‘Put your gun away …’

“Put your gun away; for all who take the gun will perish by the gun.” — Matthew 26:52

We were saddened to hear news of the shooting this morning at the offices of the Family Research Council. Our hearts go out to the shooting victim, his family, and his co-workers.

The motivation and circumstances behind today’s tragedy are still unknown, but regardless of what emerges as the reason for this shooting, we utterly reject and condemn such violence.  We wish for a swift and complete recovery for the victim of this terrible incident.

“For those inclined toward prayer, we ask that you pray for the security guard and for all the others who were targeted and are now undoubtedly shaken up by today’s events. For those not inclined toward prayer, we ask that you keep them in your thoughts.”

A few hours ago, a man walked into the Family Research Council’s headquarters in DC, where he shot and wounded a security guard before guards and bystanders subdued him. This should go without saying, but that was a despicable, cowardly, immoral thing to do. There is categorically no place for this kind of violence.

… the Southern Poverty Law Center didn’t simply lob the label “hate group” at the FRC and let people react as they may. It carefully and soberly spelled out its case: the FRC doesn’t just criticize gays and lesbians, it speaks of them in totalizing and demonizing ways. And it relies on junk science to do this. According to the SPLC, this constitutes a form of hate.

In any case, violence is certainly one form hate can take. But I’m not convinced the solution is to refrain from applying the word “hate” to other, lesser forms. Better to use the word with care, be clear about what we do and don’t mean, and commit ourselves to Martin Luther King Jr.’s conviction: “Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

“Several anti-gay groups and their representatives wasted no time in actually blaming the LGBT community and/or liberals and progressives for this morning’s shooting at the Family Research Council‘s (FRC) Washington, D.C. headquarters, during which a security guard was shot in the arm. Others merely used the event as an opportunity to position themselves and the anti-gay lobby as victims …”

All hate groups have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics.

… Hate group activities can include criminal acts, marches, rallies, speeches, meetings, leafleting or publishing. Websites appearing to be merely the work of a single individual, rather than the publication of a group, are not included in this list. Listing here does not imply a group advocates or engages in violence or other criminal activity.

“Homosexuals are far more likely than any other minority group in the United States to be victimized by violent hate crime.”

The Family Research Council (FRC) bills itself as “the leading voice for the family in our nation’s halls of power,” but its real specialty is defaming gays and lesbians. The FRC often makes false claims about the LGBT community based on discredited research and junk science. The intention is to denigrate LGBT people in its battles against same-sex marriage, hate crimes laws, anti-bullying programs and the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

“Well, I like the American culture, such as it is, but let’s get rid of the [frakking] guns.”