The moral fiber of our country rots from the acid of greed, fear, and insecure egos. We fear our neighbor, strong women, transgender people, gay people, foreign people and, simply, most people. We place our faith in guns not God.

We who heed the altar call of the Gun God harden our beliefs in the promised self-protection utopia. Child sacrifice - the blood of Columbine High School, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Sandy Hook Elementary, Freeman High School and more - flows deeply over this altar. The gun priests declare louder, “Be Afraid! Guns will save you!”

I’m done hearing “arm the teachers” or “pray for the victims.” As the blood of our children runs down the Gun God’s altar again, I cry out from a different God. Keep your guns and love your neighbor.

Demand universal health care, mental health care, a living wage, clean air, clean water good schools, and genuine care for the poor and marginalized. Get back some portion the moral fiber wound with the three threads of justice, love, and compassion. Only this moral thread can stitch up the wounds of our greed, fear, and insecure egos.

Rev. Gen Heywood, Pastor, Veradale United Church of Christ

Veradale