Chattanooga Faith Leaders Call for Legislative Action on Gun Violence

Group hopeful for common sense gun reform in August legislative session

A group of Chattanooga-area faith leaders called on the community's legislative delegation to take action to curb gun violence in an upcoming special legislative session on public safety.

Rabbi Craig Lewis of Mizpah Congregation said, "I believe that all of us, no matter our age, race, or our family history deserve to live free, free from the fear of gun violence. Yet on this day of remembrance in America, we remember the #1 cause of death for children 18 and younger is death from firearms.

Lewis pointed out that in places where gun reform has been implemented, mass shootings have been reduced.

"This year to date on June 2nd we have already experienced over 200 mass shootings. Other countries have enacted common-sense gun reform and essentially ended mass shootings in their countries. It is clear that there is policy that does work and it's what we need in our home state of Tennessee."

Bishop Kevin Strickland of the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA called on Gov. Lee and Chattanooga-area lawmakers to "Take those swords and beat them into plowshares. Take those guns and beat them into plowshares. Take assault rifles and beat them into plowshares and plow those roads so we have a road where all can walk safely, where all children can walk safely to school."

Strickland focused on the call for Christians to be peacemakers.

"As Christians we are called by Jesus to be peacemakers. Not once did Jesus call anybody to respond to violence with more violence. Instead, he called us to love our enemies and turn the other cheek so that those of us who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ should be working to follow his example of pursuing love and justice, not a dangerous proliferation of firearms, and instead call for common sense gun reform from all of our states from all of our elected leaders."

Gun reform advocates speak out in ChattanoogaPhoto bySouthern Christian Coalition