Gun Safety Legislation Must Not Militarize, Overpolice Schools and Communities

Civil and Human Rights Coalition Urges Congress to ‘heed voices of those affected by gun violence’

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement as negotiations on legislation to curb gun violence unfold in Congress:

 “The horrific Parkland murders are the latest in a long list of mass shootings that have shattered our ability to feel safe in our homes, schools, and communities. With more than 30 during the past two months, these shootings have reached epidemic proportions. The negotiations unfolding in Congress may be the most important public safety issue our elected officials undertake this year. Gun safety legislation must expand and strengthen background checks, increase safety restrictions and limitations on gun purchases, avoid stigmatizing and discriminating against people living with mental health disabilities, and resist the urge to militarize and overpolice our schools and communities. We must heed the voices of those affected by gun violence as they call for national action. We owe it to them and ourselves to be a country that values life and the humanity in all of us.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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