Oak Ridge Ministerial Association responds to gun violence; steps of action
We are all experiencing heart-wrenching emotional distress in the wake of the senseless shooting of elementary school students and their teachers in Uvalde, Texas, as well as Black Americans gunned down in Buffalo, N.Y., and Taiwanese churchgoers shot in Laguna Woods, Calif., earlier this week.
Regardless of our political stances, we all are wailing and crying out over the deaths of these sweet souls. We also agree that Uvalde is another stark sentinel cry among an endless stream of warnings that schools — which should be safe refuges for learning and flourishing — are becoming battlegrounds in every sense of the word.
The Oak Ridge Ministerial Association (ORMA) stands in solidarity with all people in denouncing this violence in the strongest terms. Our many faith traditions also speak to the reality that words alone without actions are useless and dead.
As faith and community leaders, the members of ORMA recognize our role in discerning and proclaiming a plan of action to our individual worshiping communities and to the wider community of Oak Ridge. Our stand in the face of violence that robs us of our children, cuts down people out of hatred and prejudice, and seeks to rob all of us of our souls can only occur when we step out in courage to come together.
We offer these steps as ways to act with intentionality and faithfulness:
Pray
Prayer as a sentiment is not enough. Thoughts without actions are not helpful. But all of our traditions in ORMA recognize that prayer grounds us to a moral and ethical perspective that empowers us to speak out against evil and initiate change.
Speak out constructively
We also need concrete forms of action. Political advocacy, like calling your state and national legislators — repeatedly, if necessary — is a very real way that we can put our faith into action. Speak out for increased enforcement of existing gun laws. Insist upon universal background checks and waiting periods. Speak out against permitless carry laws. Support mental health advocacy and character education training.
A great deal of our anger lies in the fact that we correctly perceive our political institutions as doing nothing. But a democracy is based on the voice of the people being made loud and clear. And, if we don’t speak, there is zero chance of change happening. Speak to our political and law enforcement leaders in Oak Ridge. While they can’t make the laws, their voices carry weight. And their voices will be influenced by what they hear from our community. These actions will not make gun violence go away, but any steps to make these acts more difficult to accomplish will be well worth the effort.
Come together
ORMA’s strong belief is that these challenges provide us with opportunities to visit, dialogue, and share a meal to listen and learn what can be done. None of us individually has the answers for how to fix this problem. Together, we can achieve much more — and build a stronger community as a result.
ORMA is sponsoring regular community events called Periodic Tables. These are opportunities for all people in our community to come together for a meal and guided conversation. In August, Periodic Tables will be hosting table discussions about "school safety." Learn more about ORMA and Periodic Tables at ORMA’s website (ormaoakridge.com).
May we all feel the presence of the Holy One in these difficult days.
The officers of the Oak Ridge Ministerial Association and their churches are: Kimberly Montierth, president, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Bailey Norman, vice president, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church; Ronnie Bogard, treasurer, Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge; and Mark Flynn, secretary, First United Methodist Church.
This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Ministerial Association Responds to Gun Violence
