PEACEMEALS: Golfstown, NH: a project encouraged by the local Episcopal Peace Fellowship Chapter.
Peacemeals – Building personal nonviolence skills, enjoying good company, taking nonviolent action for peace and justice locally. (St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Goffstown, New Hampshire.) For more information, contact the Rev. Bill Exner: exner@comcast.net
Basic info:
+ Gun violence in US today accounts for 80 deaths daily of which 10 are children.
+ Youth rate is 12 times higher in US than any other industrialized nation.
+ 70% of US population favors more reasonable guidelines for gun ownership.
+ Many weapons used in violent crimes in Massachusetts come from New Hampshire.
+ Since 1933 more Americans have died from local gun violence than in all wars combined.
Peacemeals participants covenanted to:
1) Research gun dealers/sellers within 10 mile of Goffstown. ( We expected to find one or two. There are 14 counting ‘antique gun sellers. )
2) We split up the list and agreed to contact each seller, two of us at a time would make personal visits.
3) We scripted our message and role played together before going forth.
4) We crafted a list of requests fo present to each seller. Requests designed to urge a focus on safety first as well as lawful responsibility.
5) We share our experiences as things develop in hopes of improving our approach and possibility of successful engagement.
THIS REPRESENTS OUR ACTION PLAN FOR THIS CONCERN. OTHER CONCERNS WILL RESULT IN FUTURE ACTIONS AS A COMPONENT OF PEACEMAKING LOCALLY.
Sample Letter or phone call
Dear local business manager/owner,
Hello, my name is ___ from Goffstown. I/we represent a group from local churches who wish to engage in a thoughtful dialog with businesses so we can better understand the process you go through in selling guns and ammunition in our area. We do so out of respect for the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and with concern for the safety of gun owners and fellow citizens of our neighborhoods.
We would like to sit down with you (or come in at a time convenient for you) to find out how you handle gun sales.
We hope we will find that gun sales in your shop follow the Recommendations below. If that is so we will happily let people know that you are actively supporting a responsible and safe approach to gun ownership.
Thank You,
Peacemeal Goffstown
497-2003
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Recommendations for Gun Sales
Out of respect for the second amendment of the U.S. Constitution and with concern for the safety of gun owners and fellow citizens of our neighborhoods, I follow these guidelines for the sale of firearms in my place of business:
1) Require and keep on file for 6 months a photo, videotape or digital image ID of each buyer
2) Run NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) background checks on each buyer and don’t hand over the firearm until such check is completed. (92% of NICS checks are completed immediately on the phone. Others within 3 days.)
3) In compliance with Federal Law my shop does not sell to any of the following:
- Minor
- Dishonorably discharged from Military
- Federal felon
- Unlawfully in the U.S.
- Suspected of using a controlled substance or under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Mentally ill
- Fugitive from justice
- Imprisoned for crime resulting in more than one year incarceration
4) If I have doubts about the stability of a customer I say no to the sale or ask them to wait a few days.
I do my best to uphold these reasonable Recommendations for the responsible selling of guns in my community.
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Questions we might ask include:
How do you deal with people you aren’t so sure about?
What would I need to show you or what would you ask of me before selling me a firearm?
For more information, contact the Rev. Bill Exner: exner@comcast.net
