Speaking of Gun Violence

This morning at church I lead a forum on the issue of Gun Violence.  In order to express how guns have infiltrated our language I began with the following introduction...

Earlier in the week when I realized under fire I was responsible for the forum this Sunday on Gun Violence I thought I made a commitment and should stick to my guns and do it. For a while I contemplated shooting from the hip, and simply take a buckshot approach. But then I thought it would be better to utilize some bullet points so I would stay on target.

Before I pulled the trigger, and decided to do this presentation, I received information on a summit; World change through faith and justice: Elevating the issue of gun violence.  Shoot, I thought, if I’m going to drop them dead with presentation, I had better be loaded for bear. Rather than skirting around the issue I thought it best be addressed point blank. I just hope I can make a high caliber presentation and not bomb out! So it is that I’m aiming high, and hoping not to disappoint, when I’m up here under fire on the front lines.  If you have already formed your opinion on this topic, I’m asking you not to jump the gun and be overly critical of me right away.  Please hold your fire until afterwards, and then let me have it, with double barrels if you like. 

The forum went well, and may result in an additional gathering to discuss specific means to reducing the epidemic of gun violence in America. 

A timely editorial on this topic was in today's StarTribune,  A gun in nearly every hand. 

Ideas to reduce gun violence

With the never ending amount of gun violence occurring daily across the United States, one has to wonder just what actions could be taken to make an impact on this epidemic.  The Children's Defense Fund produced a document, Protect children, not guns 2012, where they provided some suggestions.

1.  Parents, remove guns from your home

2.  Support common-sense gun safety measures for the nation

            e.g. plug the gun show loophole

            Reinstitute the ban on assault weapons

            Strengthen restrictions on people convicted of a violent misdemeanor or a violent act as a juvenile

            Require consumer safety standards and childproof safety features for all guns.

3.  Help state and local governments protect children from guns  e.g. repeal “Stand your Ground" laws.

4.  Incorporate nonviolent conflict resolution as a part of our homes, schools, congregations and communities.

5.  Boycott products that glamorize violence

6.  Focus attention on the number of children killed and inured by gun violence

7.  Support innovative efforts to promote positive youth development

Once again... more guns are not the answer to problems with our government

A rabid anti government sentiment, fueled via social media, paired with easy access to assault weapons and ammunition equals events like just happened this past Friday when a young man with two assault rifles, and a hundred rounds of ammunition, killed a TSA security guard at the LA airport and wounded a few other people. Perhaps this young man felt he was utilizing his "constitutional right to bear arms" to take on the government as a one person militia member? Yet another very sad day for our country. 

I hope that those that are fueling this fire take notice and refrain from their vitriolic messaging and aggrandizement of more guns and ammunition as a solution to their fears and paranoias.

US Senate fails to pass any gun control laws

Among many other things, I'm beyond puzzled as to why there is such opposition to requiring a background check on ALL gun purchases within the United States.  Perhaps there are many fearful gun zealots that don't think they couldn't pass the screening?  Or it could be that they fear the National Rife Association?

Clearly some of these votes to restrict access to guns, assault rifles and large ammunition clips would not stop ALL of the gun violence, which epidemic in this country.  However if it could even slow it down just a hair it would be a move in the right direction.  Simply adding more guns to an already violent nation isn't the answer. Too often "good guys" do bad or stupid things.  

Learn more about yesterday's voting by visiting How the Senate gun control amendments fared c/o the Washington Post. As Senator Gabrielle Giffords noted "It's clear to me that if members of the U.S. Senate refuse to change the laws to reduce gun violence, then we need to change the members of the U.S. Senate."

Emboldened by the National Rifle Association's victory rumor has it a new media campaign has begun, sponsored by the combined forces of the NGA (National Grenade Association) and the NBA (National Bomb Association)....

Rifles are for Wimps: Go BIG or go Home

President Obama visits north Minneapolis

President Obama visited north Minneapolis yesterday as a part of his campaign to reduce gun violence in the United States (Obama hails Minneapolis gun efforts; his plans still face a fight).

Minneapolis' mayor, RT Rybak, is among many other city leaders tired of inaction on this pressing issue, while about 30,000 Americans die each year to gun shots. He stated "People are dying out there. I am not satisfied with the main sort of front from the people in Washington, that is sort of a game.  Where are the other people on this issue? Get a spine, get a backbone. People are losing their lives."

An interesting website, US Gun Murders in 2012, provides further information on the number of years lost and demographics of those killed by gun violence in the United States.

It seems bizarre that the N.R.A. has the audacity to suggest our gun happy nation needs more guns, not fewer, to quell the violence.  Seems a bit like suggesting to an alcoholic that they need to drink their way out of their problem.

Guns don't kill people

After hearing or the NRA's campaign slogan countless times I've finally come to understand it.  Of course guns don't kill people, it is those deadly bullets that do!

I heard Marion Wright Edelman, director of the Children's Defense Fund, share how since 1968 we have had 148,000 children die from gun violence in the United States.  The NRA had the audacity to suggest we need more guns to solve this violence epidemic.  A news article, Calif Schools police buy AR-15s to protect children, reports that a school district in California purchased 14 AR-15 rifles to keep its students safe from harm.

Why stop with the schools?  Using the NRA approach to protect our children we clearly need to train and arm our nation's bus drivers, day care workers, life guards, sports coaches, boy and girl scout leaders, Sunday School teachers.... Wherever children gather there should be at least one or two people armed with an AR-15 or the like. This is America and God knows we value the second amendment above all else!

"Gun Appreciation Day", I kid you not

Here in the gun lovin' US of A yesterday some folks celebrated "Gun Appreciation Day".  Hard to fathom how people can celebrate the gun when we've had more Americans killed by guns in the 18 year period between 1979 and 1997 (651,697) than were killed in battle in all wars since 1775 (650,858).  Further information on this tragic legacy is available from a press release "More Americans killed by guns than by war in the 20th century."

Seems to me the organizers of this effort should make it a weeklong celebration. Next year they could also include the following under appreciated means of killing people:  

hangman's noose, 
cyanide, 
land mines, 
flame throwers, 
lethal injection, and the grand daddy of them all....

nuclear bombs!

If you're going to celebrate the tools of death and destruction, go big or go home!

NRA Doubles down on guns

In an audacious move, the National Rife Association (NRA) held a press conference on December 21st and recommended armed security guards for every school in America. After making this suggestion the NRA spokespeople promptly left the podium and would not take questions.  I'm not making this up. The press conference can be viewed online (Fallout of the NRA's press conference continues increasing).

Rumor has it that being embolden by the recent school massacre in Connecticut the NRA is adding bumper stickers in their Christmas Catalogue…

Imagine a safer America: A revolver in every glove compartment and an assault rifle in each of our schools.

Turn those plowshares into Bushmasters.

Better be nice.  Santa’s packing this year.

Jesus aka ‘Prince of Peace’: Just another misguided compassionate liberal

I love doves, they taste great.

And lastly, to complement the existing bumper sticker, Keep honking I’m reloading…

Go ahead, make my day, cut me off.

........

The NRA suggests that more "good guys" need to have firearms to fight the "bad guys".  I have to agree that guns in the ‘right hands’ are really no threat to others or me.  So, what might constitute ‘right hands’? 

Someone who has taken a gun safety course and who always keeps the gun(s) safely locked, and who would never provide access to their gun(s) to anyone who hasn’t had a gun safety course. 

Someone who is peace loving, and would only use a gun as the last resort to save himself or herself or a loved one, and who ALWAYS will live alone or with others who share such a disposition. 

Someone without a criminal record, or who has anyone with a criminal record living in his or her household, and who will NEVER have a criminal record or will EVER have another with a criminal record living in his or her household.

Someone who is always level headed, and NEVER experiences road rage or fits of temper, who will ALWAYS be level headed and will NEVER have a hot head living in his or her household.

Someone who is not, or EVER WILL BE mentally ill, or have a person suffering mental illness living in his or her household, NOW OR IN THE FUTURE.

Seems sensible to me, what to you think? Ideas on how we can provide so that such screening to ensure that above criteria are met?

Finally, the recent doubling down by the NRA has me thinking of one of its biggest advocates, the late Charlton Heston.  Despite the fact that he played to role of Moses in the Ten Commandments, I can just about imagine his cold dead mouth saying, “To hell with the sixth commandment, America’s got the second amendment!”  God bless America!?

God in Schools

I noticed a well written editorial in this morning's StarTribune, from a friend, Rolf Olson, which I am reposting:

THE TRAGEDY AND GOD

In the days since the tragedy and evil that befell Newtown, I have heard and read comments about the event occurring because "they have taken God out of the schools." As a Christian pastor and husband of a public school teacher, I want to challenge these unfounded and often thoughtless comments.

Assuming that they come from people of faith, I wonder how they believe that the creator of the world could be excluded from some part of it through human effort. The Bible clearly affirms that God is everywhere (Psalm 139). Schools are obviously included.

I want to affirm that God is in our schools each day:

• In dedicated teachers and staff, many of whom are people of faith.

• In caring students who share their lives in many servant efforts.

• In supportive, involved parents.

When our daughter was murdered five years ago, some of the greatest evidence of faith and love came from teachers, students, parents and staff who supported us with prayer, gifts, cards, hugs and tears. Some of my wife's deepest faith conversations have occurred with fellow staff members -- in school and out.

If people are advocating public school prayer as the sign of the divine's presence, then what shape would they like that prayer to take, in whose name will they pray, and to what deity will they pray?

The challenge in public schools is to respect all perspectives. The teachers I know refrain from telling others what they should believe, but they are certainly open to sharing their personal faith outside of class when asked.

I have no doubt that God was present at Sandy Hook Elementary on Friday, just like every other day. When those children and staff fell, God's arms held them close. And when they died, God's heart was the first to break.

In our anger and frustration, it may make us feel better to rage. But let's choose appropriate targets that lead to constructive solutions. I trust that God will be with us in the conversation.

THE REV. ROLF OLSON, Richfield Lutheran Church, Minneapolis

Reflections on elementary school shooting

Thoughts and prayers go out to the children, adults and families tragically impacted by the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. How sad it is to hear about the guns a woman collected being turned on her and the people from her community.

Naturally, there is a lot of communication about this on social media. Some feeling strongly that in a nation where 30,000 people die annually from gun violence, it is a public health issue.  I had communication with someone who believed that guns don't kill people, any more than a spoon makes people fat.  I don't know about you, but I would feel far safer being confronted by a depressed or deranged individual with a spoon and pint of ice cream than that same individual with a semiautomatic rifle and box of ammunition.

There in the US we have a great prevalence of guns, which is combined with a society that glamorizes violence.  This is a toxic mix.  I hope that we will soon have stiffer gun controls and that people with guns will keep them safely locked up.  Interested in collecting something, how about spoons?

Gun violence and escalation of gun sales

Gander Mtn. Advertisement

Tragedy befell a Minneapolis family earlier this week when a four-year-old boy shot and killed his two-year-old brother with a gun that he found in his home.  The gun was a purchased by the boy's father at a Gander Mtn. store (Loaded gun that killed 2-year-old was stored behind pillow). 

While it is not directly the gun store's fault that this accident occurred, the prevalence of guns in our society makes accidents like this much more likely to occur.  I find it particularly appalling to see the Rambo style assault rifles that are advertised and sold by stores like Gander Mtn.  I understand the marketing of guns and rifles for hunting purposes, but it appears much of of what is being marketed is for "self defense". 

With the escalation of gun sales, both over the counter and through the underground market, it is becoming increasingly common that the police are out gunned by the "bad guys", who have higher caliber weapons.  The United States weapons race is not limited to our overly ambitious military industrial complex.

"Gun World"

Have a gun in your  home?  Be sure to keep it locked up and away from young hands.

Freedom, responsibility and gun control

      When a person or group of people can't act responsibly their freedoms must be limited.  It seems we as a nation have long crossed that line when it comes to the freedom to own assault weapons.  The young man who shot 70 and killed 12 in Aurora, Colorado owned a military-style semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. This shooter was able to purchase the weapons at local gun stores. He also had recently purchased 6,000 rounds of ammunition over the Internet.
    Interesting that our neighbor to the south, Mexico, would like the USA to have tighter gun controls (Mexico urges U.S. to review gun laws after Colorado shooting).  Seems they're tired of our seemingly free flow of weapons into their nation and the associated violence.
      I discovered the following related statistics from an ABC news website, Gun Deaths: A familiar American Experience...
     A study in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery found that the gun murder rate in the U.S. is almost 20 times higher than the next 22 richest and most populous nations combined..... Among the world’s 23 wealthiest countries, 80 percent of all gun deaths are American deaths and 87 percent of all kids killed by guns are American kids.
     Contrary to what National Rifle Association (NRA) might like us to believe, free enterprise without responsible limits can be extremely dangerous.  As this recent tragedy reminds us, we have very little "domestic security" from gun violence in the Wild West, gun toting USA.  Somehow I don't sleep better knowing there are about 300 million firearms floating around in the hands of our citizens.

Gun violence kills 3-year-old

After hearing the sound of gunshot near to his home in north Minneapolis 3-year-old Terrell was headed up the stairs with three other boys when he was hit in the back of the head by a stray shot.  He died 17 hours later in the hospital.

It was disturbing to read Facebook entries about this tragic incident throughout the day yesterday by a few friends who either work and or live in North Minneapolis. Both Don Samuels, city councilman, and VJ Smith, head of MADD Dads visited Terrell and his mother while in the hospital. Many residents of the Northside posted their outrage on Facebook, and most offered up their prayers.  A vigil is being planned for Friday.

While prayer is valuable, it seems somehow inadequate.  It reminds me of the Bible passage from 1 Corinthians 13:1 "If I speak in the tongues of men and angeles, but have not love, I am only a  resounding gong or clanging cymbal."  I'm also reminded of a story by someone who's seen his share of the aftermath of urban violence, Newark's Mayor, Cory Booker.  He told a story while speaking at the Westminster Town Hall Forum about how hundreds of people showed up for the funeral of a young man who was slain by gun violence, but seemingly no one was there for him when he needed it. Given the absence of positive support he was drawn into the wrong crowd, who provided him some of the safety and attention he so desperately needed.

So, what to do about this continued violence?  One initiative that holds much promise is the Northside Achievement Zone.  It is aiming to provided both the essential mentoring and educational support essential for kids to thrive.  More information about volunteering is available from their website.

We must consider means to decrease the amount of gun violence on our streets.  According to the National Institute of Justice in 2005 there were 11,346 people killed by firearm violence and 477,040 people were victims of a crime committed with a firearm in the US.  Then consider for a moment that there were a total of 3,531 American military casualties from combat in the Iraq war since it's start in 2003.  We have a far greater war occurring everyday on the streets in the USA, which isn't being adequately addressed.