ENOUGH!

Until last year, my congregation heard me speak fairly often about gun control. It is something that I am passionate about, and I was grateful that no one complained about the subject coming up in so many of my sermons, and happy that so many voiced support and agreement.

About a year ago, I stopped. Not because I stopped caring. But because it seemed to be a lost cause. I felt more than helpless; I felt hopeless. Our nation’s leaders seemed to be conspiring to ensure that limitless numbers of guns and countless amounts of ammunition would be available to anyone and everyone.

In June, when a gunman shot and wounded a congressman and others who were practicing for a charity baseball game, I wondered if our government officials would act, since some of their own were injured. But they did not.

My friends, I am sick and tired of hearing about mass shootings. I am tired of people asking after the safety of my daughter who lives in South Korea, while I worry more about the safety of my daughter who lives in an American city. I am sick that the shootings go on and on, and we do nothing. I am ashamed that I stopped talking about gun control, and I am angry.

Get ready, because I’m going to start speaking out again. I’m going to rejoin the Brady Campaign to help stop gun violence. I’m going to use my money, my voice, and my time to do whatever I can, so that the next time this happens — and with a heavy heart, I feel certain there will be a next time — I won’t be ashamed that I did nothing.

While searching for an image to use, I found this, which while it is a great sentiment, is not enough. I want us to go much, much farther. I want us to get rid of this scourge on our nation, on our communities, on our civilization.