Swartzendruber: Common Sense Gun Law Changes Needed
Posted: February 9, 2013
HARRISONBURG — This week, Eastern Mennonite University President Loren Swartzendruber found himself in the middle of the national debate on gun control during a trip to the nation’s capital.
Swartzendruber is among more than 350 university and college heads, collectively called College Presidents for Gun Safety, to sign a letter asking policy leaders to consider changes in gun laws. The letter was penned shortly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.
This week, Swartzendruber was among 25 college presidents who traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to bring attention to their message.
The original purpose of Swartzendruber’s trip was to speak with members of Congress about higher-education issues during a gathering for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
“Since there were a number of presidents at this national meeting that had signed the [gun reform] letter, the authors of the letter took the occasion to call a press conference,” Swartzendruber said. “I just think there’s a general concern among many presidents, as well as leaders of other sectors in our society, who think that now is a time when we ought to have serious conversations about some of these different [gun] issues.”
During the press conference, which took place Monday, those gathered asked for “common sense” legislation that would require criminal background checks for every gun purchaser, ban military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and make gun trafficking a federal crime.
“I think common sense to me means that we do some of the things that polls are showing that the majority of Americans feel need to be done,” Swartzendruber said. “We’re not trying to do away with the Second Amendment. We’re not trying to say that guns have no purpose ... but we ought to make sure that they don’t get into the hands of people who would use them for much more dangerous purposes.”
As part of his trip with the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Swartzendruber also met Tuesday with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke. He spoke to Kaine and Goodlatte about federal student aid programs, particularly Pell Grants, which are need-based federal grants for low-income students.
“We do recognize that the federal budget is in a tough position and different decisions will have to be made,” he said. “We were noting that many college students would not be able to attend college … without access to Pell grants. It’s a good investment for the future.”
Contact Emily Sharrer at 574-6286 or esharrer@dnronline.com
Swartzendruber is among more than 350 university and college heads, collectively called College Presidents for Gun Safety, to sign a letter asking policy leaders to consider changes in gun laws. The letter was penned shortly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.
This week, Swartzendruber was among 25 college presidents who traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to bring attention to their message.
The original purpose of Swartzendruber’s trip was to speak with members of Congress about higher-education issues during a gathering for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
“Since there were a number of presidents at this national meeting that had signed the [gun reform] letter, the authors of the letter took the occasion to call a press conference,” Swartzendruber said. “I just think there’s a general concern among many presidents, as well as leaders of other sectors in our society, who think that now is a time when we ought to have serious conversations about some of these different [gun] issues.”
During the press conference, which took place Monday, those gathered asked for “common sense” legislation that would require criminal background checks for every gun purchaser, ban military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and make gun trafficking a federal crime.
“I think common sense to me means that we do some of the things that polls are showing that the majority of Americans feel need to be done,” Swartzendruber said. “We’re not trying to do away with the Second Amendment. We’re not trying to say that guns have no purpose ... but we ought to make sure that they don’t get into the hands of people who would use them for much more dangerous purposes.”
As part of his trip with the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Swartzendruber also met Tuesday with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke. He spoke to Kaine and Goodlatte about federal student aid programs, particularly Pell Grants, which are need-based federal grants for low-income students.
“We do recognize that the federal budget is in a tough position and different decisions will have to be made,” he said. “We were noting that many college students would not be able to attend college … without access to Pell grants. It’s a good investment for the future.”
Contact Emily Sharrer at 574-6286 or esharrer@dnronline.com