Am I My Brother's Keeper?

In the book of Genesis, after Cain kills his brother Abel, God asks Cain a question: "Where is your brother?" Cain responds with his own question: "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

This is a pivotal question as the rest of the entire Bible pretty much revolves around this question. Am I my brother's keeper? Am I responsible for my brother or my sister? (HINT: The Biblical response is a resounding "yes!")

Yet here in America, in our very individualized society, that's not what we believe, it's not how we behave, even though we claim that we are a "Christian nation." A Christian nation that doesn't uphold one of the primary Christian imperatives - caring for the neighbor.

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. I found myself yesterday evening grappling with the reality that when I said to people, "remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return," that just an hour south of me in Parkland, Florida, parents were receiving the news that seventeen of their children were indeed being returned to dust. I had parishioners with family members connected to the school, who either lived in the neighborhood or even had grandchildren who went to the school in question.

When I got home, I received a message from one of my best friend's from seminary that they were anxiously awaiting word on her cousin's daughter, who was unaccounted for. Throughout the evening, her cousin waited in a hospital with other parents hoping to discover that maybe their child was one of the ones in surgery, and not one of the deceased.

Just before 4 AM my phone buzzed with the information I was dreading... "My cousin's daughter was murdered in the shooting. Just got word." I didn't know the cousin or the daughter in question, but it still felt like someone had punched me in the gut and I burst into tears.

This morning more stories started trickling into the church office. How one parishioner's daughter who lived in the neighborhood and had lost several of her neighbors went around driving students she didn't know to someplace safe, trying to help reunite them with their families. Interestingly enough, the woman who did this had another neighbor chastise her, saying, "Why would you do that? You don't know those kids!"

Why would you do this? How is this your problem?

That is the question that plagues our society. How is any of this OUR collective problem, even when we don't know the victims involved? And how can we fix it? Are we our brother's keeper? Are we collectively responsible for this? (HINT: the answer is yes.)

Well, until we get over the primary mindset of "me first" in the United States... we won't fix it. It's that simple. Individualism is so ingrained in our society that we eschew any suggestion of what might be good for the whole, rather than what is good for me and mine. One of the campaign slogans that got Donald Trump elected sums it up best, "America First." Or the underlying premise: "me first."

The problem with this mentality is that what is ACTUALLY good for you and yours... might ultimately be tied to what's good for someone else.

While typically I shy away from publicly taking any "political" stance when I know I have parishioners who I pastor that will disagree with me and see this from a different perspective, my conscience will no longer allow me to say absolutely nothing. I'm a leader. In the church. And I believe the church has something to say about the senseless death and destruction that is running rampant in our society. I believe God has something to say about this.

So, at the risk of alienating some of my parishioners, let me break down the multiple issues we have to somehow address in this country if we EVER hope to stop the frenzy of gun violence. By no means do I think I have all the answers. What I do know is what we're NOT doing is not working. It's only getting worse. As the saying goes... "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result."

"People Kill People, Not Guns"
I hear this constantly from friends and family. The problem is the people who wield guns. It's a heart problem, it's an evil problem, etc. etc.

Well, duh.

Human sin and evil is nothing new. That is why God gave us laws that we needed to follow. To protect and preserve life because God knew that the human heart is prone to evil.

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" - Jeremiah 17:9 

"The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time." - Genesis 6:5

 "For out of the heart come evil ideas" - Matthew 15:19

"I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth." - Genesis 8:21

"Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." - Psalm 51:5

The propensity for humanity to commit evil atrocities upon one another is staggering - but it's not a new problem. It's been going on for thousands of years. We know we will never eradicate it on our own. But... do we say, "Well, since you aren't going to stop people from killing people or being evil, why bother enacting laws to try and mitigate it?"

No. We don't say that. Ever. At least, not with anything but guns. There we dig our heels in and insist laws won't work. Why? Because, some will argue, it's a mental health issue. Not a gun issue.

"It's a Mental Health Issue, Not a Gun Issue"
Our mental health care in this country is a travesty. Well, healthcare in general is rapidly becoming a travesty. I won't go into all the nuances, but let's ponder some of the arguments that are tied to this. There is clearly a large push back against nationalized health care. To be fair - letting the government run anything is usually a bad idea. I'll grant you that. That said, the fact that one major illness will send most people to the poor house for the rest of their lives because they can't pay off the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars they will incur in bills - even if they are lucky enough to have insurance - is both reprehensible and scary. I know I stress about it, and I'm not sick. And I have insurance. But what if I lose my job and suddenly get ill? I'm in deep trouble.

But let's put that aside. One of the arguments against any kind of nationalized healthcare system is "why should I pay for someone else's health care? Especially people who don't take care of themselves? People who don't deserve my hard earned money?"

That's a good question. Here are a couple of answers:

1. If you're a Christian - someone's worthiness to receive care does not matter. Period.
2. You would likely not deem one of these shooters as worthy of your hard earned dollars going toward their mental health care. And yet... if they had received the proper care, it's entirely possible they would not have gone and shot up dozens of children. So, you helping pay for someone else's care might save your child's life.

Funny how we're all connected that way. How not caring for others comes back to harm us. Maybe Jesus actually knew what he was talking about when he told us to care for our neighbors as ourselves. Maybe he understood... caring for the other is actually good for you as an individual. Because we all wind up benefitting when society as a whole is concerned about one another's well-being.

Of course, Jesus' directive winds up sounding dangerously close to trigger words in America: socialism or communism. That said, the kind of socialism we're afraid of is not democratic socialism, and communism was far more complicated than merely the desire for the welfare of all its citizens.

Oh, and we aren't the only country with unstable people. Every country has mentally ill people. Yet, their mentally ill people aren't going around shooting people every other week. Why is that? Why is gun violence a distinctly American problem? The US makes up less than 5% of the world's population, yet we are responsible for a whopping 31% of mass shootings. If life is so awesome, as almost every American will tell you we're "still the best country in the world," why are we one of the most dangerous when it comes to gun violence?

"It's our Second Amendment Right"
Well, actually, the Second Amendment states we have the right to bear arms for the purposes of forming a militia. A militia that, back in the 1700's, would have been armed with pretty much the exact same weapons as the government-backed military. To quote, verbatim: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Last I checked, we have no well-regulated militia. In fact, we want the opposite - no regulation.

The other irony is that most second amendment advocates are the same people who will demand you be hung or shot for treason if you kneel during the National Anthem when you protest government violence against its citizens, or do anything else that somehow is perceived as "disrespecting" the military.

So let me get this straight... you want to own guns to defend yourself against the very military you don't want anyone to ever challenge or "disrespect"?

That's. Not. Logical.

Also, our weapons have changed. Back in the 1700's, your militia and your government military were evenly matched. Muskets and maybe some cannons. Swords. Spears.

That AR-15 you think is going to drive the government away is no match for the bombs and tanks that will be unleashed if the government decides to come for you. Only way an armed resistance is going to take on the American military is guerrilla warfare or if some of the military personnel defect to the "other" side in the event of a civil war and bring some of those bombs and tanks with them. Just ask David Koresh at Waco how stockpiling weapons stopped the government from coming for them.

I understand the need to be able to stand up to our government, but let's get real. The only thing that tends to stop the government from obliterating people who threaten armed revolt is that it's bad PR. The day they stop caring about PR... well, they do have nukes.

That said - gun ownership in general is not the problem. The types of guns and the ease of access for anyone to get guns is the problem. Our founding fathers never could have even imagined our current state of affairs.

"People Can Use Knives or Cars, but You Aren't Banning Those!"
True, people CAN use other items. Funny thing, though. They don't tend to use those other things very often. They use guns. Primarily because the amount of damage those things can cause is typically mitigated, and guns are so easy to get a hold of. Literally more bang for your buck. Also, those items serve some other purpose besides death and destruction. Knives cut food. Cars transport us. I'll even concede regular rifles, shotguns and many handguns can be used to kill food, which is why I have no problems with those guns being made available.

An AR-15 or other semi-automatic assault rifle? Serves zero purpose other than to kill people. End of story. You want to protect your home from home invasion? Trust me... a handgun or a shotgun will suffice. I grew up around guns. I know how to shoot them. I'm not against people owning them for a variety of reasons (though I personally opt not to own any because I could never live with myself if I ever killed someone, even in self-defense).

"Gun Laws Won't Work"
"Look at Illinois! They have stricter gun laws than anywhere else in the country and still have the highest crime rate!"

Well, yeah. Because the states around Illinois do not have the same laws. Getting a gun in Indiana, Illinois' neighbor, is one of the easiest things in the world to do. Case in point: a friend of mine's colleague attempted suicide with a gun, and failed. He was put in a psych ward for a week. After he was released from the psych ward, he walked into a gun store in Indiana, checked the "no history of mental illness" box, and walked out with a gun right then and there. He then finished the job he started two weeks earlier and killed himself. Luckily, the only person he desired to kill was himself, and not take a bunch of other with him. That is not always the case.

So Illinois laws are indeed pointless when you can run over to Indiana and get whatever you need.

Also, our laws are SO lax, that I know an individual who went to Leavenworth prison for threatening to shoot people. He plead his charges down to a misdemeanor, so he's not technically a felon, even though that's what he was initially charged with. The day he got out of prison, guess what he did? Applied to buy a gun. I received a phone call from the local police department letting me know that he had filled out his license request using my address as an intimidation tactic. They called to verify that he indeed did NOT live with me, and to let me know that while they could reject that application because it had a fraudulent address on it, if he put his correct address and re-applied - there was nothing that could be done to stop him from purchasing a gun. A known sociopath with a history of violent behavior and threats... and there's nothing we can do to stop him.

Think about that.

I know he is not the only one out there. Honestly, I hold my breath every time there's a mass shooting and wonder if it's him. And there's nothing we can do legally to stop him. The cops already are aware. They can do nothing because of our current laws.

In Florida, where I live and where the latest mass shooting took place, there's a three day waiting period for the purchase of a handgun, and you have to be 21 years old. But an AR-15 assault rifle? An 18 year old can buy it same day with no waiting period. Yes, you read that right.

After 9/11, some men used four airplanes to kill over 3000 Americans. The response from our government was swift and immediate. There was no, "let the families grieve... now is not the time to discuss terrorism." It was all, "we're going to get those guys," and then a whole slew of new rules and regulations about what you could and could not take on a plane. Now I can't pass through security with my shoes on or carry a full bottle of shampoo. But after thousands of deaths from gun shootings... our response is to go, "rules and regulations won't work." "Now is not the time." Etc. etc. Regulation is fine... as long as it doesn't touch our beloved guns. Then we'll make every excuse for why it won't work.

Admittedly, I don't have all the answers on what the best form of regulation would be to effectively reduce the use of guns in mass shootings, but I do have some ideas - flawed as they may be. At least I'm trying to think of solutions, though, and not just shrugging and going, "well, that was tragic, but people kill people, not guns," and go about my merry way until the next school full of children is shot up.

What CAN we do?
Just a few thoughts. I recognize no laws or regulations will ever completely eradicate the problem. Yes, bad guys will still find ways to get guns. Yes, people will find other means to carry out their horrific ideas to harm others. But if any of these things could have stopped even 1 or 2... or even 10, of the 18 mass shootings we've had in the past two months... then I'll take it. I'd take anything that doesn't force me to try and offer comfort to families who are grieving the very preventable deaths of their children. Anything that doesn't make me sit next to my best friend at her cousin's daughter's funeral.

1. Let's start caring for our neighbors. Let's pass healthcare reform that makes sense and follows the Christian ethic of caring for our neighbors and the sick among us. In particular, mental health care reform. I'll gladly pay slightly higher taxes to ensure people get the help they need. Why? Because yeah, ultimately, I'll benefit if THEY get help. 
2. Mandatory psych evaluations. Even the military knows that the mentally ill have no business using a firearm. That's why if military personnel go on any kind of anti-depressant or seek formal counseling, they are immediately removed from active duty that involves using a gun. (Sadly, this also means many will not seek mental health because they don't want to be removed from duty) But if part of the process to get a gun involved taking a psych evaluation, that would eliminate many of the mentally ill. Of course, your second amendment proponents will claim this is "infringing" on their right to own guns. Again, this becomes an issue of whose rights are more important here? The individual right to own a gun? Or to uphold what the preamble of our constitution ensures:
   We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
   Living in fear of those people who demand the individual right to terrorize the rest of the country does NOT promote the general welfare and certainly does not secure the blessings of liberty. Our children are afraid to go to school because someone might shoot them. How is that liberty for all? No, it's only liberty for a few. Not for all. How is that insuring domestic tranquility? How does that promote the general welfare? So demanding that the people who own weapons of mass destruction undergo a psych evaluation to determine their mental fitness I don't think is too outside the bounds. There may be other logistical issues to this, but again - it's a start. It also solves the problem of the government looking into your entire mental health history that needs to remain private. The only information the government gets is the test you willingly take in order to buy a gun. 
3. Require two people to vouch for your stability. One of the aspects to Australian gun laws that I really like is requiring others vouch for your stability to own a gun. This also puts the responsibility of gun ownership not JUST on the gun owner - but on those around the gun owner. If that person uses that gun in a crime or to kill people, not only is the gun owner held accountable, but so are the people who vouched for them. This will make people think long and hard about how much they trust the person they're going to vouch for. There are one or two people I would vouch for... and that's it. This would significantly reduce the number of people that truly should not have guns getting guns. Because now it's not just on them... it's on all of us. We are our brother's keeper, after all.
4. Treat guns like cars. I heard someone recently offer this one up, and it makes a lot of sense. You have to have liability insurance to own a car. You have to have a driver's license that you must renew every few years to continue driving. Why do we not have the same kind of rules around guns? Prove your ability to know how to use it, and shoulder the cost of insurance should that gun ever be used in a crime. 
5. Hold the NRA accountable. The NRA dumps millions every year into campaign funds for our elected officials. If any Congressman tries to bring up gun legislation, the NRA will give millions to their opponent. Every time there is a mass shooting, hold the NRA accountable and make them pay the schools and the victims. (I know this won't happen because no Congressman will ever even suggest this given they're backed by the NRA... fun cycle)
6. Invest in our schools again. We have been steadily de-funding our educational systems over the years. You can't tell me there isn't a correlation between the reduction in staff and programs that could pay better attention to many of these troubled students and the rise in school shootings by students and former students. Congress has cut federal funding for our educational system by over 20% since 2011. Columbine occurred in 1999. No Child Left Behind began in 2001, which many would argue made a bad educational system even worse. Trump and DeVos of course want to defund public education and privatize it, continuing to hamstring our public education system. When President Trump wonders what can be done to stop school shootings - stop defunding the schools for starters. And no - do not arm the teachers! What a disaster that would be! Of course no student would ever be able to figure out how to access the guns kept in the classrooms or disarm a teacher who was preoccupied with, well, teaching. That's a terrible idea. Instead of armed guards at our schools, get more qualified counselors and psychologists, and maybe start paying our teachers what they're actually worth for a change. 
7. Begin to treasure people over guns and money. This one will dictate whether or not we ever enact any of the other suggestions. "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." What do we value in this country? Clearly, we value money. That's the bottom line. That's what we put over and above the safety and welfare of our children, over and above the health of our neighbors. The American Dream is all about amassing as much material possessions as we possibly can. This is what we treasure above all else. The almighty dollar. Our golden calf of idolatry. "You cannot serve both God and mammon." Therefore... where our treasure is, our heart follows. When we treasure things like the second amendment, individual freedoms instead of the common good, or NRA funding for candidates, our hearts will always put these things over and above the welfare of our people and children. Until we start to treasure our children and our neighbor over and above the almighty dollar, our hearts will always belong to an idol, and our children will be what we sacrifice on the altar of that idolatry. 

In short... until we begin to recognize we are our brother's keeper, get used to this. We will keep going through it. And it will ultimately destroy us as a nation and a people.