
the proper role of the courts is protection of all members of society,
restitution to victims, and reconciliation of offenders, not vengeance and
retribution. ·
believes
rehabilitation should be the first priority of the corrections system. To
that end, we urge educational programs, job or vocational training,
expanded work-leave options and family-leave for qualified prisoners. ·
urges
that prisoners be housed in facilities as close to home as possible to
facilitate family visitation. ·
recognizes
that for some persons, rehabilitation is close to impossible. These
persons should be housed humanely in secure settings and prevented from
further harming society for as long a time as needed. ·
supports
a basic commitment to rehabilitation through sobriety education. ·
urges
greater discretion for judges in sentencing and fewer mandatory-sentencing
laws. ·
affirms
incarceration for only the most dangerous and/or repeat offenders who prey
upon the community. ·
affirms
all inmates must be guaranteed the right of religious expression. ·
opposes
the death penalty in any form. The Council believes it is not a deterrent
to crime, knows it is irreversible, is economically costly and often
racist and classist in its application. Because bail requirements discriminate against the poor and others without access to money, we support releasing without bail on their own recognizance those accused of non-felony crimes.
The Council… ·
opposes
the use of bail to achieve what is commonly called “preventive
detention”. ·
urges
alternative programs to locked facilities for juvenile offenders. ·
supports
strict control of all handguns, including the mandatory use of trigger
locks. ·
supports
legislation that would ban “Saturday night specials” and assault
weapons. ·
supports
background checks prior to a person being allowed to purchase a gun. ·
supports
legislation that will address the physical, emotional and psychological
suffering of people who are victims of crime. ·
rejects
sexual exploitation of all persons while supporting first amendment
freedoms. Therefore, the Council agrees that the state has the right and
responsibility to help protect the young and disinterested from
exploitation through the merchandising of sex. ·
urges
enforcement of laws, at both state and local levels, to regulate
pornography.
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