Bishops of the Diocese of North Carolina Respond to Violence in Texas
By Diocesan House
Grief, heartbreak and sadness ring out again in our wounded nation as we witness the latest painful eruption of violence, this time in Texas, at a Baptist church during Sunday worship. Our prayers offered for those killed or wounded and for their loved ones do matter. Prayer heals us. Prayer strengthens us. Prayer sustains us.
But we are at a point that calls for more than prayer, because if our prayers matter, so do our actions. According to the nonprofit research organization the Gun Violence Archive, yesterday was the 307th mass shooting in the United States in 2017 alone (GVA defines a mass shooting as any incident in which four or more people are shot or killed).
It is time to ask why, with incident after incident filling the news, are we still debating whether conversations about gun safety are needed? Why do so many insist on insinuating that any discussion about changes to the current norm means an intention to dismantle the Second Amendment? Why are we still unwilling to discuss that our Constitutional “right to bear arms” does not need to include assault-style weapons able to inflict damage at a rate far beyond the imaginations of our founders?
The hard work of leadership is before us, to act on the truth we already know: Our policies have failed us; our legislation needs to change; this is a systemic problem.
It is time to answer, “what can we do?”
Right now what all of us can do is pray, and use our pens. Pray, and use our phones. Pray, and use our voices and our votes, to hold our elected government leaders – at every level – responsible for enacting legislation to protect the lives of citizens. Elected leaders are supposed to represent us; on this issue, with every person hurt because of access to weapons such as the one used yesterday, they are failing us.
With all our hearts, we grieve for those affected by this latest round of violence. And with all our hearts, we pray for the strength to stay in the work – faithfully, peacefully, unwaveringly – we must do in so many areas if we are to become the Beloved Community we aspire to be.
Yours faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Sam Rodman
Bishop, Diocese of North Carolina
The Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple
Bishop Suffragan, Diocese of North Carolina
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