Christian Reflection and Prayer

PRAY, YES, BUT THEN ACT

Yesterday, two people armed in military-style gear
shot and killed 14 people and injured 17 others at
a holiday party in California. You've no doubt been
watching the headlines and reading about people's
"thoughts and prayers," but what is stunning is that
it wasn't even the only mass shooting yesterday.
Four others were shot, one killed, in Savannah, Ga.
Add it to the list of more than 350 mass shootings
this calendar year.

The epidemic of gun violence in America hasbecome
the new normal. We can't just blame it on the
brokenness of the world, pray for peace, and move
on, worried that anything more will be seen as
politicizing tragedy. What is tragic is that those who
have the ability to DO something about this crisis
refuse to offer more than simplistic sentiments on
Twitter before getting caught in a circular argument
about our rights as Americans. It's time for people of
faith to respond out of their faith and work to stop
senseless violence. As Nicholas Kristoff wrote in the
New York Times today: "It's not clear what policy, if
any, could have prevented the killings in San
Bernardino. Not every shooting is preventable. But
we're not even trying." Common sense measures like
universal background checks — which is supported
by 85 percent of Americans — would be a good start.

Tell your elected officials that while the NRA may give
them a positive rating — and bankroll their campaigns
— they're failing the American people by refusing to
offer any semblance of common sense measures that
could save lives.

"Thoughts and prayers" are not solutions for the
30,000 people who will be killed by a gun this year –
we need sensible gun safety legislation NOW.

Join thousands of others calling for action.

(by Jim Wallis)