MORAL OPPOSITION TO MINIMUM SENTENCES

Regarding the June 22 news story "Minimum Sentences Urged; Gonzales
Responds to Rulings Against Mandatory Guidelines":

Considering how often the Bush administration refers to moral values,
it should consider that most major religious groups oppose mandatory
sentencing, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the
National Council of Churches, the United Methodist Church, Chuck
Colson's Prison Fellowship Ministries, the Presbyterian Church (USA),
the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, all
four major black Baptist denominations, the United Church of Christ,
the Union for Reform Judaism and the Unitarian Universalist
Association. No denominations are known to favor mandatory sentencing.

The moral position on this issue is clear.

CHARLES THOMAS

Executive Director

Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative

Silver Spring