Persisting to Demand an End to Gun Violence
By: Rev. Breanna Illéné, Content Curation and Ecumenical Innovation Coordinator
You may have noticed that there have been a lot of articles in our ENEWS about gun violence lately, and you are right. Gun violence has been at the front of our minds because this is an issue that is affecting so many in our churches and communities. From the inability to turn on the news without hearing about yet another mass shooting to the startling statistic that firearms are now the number one cause of death for children and teens it is an issue we cannot ignore and instead must ring the bell in alarm.
Last week, we were a sponsor at the Emergency Gun Violence Summit in Milwaukee. In this role, we invited people in our network to join us to fill a table with ten people at the Summit. We filled about half of the seats but were unable to fill it completely. I will be honest, I was a little disappointed. I wondered, was this not an issue that the Church cared about?
Upon arriving to the Summit, I looked around the room and realized why our table was not filled. It was because I saw our colleague from the Metropolitan Community Churches behind us, the ELCA had a table to our left, and the Episcopalians had a table up front. There were Methodists who bought their own tickets and Presbyterians sitting at the tables of nonprofit partners. Friends and members of the Council filled seats across the room at both faith-based and secular organizations. Part of the reason we struggled to fill our table wasn’t because the churches that are a part of the WCC’s network didn’t care, it was because we are integrated throughout the movement at all levels. Gun violence is indeed an issue that many in our network care about, and they are actively working towards solutions on a multitude of levels. The Church is showing up across the state.
The Summit was a powerful coming together of so many who are passionate about reducing gun violence in our communities. Angela Hicks, a WCC staff member and member at Bradford AME Church in Milwaukee, said, “We must do something because if we don’t get a handle on this soon, we will lose many more people to gun violence, including suicide.” The Summit highlighted the vast experiences of people affected by gun violence, from domestic violence victims to farmers affected by suicide to youth and beyond.
And we are led to ask, what can we do? The image that popped into my mind is the persistent widow in Luke 18. She continually comes forward, demanding justice. She does not falter, and because of her persistence, her request is heard. What does it mean to gather together to be like the persistent widow to demand safety for our communities? We heard report after report saying that the majority of people are in favor of policy that supports reform on guns. The entire summit was sponsored by the 80% Coalition, a coalition that includes the WCC and who takes its name from the fact that 80% of Wisconsinites support legislation like background checks on private gun sales and sales at gun shows.
Charles Franklin, Director of the Marquette Law School, reminded us that “Public opinion alone does not move policy.” People need to organize people to demand that their representatives and communities take action. We have talked about the Swiss cheese model of gun violence reduction, recognizing we need a variety of approaches and solutions.
One solution is policy for gun safety. Recently, three provisions were struck from the 2023 Wisconsin Budget; universal background checks; Extreme Risk Protection (ERPO) Temporary Restraining Orders and Injunctions and a sales tax exemption for gun safes, trigger locks and gun barrel locks. There is a plan to reintroduce legislation for background checks, ERPO, safe storage with children in home in June and we are invited to show our support for these bills in a couple of different ways.
First is in participating in Wear Orange Weekend. Invite your congregations to wear orange, lift prayers in worship, and invite them to contact their representatives. If you plan on participating, please let us know! There is an effort to show that events are happening across the state and we want to share about them.
Second, register for our Voter Voice Advocacy alerts. When legislation is introduced in June, we will let you know and equip you to contact your representatives on this and other important legislation.
Get creative! How can your church exercise some holy imagination to address gun violence in your community? Use our faith and gun violence study guide to learn more, have conversations, and take actions as a church.
We must continue to demand action. We must be like the persistent widow. Joining in prayer and action for safer communities. As the Summit organizing committee wrote, “So today let us share, let us listen, and tomorrow become the change that leads to a safer and more caring future for us and for the ones we love.”
