More Mass Shootings: We’re better than this

I was sitting in my office at church this afternoon when our secretary asked if I’d seen the news. Today, it was the news of the mass shooting at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, CA. What I find especially heinous about this attack is that Inland works with developmentally disabled people from infants to the elderly. Why on earth would they be a target?

According to the website Mass Shooting Tracker, today’s mass shooting and murder of 14 people (at the time of this writing) becomes the 352nd mass shooting in 2015, and adds to the 447 dead and 1,292 injured in these shootings so far this year.

As I write this, I’m listening to the live stream from CNN.com. The host obviously sounded weary of having to report this news. She said: “Here we go … again … breaking news” and “unfortunately, we are all too familiar with these kinds of situations.”

Over the next few hours and days, there will be a lot of analysis, finger pointing, and politics. All sorts of experts will speak as images and video from the crime scene are play over and over again on our screens. You’ll recall that there was a lot of that after the 6/17/2015 shooting at Emanuel AME (Mother Bethel) in Charleston, SC. There has been similar outrage and analysis at most of the 198 mass shooting incidents since Charleston. Yes, 198 … and many of those never made national news. How sad is that? If you look through your social media feeds, you’ll see that many of your friends and family commenting and offering prayers, too.

We are left with so many questions and with that ugly helpless feeling that this won’t stop happening because we don’t know where or under what circumstances it will happen next. Will it be a disgruntled employee? A personal relationship gone bad? An act of terrorism?

When people retreat from being in relationship with each other and withdraw into camps of like-minded people, we close ourselves off from honest and challenging dialogue. Then we are left to stew and froth together as we kvetch and, ultimately, come out with the same conversation and the same solutions. Addressing the issues around gun violence are not solved by Democrat or Republican, gun rights proponents or those seeking stricter gun control, or by legislation alone.

This afternoon, I was talking with my friend, Megan Pomfret, about the many issues that need to be addressed openly and directly, but aren’t. These are the issues as she sees them (I suggest reading the bold text below first then go back and read my commentary):

• Mental illness. This has got to be part of the conversation.
• Gun control. Whether or not you are a 2nd amendment proponent, I think everyone can agree that guns are getting into the hands of the wrong people and those people are using them to kill and destroy. For those reading this from a Christian perspective, take a look at John 10:10. People often say that guns don’t kill people; people do. I agree, but the combination creates situations of mass casualties.
• Community. People are increasingly cut off from one another. This sense of a strong and healthy community cannot be legislated, but is up to each of us. A good first step is to talk with people and listen … really listen. Put down the devices or whatever else distracts you and get to know your neighbors and co-workers.
• Treating people with kindness and respect. Many of us have grown up with good home and religious training around the Golden Rule: “do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). It seems to me that we live with a lot of fear and anxiety as we run around from place to place and activity to activity. So, we build walls to protect ourselves and our time. A good first step here is to simply slow down. Plan for extra time before and after events to allow time and space for opening doors for others and talking with them on your way out the door.

These issues require deeper engagement and a determination by each of us and our neighbors to be a whole, holy, and safe place for all people in our communities. This is hard work, and it takes time. Watch what happens over the next week. The events of today will likely get swallowed up in politics, buried by the next big story in the news cycle, or simply forgotten as people go on about their busy lives.

We’re better than this.

A good first step for people of faith is to open yourself up to God in prayer (whatever faith tradition you may be). Pray for the victims of today’s shooting and their families. Pray for the people who committed these horrendous acts. Pray for the police and other law enforcement agencies as they work though this situation. Pray for people around the world who have acts of violence of any kind in their hearts that God would change their hearts or interrupt their plans. Pray for all of our elected officials. As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, we remember the miracle of the Incarnation – that God decided to come and live among us as a person. He didn’t stay away because humanity was too “human” and live was too messy. Our faith calls us to remember that these situations do not represent God’s absence, but, through them, we experience God’s presence.

 

A Time for You to Respond

I’m not interested in people pointing fingers, but I am very interested in what you think about how we can make a difference and strengthen our communities. What have you done or seen in your community (neighborhood, church, or other organization) that has promoted healthy conversation, the building of relationships, and an awareness of what is going on in your neighbor’s and co-worker’s lives? How have you set up your life to focus on people, community, and relationships even with a busy life?