The events that occurred last week in Oregon have had an impact on me. Yet again we see violence in a place that should be safe. As a college student I can not help but think about what might happen if a shooter came here to BU. Or what if a shooter was at one of my friend’s schools far away? How would I contact them? How would I know if they were okay or not?
The lack of media coverage, and the lack of outcry in response to this tragedy is a tragedy in of itself. We have become numb to the loss of lives. We have become numb to the loss of young lives. We have become numb to the loss of our future. Those victims were my age, my peers, future colleagues. Why are we not more upset? This is the only country in the world where this mass violence occurs. And yet, enough people in our world care more about their own personal guns and their “rights” than the lives of people.
What rights did gun laws afford the students at Sandy Hook, Columbine, Virginia Tech, UCC and all the other schools? What rights are we affording our children, our future if we continue as a nation to be so selfish.
It is appalling to me that we can not have productive conversation. It is appalling to me that so many people no longer have the capacity for compassion in these situations. I have watched on Social Media the hostility increase. It seems that each time lives are taken because of unnecessary gun violence, the gun proponents become more aggressive, more defensive, and arguably more violent themselves in their efforts to protect their precious weapons.
“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” Okay sure, but have you ever heard of a mass stabbing? Sure people can blow things up, but the incidents are far more rare! There is something that a gun affords people. It gives them an opportunity for increased and mass destruction. What makes me even more angry is that those same people calling for the preservation of their rights to bear arms, the do so in the name of Jesus. They claim that it is their right, and a Christian duty! I fail to understand how Jesus would support such mass violence and destruction! I am pretty sure he was a pacifist. I am pretty sure he would call us to peace. I am also pretty sure he calls me to love those very people that in these moments I can not stand.
I pray for the capacity to love the people who harm others. I pray for all of us to have understanding. I pray for the families and the friends and the young people affected directly by gun violence. I pray that maybe one day this needless violence in our country will finally come to an end. Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer. Amen.