Gun Violence: What More Can We Do?
The May 18 shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego (ICSD) and the Wear Orange observance of National Gun Violence Awareness this Sunday leads many of us to ask what we can do to loosen the grip of Gun Violence on our country and deal with the aftermath when the unthinkable happens.
Here are several suggestions.
We can show up. Several St. Mark’s parishioners did just that on May 19 at the Interfaith Prayer Service for the ICSD shooting victims. Read more about the importance of showing up in Chris Tumilty’s article about the event and sign up for Neighbors Blessing Neighbors.
Get in touch with EDSD’s Gun Safety Working Group to work together on Gun Violence related issues within our own diocese.
Approach Gun Violence personally in terms of your own gun ownership. Do you need the gun you own? Is it licensed? Do you exercise safe gun ownership? Is your need for a weapon real? Why have you chosen not to own a firearm?
Examine your own appetite and attraction to violence-as-entertainment in general and Gun Violence in particular. How might movies, video gaming, and other media platforms which celebrate and extol violence-as-entertainment influence your attitudes, tolerance, acceptance of Gun Violence? How do you monitor and limit your own and your family’s exposure to violence-as-entertainment?
Familiarize yourself with California gun laws and regulations.
Research San Diego police department’s regulations regarding gun licensing and current statistics. Learn the basis for approving or denying applications. Are licenses based on demonstrated need or the absence of prohibitive reasons? What is his commitment to limiting the number of guns in your community?
Contact local gun shops and clubs and ask about their regulations on purchases or memberships, gun safety education program offerings, and efforts to address Gun Violence. Are they allies in the work of reducing Gun Violence?
Contact local, state, and national elected officials requesting information on pending Gun Violence legislation, studies of the effectiveness of existing laws, and their own positions for use in determining your future political support.
Research existing non-profit organizations, such as Moms Demand Action (Kasey Zahner’s group) that address Gun Violence, including their sponsorship, philosophy, effectiveness, finances, and other factors, to determine which if any you will join or support.
Research the history and statistics of the modern Gun Violence era.
Learn the teachings, position statements, and programs related to Gun Violence developed by The Episcopal Church, Bishops United Against Gun Violence and other religious bodies and consider how they might be applied locally.
Network with others who are developing Faith-based responses to Gun Violence.
Initiate conversation with family members, friends and acquaintances who are gun owners and advocates on ways to work together to address the shared problem of Gun Violence.
Pray for the victims of Gun Violence and their families, the perpetrators of mass shootings and their families, our society and its leaders, gun owners and advocates for an end to such tragic events, and any whose lives have been, are, or will be affected by Gun Violence.
Finally, avoid becoming numb and inured to ongoing incidences of Gun Violence. Disengage if necessary but remain informed. Stay the course on learning about Gun violence issues and solutions, and keep praying and reflecting on the senselessness of each life lost and affected by Gun Violence.
Most suggestions are from an article by the Rev. Russ Allen from the Parish Visitor, June 2021. Some have been adapted. Article source: https://bishopsagainstgunviolence.org/what-more-can-we-do-about-gun-violence/