Monday, April 29, 2013

Gun Violence Strategy

Gun Violence Strategy

It takes more than a speech to accomplish significant gun safety measures.  The status quo, defend at all costs, yield not a millimeter, soldiers of guns are organized and wealthy.  Their arguments are honed, compromise is not an option, common sense is not even on the table, and they will fight to the death.

But we will win!  Their strengths are their vulnerabilities.  We will be persistent.  We will be faithful. We will be loving.  We will work together.  We have a goal and we have a plan.  The goal is: LESSEN GUN VIOLENCE THROUGH THE POWER OF GOD, EFFECTIVE LAWS AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.  What is the plan?

ENGAGING IN PERSONAL AND COMMUNAL PRAYER.  Trust that God will guide and provide ways through.  God is the ENLIGHTENER through the Holy Spirit. This goal is about us and more.  God's will is to be done and gun violence violates God's will.  God's will is stronger than the will of the gun.  Through prayer we are channeling God's will, God's power, God's wisdom to make real the goal.  Pray as individuals and as groups.

APPEAL TO THE MORAL SUASION OF FAITHFUL PEOPLE OF ALL RELIGIONS.  The goal is about saving the lives of ALL people.  Discover the moral common ground by gathering an ecumenical community of faith for prayers and conversation.  Tap into each others' Holy Books and traditions to lift up the common threads of life. Moral suasion appeals to the human, the heart, the personal, the common life. Moral suasion moves us beyond and adds another level to our narrow personal political ideologies and philosophical arguments and opens the windows to the Spirit of Life, to common sense, to ALLNESS.

GATHER PERSONAL STORIES. Enlisting personal testimonies from those who have suffered gun violence either as survivors or parents and family members, or friends are often the most memorable arguments for gun violence actions.

COORDINATE ALL PUBLIC ACTION GROUPS.  Unite all interests of all faith and public groups. Since all of life is holy, united secular and overtly religious groups take on a sacredness. We have heard that it takes a village to raise a child.  It takes a diverse action coalition to advance gun safety.

UPLOAD GOOD JUDGMENT, RESPECT FOR OTHERS WHO ARE DIFFERENT, AND BASIC VALUES OF RIGHT AND WRONG.  I read this statement from the NYT columnist, Thomas Friedman.  He continues, "They have to be uploaded the old fashioned way, by parents around the dinner table, by caring but demanding teachers at school and by responsible spiritual leaders in a church, synagogue, temple or mosque.  Somewhere, somehow, that did not happen, or stopped happening, with the brothers Tsarnaev."   

GET FACTS AND STATISTICS STRAIGHT AND ACCURATE.  Use the finest resources.  Document sources.  Address your points of view and also the views of the other side.  Realize the statistical battle may be a draw. Yet, if our facts and stats are clear and accurate, they can stand strong. A draw is a victory.

ADDRESS SECOND AMENDMENT CONCERNS. Know that the United States did not have a strong standing army at the writing of the Constitution so the people needed to be ready to take up arms to repel an enemy, foreign and domestic.  We were also a largely frontier nation and people had to rely upon their own resources for food and protection.  Essentially, organized police forces were non-existent. 

GIRD YOURSELF FOR THE LONG HAUL.  Remember that we have thousands of years of violence and 224 years of Constitutional history to address.  William Wilberforce worked for 20+ years to pass a law outlawing the slave trade.  John Muir worked for seven years to unsuccessfully challenge the construction of the Hetch Hetchy Dam in California.  It took nearly 60-70 years to undo the damage of Plessy vs. Ferguson.  Never give up!  Never go away!  Be patiently persistent.  Work together.  Celebrate and weep together.

OPEN THE GATES TO ALL FORMS OF COMMUNICATION.  Write letters to the editor, preach sermons, make phone calls, appear on television and talk shows, sponsor house parties, make personal visits and calls to law makers, organize religious educational forums, draft resolutions for synod and church assemblies, sponsor marches, picket and boycott gun dealers, Tweet, use Facebook and all social networks, wear T-shirts with a message to halt gun violence, seize one-on-one opportunities, create bumper stickers, give out balloons with a message!

BE PASSIONATE!  BE FAITHFUL!  BE TOGETHER!  JUST KEEP GOING!  NEVER GO AWAY!  NEVER GIVE UP!

Peace!



  

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Courage vs. Cowardice

"Cowards die many times before their death;
the valiant die only once."
Julius Caesar
William Shakespeare

Cowardice!  Yesterday, the United States Senate voted down a bill that would have expanded background checks at commercial gun shows and for Internet sales, banned assault rifles, banned high capacity ammunition clips, and authorized stiff penalties for gun trafficking.  At the conclusion of the voting, Lori Haas, whose daughter was shot twice in the head at Virginia Tech, shouted from the Senate gallery, "Shame on you!"  President Obama echoed that sentiment when he spoke in the Rose Garden, backed-up by Sandy Hill parents, "A pretty shameful day in Washington."

Several surveys of public opinion indicated 80-90% support for background checks, including the rank and file N.R.A. members.  

However, fear ruled the day.  Fear of being "primaried." Fear of losing an election.  Fear of the power of the N.R.A.  Excuses were offered: This bill will lead to a Federal gun registry (even though the bill explicitly prohibited this action).  This bill violates the Second Amendment.  This bill will raise taxes.  "Criminals do not submit to background checks."  We have the right to protect ourselves.  Excuses fueled by fear.  Fear fuels cowardice.

Meanwhile, 30 people will be murdered today and 60 people will kill themselves.  Count 30,000 people a year.  The beat goes on.  The United States of America is #1 in gun deaths among Western civilized nations.  Is this the price of liberty?  Is this the example we show to the world?  Is this the greatness of our democracy?  Is this the crown jewel of our Constitution?  Is this the intended legacy of our Founding Fathers?

And some crow that we are a Christian nation?  "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."  Really?  Grace with no cost?  I recall Jesus lamenting while overlooking Jerusalem: "Would that you knew the things that make for peace."  Jerusalem is a metaphor for Washington, DC.

I also recall Isaiah 58:12b: "...and you shall be called repairers of the breach, the restorer of streets to live on."  I recall Paul in Philippians 4:8ff: "Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you."

What a minority of senators did yesterday was not true, was not honorable, was not just, was not pleasing, was not pure, was not commendable, was not excellent, was not worthy of praise.  The God of peace was not present in those deadly votes. Fear, cowardice, and evil won the day.

President Obama defiantly announced, "This is Round 1."  Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut prophesied: " The world is watching the United States Senate and we will be held accountable."

The evening of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr, Robert Kennedy spoke to a crowd of mostly African-Americans in an Indianapolis, Indiana park.  He quoted his favorite poet, Aeschylus: "Let us tame the savageness of man, and make gentle life in the world."  There were no riots that night. Today, in that park, is a sculpture of RFK and an African-American reaching out to each other in peace.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, 
for they shall be called the Children of God."

Do we have the courage to make for peace?  The courage to be guided by love rather than fear?  The courage to persevere for the sake of life?  The courage to be valiant?  The courage to let God's grace stir us to costly grace?

Peace!

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

TRANSFORMATIONAL CONVERSATION

How is one's mind changed when considering an issue about which you feel strongly? Specifically, take gun legislation.  If you were a legislator, what would cause you to reconsider your voting tendency regarding gun legislation?  These were the questions the Protect Minnesota Coalition was asking as we embark on a movement to pass strong gun legislation with a primary focus on universal background checks.  Here are some of the guidelines, many of which were successfully used during the last election when two amendments to the Minnesota Constitution were DEFEATED: one proposing tough Voter ID requirements, and the Marriage Amendment which limited marriage to only between one man and one woman.  What did we learn?

1.  Always focus on emotional and value-driven arguments about gun violence, not on the political food-fights in Washington or wonky statistics.  Similarly, arguments about the Second Amendment may be considered a toss-up with both sides claiming validation.  At least, put your side on the table, and then move on to personal narratives and value appeals.
2.  Tell stories with images and feelings.  Compelling facts should be used to back up the emotional narrative, not as a substitute.  Personal stories are the most powerful.  Statistics alone do not change hearts and minds.  At best, statistics may be considered a toss-up.  But they can help set the table.
3.  Claim moral authority and the mantle of freedom.  Combine faith statements with patriotic appeal.  Share Bible stories and Jesus' ethic of nonviolence.  Talk about everyone having the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness", including those who want stronger gun safety legislation.
4.  Emphasize that extraordinarily dangerous, military style weapons are now within easy reach across our communities.
5.  Emphasize that America has weak gun laws and don't assume that people know that.
6.  Challenge opponents on our terms, not theirs.  Be clear about what we are asking.

How about Dos and Don'ts?  Words matter!  Select words that nurture openness and not defensiveness.

1.  DO talk about "preventing gun violence."  DON'T talk about "gun control."
2.  DO advocate for "stronger" gun laws.  DON'T use the term "stricter."
3.  DO be respectful of disagreement.  DON'T use the term "gun nut" or other pejoratives.  It gives the other side a chance to cry foul and distract from the substance of our argument.

Key Principles:

1.  Emphasize background checks as one of the most powerful ways to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.
2.  Point out that background checks won't have their full impact until every gun sold in America is subject to a background check.
3.  Focus on the simplicity of background checks.  Avoid making the system sound complex.
4.  Emphasize that the purpose of background checks is to save lives vs. simply being inconvenienced.

What will follow are lots of telephone time, email time, speaking time, lobbying time, conversation time.

Protect Minnesota is aware of what is politically possible this year: UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS.  We wanted more, such as an assault weapons ban and a large magazine clip ban.  These  bills are too far "this year." 

My major focus will be helping to organize all faith communities in the State of Minnesota.  Churches, synagogues, and mosques have the moral, values, and personal weight to call people to responsible, common sense action.  I know of no better structures to make the case for gun safety.  Silence or timidity from the faith communities would be tantamount to denial of our confessions and surrender to ideological whims.

Thank you Colorado, Connecticut, and New York for leading the way with strong gun safety laws.  We will work to stir Minnesotans to similar commitments.

Blessings and Peace!