Humanism and Responsible Gun Law in Iowa - Part 1
Below is the full text of the American Humanist Association’s Resolution to Protect Children from Gun Violence in the United States, posted in June of 2000. You can find the original resolution on the AHA website. In the 22 years since that resolution was adopted there has still been very little to combat this problem. The statement following the resolution comes from Humanists of Linn County President, Marcia Swift, and addresses the current gun issues that face our state.
Resolution to Protect Children from Gun Violence in the United States
Adopted by the Board of Directors
June 1, 2000 | Hasbrouk Heights, NJ
Resolution 2000-001
As Humanists, we view providing maximum safety for all, especially children and others less able to protect themselves, as requisite to a civilized society. We watch with sadness as the protection of guns continues to be placed before the protection of lives, with the result that the United States lags lamentably behind other nations in the preventing the death of children from gunfire.
WHEREAS one child dies from gunfire every two hours in the United States, some 80,000 in the last two decades alone—far more than the total number of American soldiers killed in battle in the entire Vietnam war; and
WHEREAS many children killed in shootings would be alive today if Child Firearm Access Protection laws were in effect in every state, those deaths being down by 23% in states with such laws;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the AMERICAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION regards this situation as needless and shameful and calls upon all states which have not yet adopted Child Firearm Access Protection laws to do so within their current Legislative sessions; and
WHEREAS the United States, the world’s leading spender for military force in the name of protection, has failed to protect its own children from preventable gun violence;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the AMERICAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION calls upon the Congress and the president of the United States, and the leaders of all political parties, to make protecting children from gun violence a top priority of our national agenda.
As Humanists in Iowa we decry that the protection of guns continues to be placed above the protection of lives. In the last several years the Iowa Legislature has passed laws which the Governor signed making it easier to possess firearms in our state. People can now buy and openly carry firearms without a permit. There is no state registration for guns. Iowa has a Stand Your Ground law which removes one's duty to retreat from a potentially dangerous situation. People can carry firearms in their cars as long as unloaded. People can carry firearms into the Iowa Capitol Building. People can carry firearms onto school property as long as the guns are in a closed and fastened container. People can carry guns into restaurants.
As if these laws are not enough Iowans will vote on November 8 on a measure that if passed, will add an amendment to the Iowa Constitution which would make it even easier to pass permissive gun laws. IowansForResponsibleGunLaws.com is fighting hard to defeat this measure. This is the first in a series of posts where we will discuss this ballot measure and what it will mean for the protection and safety of human lives in our state.
