Letter to US Senator Robert Casey Regarding National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act
December 8, 2011
The Honorable Robert P. Casey, Jr.
United States Senate
393 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Fax: 717.231.7542
Reference: Dangerous Legislation to Trample on States’ Rights to Set Public Safety Policies
Dear Senator Casey:
As faith leaders in and around Pennsylvania’s largest city - a city that regrettably continues to experience daily incidents of gun violence - we write to urgently express our strong opposition to H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act or any similar legislation that may be introduced in the Senate.
We ask you to immediately make a request of Senate leadership to keep the language of H.R. 822 or similar language out of the Defense Appropriations bill or any other bill. If, however, a vote is taken to amend any bill by including the objectionable language, we urge you to vote against it. And, if a bill is amended to include said language, we urge you to vote against it. We understand you may be faced with such actions imminently.
This legislation would require Pennsylvania to honor concealed carry permits granted by other states, even when those permit holders could not meet the standards required by Pennsylvania law. This would strip Pennsylvania of the power to create its own public safety laws, and hand that power over to the federal government – and the states with the weakest protections. The language in H.R.822 would also empower gun traffickers and threaten the safety of our police officers and victims of domestic abuse.
Pennsylvania, like most states across America, has intensely deliberated how best to balance community safety needs with the rights of our citizens to bear arms. We have, like almost all states, set various standards in addition to those in place under federal law. Right now, Pennsylvania does not issue concealed carry permits to people with certain dangerous misdemeanor criminal convictions, alcohol abuse problems, or who do not have a good cause to carry or who are under the age of 21. Pennsylvania also grants limited discretion to law enforcement to approve or deny a permit. Pennsylvania’s standards keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals. H.R.822, however, would permit citizens of states with less strict laws to freely carry concealed weapons in our state.
We have counseled the families of victims of gun violence. We have seen the ripple effect of shootings for families in in Philadelphia and environs. We are doing our part to help prevent gun violence in the streets of our city and state and to help families who have gone through such horrible tragedies. Won’t you do your part and uphold Pennsylvania’s standards for carrying loaded concealed weapons?
Please vote no to this legislation.
Sincerely,
Bishop Peggy A. Johnson
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference,
United Methodist Church
Valley Forge
Fr. Peter Donohue President,
Villanova University
Villanova
The Reverend Claire S. Burkat
Bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Philadelphia
Sister Mary Scullion
Executive Director, Project H.O.M.E.
Philadelphia
Dr. Mustafa Ahmed Director,
The Foundation for Islamic Education
Villanova
The Reverend Dwayne R. Royster
Pastor, Living Water United Church of Christ
Philadelphia
The Reverend Dr. Leslie D. Callahan
Pastor, St. Paul’s Baptist Church
Philadelphia
Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell
Union Rabbi – East Union for Reform Judaism
Philadelphia
The Reverend R. Charles Grant
Associate Pastor, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church
Bryn Mawr
The Reverend James F. McIntire
Pastor, Hope United Methodist Church
Havertown
The Reverend Richard Fernandez
Pastor (Retired), Tabernacle United Church
Philadelphia
Robert Gurnee
Christian Association at the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
The Reverend Charles Howard
Chaplain, University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
The Reverend Cheryl Pyrch
Pastor, Summit Presbyterian Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend David Wesley Brown
Pastor, United Methodist Church of the Redeemer
Philadelphia
Elaine Dushoff
Chair emerita, Neighborhood Interfaith Movement
Philadelphia
The Reverend Todd Stavrakos
Pastor, Gladwyne Presbyterian Church
Gladwyne
Burt Siegel
Executive Director (Retired),
Jewish Community Relations Council
Philadelphia
The Reverend Lydia E. Munoz
Pastor, PlumbLine Fellowship/
Narberth United Methodist Church
Narberth
The Reverend Stanley J. Krall
Pastor, Fox Chase United Methodist Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Doris K. Dalton
Deacon, PlumbLine Fellowship/
Narberth United Methodist Church
Narberth
The Reverend Lorie Hershey
Pastor, West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship
Philadelphia
The Reverend Dr. Justin Osterman
Senior Minister, Main Line Unitarian Church
Devon
The Reverend Kent Matthies
Pastor, Unitarian Society of Germantown
Philadelphia
The Reverend Morgan R. McLean
Associate Minister, Main Line Unitarian Church
Devon
The Reverend Bernice Warren
Chester Eastside Ministries
Chester
F. Albert Tizon, Ph.D.
Director, Word & Deed Network of the
Evangelicals for Social Action
Philadelphia
Rabbi Myriam Klotz
Director of Yoga and Lay Programs
Institute for Jewish Spirituality
Philadelphia
The Reverend David Eckert
Pastor, Drexel Hill United Methodist Church
Drexel Hill
Rabbi Shela P. Weinberg
Institute for Jewish Spirituality
Philadelphia
Rabbi Margot Steir
On Eagle’s Wings
Philadelphia
The Reverend Andrew Clark
Pastor, Lansdale and Souderton Seventh-day Adventist Churches
Lansdale and Souderton
The Reverend Firman Gingerich
Pastor, Blooming Glen Mennonite Church
Blooming Glen
The Reverend Noah Kolb
Pastor of Ministerial Leadership
Franconia Mennonite Conference
Harleysville
The Reverend Jenifer Eriksen Morales
Minister of Transitional Ministries
Franconia Mennonite Conference
Harleysville
The Reverend Wayne Nitzsche,
Pastor, Perkasie Mennonite Church
Perkasie
The Reverend Blaine Detwiler,
Pastor, Lakeview Mennonite Church
Susquehanna
Sister Dominica LoBianco, OSF
Our Lady of Angels Convent
Aston
The Reverend Jon E. Moore
New Beginnings Community Church
Bristol
The Reverend Luke Beidler Pastor (Retired),
Methacton Mennonite Church
Norristown
The Reverend Klaudia Smucker
Pastor, Bally Mennonite Church
Bally
The Reverend Amy Yoder McGloughlin
Pastor, Germantown Mennonite Church
Philadelphia
Bishop Kermit Newkirk
Pastor, Harold O. Davis Memorial Baptist Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Dr. Nelson Rivera
Faculty, Lutheran Theological Seminary
Philadelphia
Rabbi Eli C. Freedman
Congregation Rodeph Shalom
Philadelphia
The Reverend Dr. Karyn L. Wiseman
Faculty, Lutheran Theological Seminary
Philadelphia
The Reverend David Tatgenhorst
Pastor, St. Luke United Methodist Church
Bryn Mawr
Br. William C. Harkin, OSA
Our Mother of Good Counsel Church
Bryn Mawr
The Reverend Sherri Hausser
Associate Pastor, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church
Bryn Mawr
Sister Anne Woodeshick
Our Mother of Good Counsel Church
Bryn Mawr
The Reverend W. Jarrett Kerbel
Rector, Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Philadelphia
The Reverend Robin Hynicka
Pastor, Arch Street United Methodist Church
Philadelphia
Fr. Paul F. Morrissey, OSA
Adeodatus Ministries
Philadelphia
The Reverend Dr. Katie Day
Faculty, Lutheran Theological Seminary
Philadelphia
Fr. Joseph Mostardi, OSA
Campus Ministry, Villanova University
Villanova
Fr. James McBurney
Pastor, St. Augustine Church
Philadelphia
Fr. Shawn Tracy
Prior, St. Augustine Priory
Villanova
The Reverend Catherine Bowers
Pastor, Morrisville United Methodist Church
Morrisville
The Reverend Gerry Clemmer
Pastor, Souderton Mennonite Church
Souderton
Imam Kenneth Nuriddin
Chaplain, Muslim American Veterans Association
Philadelphia
Fr. Joseph Narog, OSA
Pastor, St. Thomas of Villanova Parish
Rosemont
The Reverend Juan Marrero
Associate Pastor, Second Mennonite Church
Executive Director, Crossroads Community Center
Philadelphia
The Reverend Gary Nicholson
Superintendent of the Northwest District
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the
United Methodist Church
Pottsville
The Reverend Thomas Haugh
Superintendent of the Southeast District
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference
of the United Methodist Church
West Chester
The Reverend Mark Young
Pastor, Covenant United Methodist Church
Springfield
The Reverend Karyn Fisher
Pastor, St. John’s United Methodist Church
Coal Township
The Reverend Robert G. Coombe
Pastor, Yardley United Methodist Church
Yardley
The Reverend Rose Marquardt
Pastor, Zion United Methodist Church
Kulpmont
The Reverend Millard G. Fisher III
Pastor, Emmanuel United Methodist Church
Annville
The Reverend Mark Terry
Pastor, Oxford United Methodist Church
Oxford
Arthur Larrabee
General Secretary, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Philadelphia
The Reverend Dr. Lucille K. Rupe
Interim Executive Presbyter
Presbytery of Philadelphia
Philadelphia
The Reverend J. Fred Kauffman
Coordinator, Mennonite Central Committee
Philadelphia
Rabbi Linda Holtzman
Senior Rabbi, Mishkan Shalom Synagogue
Philadelphia
Fr. Joseph Genito, OSA
Pastor, St. Rita’s Roman Catholic Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Isaac Miller
Rector (Retired), Episcopal Church of the Advocate
Philadelphia
The Reverend Robert McClellan
Acting Pastor, Tabernacle United Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Dolores McCabe
Pastor (Retired), Mill Creek Baptist Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Nancy Muth
Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Germantown
Philadelphia
The Reverend K. Palmer Hartl
Pastor, Christ Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Dr. Theodore Loder
Pastor (Retired), Eastern PA Conference,
United Methodist Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Susan Wargo
Pastor, Philadelphia Association of the United Church of Christ
Philadelphia
Rabbi George Stern
Executive Director (Retired),
Neighborhood Interfaith Movement
Philadelphia
Sister Nina Fritsch
Medical Mission Sisters
Philadelphia
The Reverend Cynthia A. Jarvis
Pastor, The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill
Philadelphia
The Reverend Richard C. Cox
Pastor (Retired), Eastern PA Conference,
United Methodist Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Dorothy M. Field
Pastor (Retired), Eastern PA Conference,
United Methodist Church
Swarthmore
The Reverend Dan Lebo
Pastor, Somerton United Methodist Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Daniel Schatz
Buxmont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Warrington
The Reverend Peter Friedrichs
Pastor, Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County
Media
Sister Terry Shields
Holy Rosary Missionary Sisters
Bryn Mawr
The Reverend James Leighton Carter
Interim Pastor, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church
Bryn Mawr
Rabbi David Straus
Senior Rabbi, Main Line Reform Temple
Ardmore
The Reverend Gregory Holston
Pastor, Tioga & Mt Carmel United Methodist Churches
Philadelphia
The Reverend Timothy Thomson-Hohl
Pastor, Ardmore United Methodist Church
Ardmore
The Reverend Dr. Drick Boyd
Associate Professor, Urban & Interdisciplinary Studies,
Eastern University
Philadelphia
Rabbi Dayle Friedman
On Growing Older
Philadelphia
The Reverend Beth R. Yoder
Pastor, Salford Mennonite Church
Harleysville
The Reverend Michael L. Derstine
Pastor, Plains Mennonite Church
Hatfield
The Reverend Dawn Ranck
Plains Mennonite Church
Hatfield
The Reverend Michael A. Meneses
Pastor, Wellspring Church of Skippack
Skippack
The Reverend Dawn Ruth Nelson
Pastor, Methacton Mennonite Church
Norristown
Sister Frances Murray, OSF
Chair, Advocacy for Justice and Peace of the
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
Brookhaven
The Reverend James C. Longacre
Pastor (Retired), Franconia Mennonite Conference
Bally
The Reverend Mike Ford
Senior High Youth Pastor
Franconia Mennonite Church
Telford
The Reverend Chris Nickles
Pastor, Spring Mount Mennonite Church
Schwenksville
The Reverend Nathan C. Walker
Pastor, First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Rabbi Richard F. Steinbrink
Union for Reform Judaism
Philadelphia
Fr. Joseph Farrell, OSA
Office of Mission & Ministry,
Villanova University
Philadelphia
The Reverend Dr. Charles Leonard
Pastor, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Linda Noonan
Co-Pastor, Chestnut Hill United Church
Philadelphia
Sister Beth Hassel, PBVM, D. Min.
Sisters of the Presentation
Berwyn
Bishop Frederick H. Borsch
Chair of Anglican Studies,
Lutheran Theological Seminary
Philadelphia
Fr. John T. Denny, OSA
Pastor, Our Mother of Good Counsel Church
Bryn Mawr
Fr. Robert Hagan, OSA
Villanova University Athletic Department
Villanova
The Reverend Dr. John F. Hoffmeyer
Faculty, Lutheran Theological Seminary
Philadelphia
The Reverend Ryan W. Henderson
Associate Minister, St. John’s United Church of Christ
Lansdale
Rabbi Yitzahk Nates
The Narberth Havurah
Narberth
The Reverend Kellen Smith
Associate Pastor, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church
Bryn Mawr
Fr. James Paradis, OSA
Director of Cascia Center Ministries
Philadelphia
The Reverend Beny Krisbianto
Pastor, Nations Worship Center
Philadelphia
Fr. Jon Zagarella, O. Praem
Pastor, St. Gabriel Church
Philadelphia
Bryan Miller
Executive Director, Heeding God’s Call
Philadelphia
Rabbi Jill L. Maderer
Congregation Rodeph Shalom
Philadelphia
The Reverend Kathryn Ellis
Consulting Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration
Philadelphia
Fr. Jack Deegan, OSA
Augustinian Director of Peace and Justice
Philadelphia
Bishop Leonard Dow
Lancaster Mennonite Conference, Philadelphia District
Philadelphia
The Reverend Msgr. Michael J. Carroll
Director, Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Philadelphia
The Reverend Walter Reeves
Associate Pastor, C.C. Hancock United Methodist Church
Springfield
The Reverend Scott A. Widmer
Pastor, Marshallton United Methodist Church
Marshallton
The Reverend Joseph Hodges
Pastor, Friendship United Methodist Church
Coatesville
The Reverend Gary Jacabella
Pastor, Immanuel United Methodist Church
Cleona
The Reverend Mary Elizabeth Hoskins
Pastor (Retired), Boehm United Methodist Church
Willow Street
The Very Reverend Robert Bazzoli, OSFS
Pastor, Our Mother of Consolation Parish
Philadelphia
The Reverend John R. Pritchard
Calvary United Methodist Church
Philadelphia
The Reverend Diane Jamison Fitch
Associate Pastor, The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill
Philadelphia
