rights, firearms and me

As I've previously stated in my blog, I'm part of the responders to the Lexington Herald Leader's Faith and Values Questions of Faith.  Their latest [question] has to do with the Second Amendment, guns, our rights, etc.

This was a particularly hard question for me to answer, mainly because I do not like to offend people.  And for whatever reason, [actually, I suppose we know most of the reason] sharing one's thoughts on gun control can open up a proverbial can of worms.

I have friends, close family members and I'm fairly certain neighbors who have guns and believe strongly in the right to [bear] them.  I cannot recall ever touching an actual gun in my entire life.  I have no desire to fire one, own one or even look at one.

In May of last year, a young man was shot and killed across the street from our home.  My son walked home from his bus stop on a Thursday afternoon to a crime scene.  Whether or not the guy killed was involved in something he should have been, is beside the point to me.  Someone fired a gun and killed him.  Life over.  Wasted.  Done.  Another young man sent to prison.  Another life most likely wasted, at least for quite a few years.

Last fall I stood in front of a middle school while a group of school staff, a couple of my coworkers, and a lady from an apartment complex across the street gathered to pray for the school and neighborhood.  A young man had been shot point blank at the apartments a week or so before.  Another life wasted.  People left behind.  Kids who think having a gun is the answer.  Revenge.  RIPs on Facebook.  Domestic issues someone wants to take care of, but ends up creating a gazzillion more.

Just yesterday, a youth was shot in the neighborhood in which my husband works.  He's employed at the Lexington Rescue Mission.

Yes, I realize these are [urban] cases.  Violence in the [not so great part of town].  Kids involved in stuff they shouldn't be.

Bad guys are going to have guns whether they're legal or not.  We hear that all the time.  We have a right to guns.  We have a right to protect ourselves and our families.  We hear that all the time too.  But at what point do we decide enough is enough?

Here's my contribution to the Herald Leader.  The italicized section was left out by the newspaper.  I guess that's their right. [as long as we're talking about rights.....]   Or you can read it at the HL site:

www.kentucky.com

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If you own a hand gun or assault rifle, or basically anything beyond a rifle used for hunting, and have ammunition for the gun, I would surmount you are prepared to wound, if not kill another person with it.  You have already made the decision you are willing to take a life, most likely in a split second decision.

When I compare that scenario with the Sermon on the Mount, I do not see the parallels.  When I look at the words of Jesus, I read nothing that encourages me to grab a literal weapon and be prepared for a shoot out.

People often bring up the issue of 'rights'.  There are those who don't care to own a gun yet still believe they have a right to, and of course, those who do own, often preach on and on about the Second Amendment.  If I believe in living life aligned with the teachings of Jesus, I have to be willing to give up my 'worldly' rights.  As followers of Jesus, our citizenship is to be in heaven, so our rights here don't matter all that much.

This past spring, my son walked home from his high school bus stop to a crime scene.  At approximately 3pm on a May Thursday, a nineteen year old was shot across the street from our home. He died a few hours later at a hospital.  While arming our home might seem like a safe and reasonable response to such violence, I choose to disagree.  Teaching our 18 year old honor student with excellent hand-eye coordination from years of drumming to defend the family with a hand gun might seem the smart idea, but I differ.  I choose an example of peace and reconciliation.

mistaken identity

A while back I decided I'd ask the Lexington Herald Leader about the possibility of being a writer for their Faith and Values section.  I explained a wife.mother.ministry-wife might be able to lend a point of view they were lacking.  They kindly told me they actually like the man who is currently their main writer [he's not so good in my opinion and doesn't even live in Lexington].  They did suggest I become a contributor to their "Question(s) of Faith", which they print numerous times during the year.  The QofF writers are faith leaders in our community.  Many are well known pastors.  At least one is a priest.  I am neither [I'm sure that comes as a surprise], but my original contact at the HL began listing me as Wife of Vineyard Community Church Associate Pastor, or something like that. At that time, my husband actually was on staff at VCC.  I really didn't care so much as to what they labeled me, as I was just happy to be able to say I had something I wrote printed in the paper.    My husband eventually switched jobs and I no longer was a minister's wife.  I let the HL know and they began simply listing my name, no title.  

At least they didn't list a title until this most recent edition of the QofF:
Central Kentucky faith leaders share resolutions for 2013

For whatever reason, they once again listed me as the wife of a VCC pastor.

Funny.  I haven't been in over a year.  And it really isn't that big of a deal.  Except newspapers are supposed to print accurate information.

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I get what the newspaper is doing.  They want to quote folks who play some sort of role.  They want credible people writing for them.  Or at least they want someone with a title which deems enough credentials to pass as a reliable source.

We seem to want people to be what we want them to be or who we want them to be.  I've written this before.  I'm often reading of fictional characters who are living this.  People see them as one person; they see themselves as another. I'm guessing the reason for this in fiction writing is that it mirrors reality.

It's interesting to me that we often assume  people are in their particular job or role because it suits them or they have always aspired to the position.  I, for instance, did not plan as a child or teenager to be in an administrative job.  I saw myself as a teacher or in some sort of artistic role.  I never had the thought, "Gee, it would be great to wear navy blue and be a business woman someday."  I never thought, "How wonderful to be in charge of answering the phone."  In fact, just a few nights ago one of my kids asked, "Mom, why weren't you an English teacher?"  Then my son reasoned, "Because you wouldn't know how to handle it when one of the kids stood up, said F-you and walked out of the classroom."  Okay.....maybe that's one reason, and apparently he's witnessed this type of behavior at his high school.  Disciplining kids has never been my strong suit.  But, I do often wonder why I didn't become an English teacher or a librarian or a radio disc jockey.

We all have an agenda.  We do what we do for a reason.  Whether it's our job, our role as a parent or spouse, why we go to the gym.  And we don't all do the same thing for the same reason.  Some of us work so our kids can go to college.  Some of us work because we absolutely love what we do.  Some of us are somewhere in between.

But sometimes others have an agenda for us too. 

I believe one of my biggest realizations of 2012 is that my agenda, my reasoning, who I conceptualize myself as being, doesn't always line up with other people's agendas.  In other words, who I think I am or thought I would become might not be so, because it's nowhere on the radar for the person calling the shots.  This can end up being a source of disappointment. 

Yes, I know I shouldn't put my faith in people, but in God.  I know as young people we're motivated by, "You can be anything you want."  Yet, we're identified not necessarily by our abilities or possibilities, but by what's convenient and how our particular piece fits into the puzzle.  And it's not just related to our careers and occupations, but also in our positions as family members and roles we play in society at large.

Nobody really wants to be a pawn.  Yet I think that's what many of us become.  Simply a way to help others accomplish what they want to. If it sounds like I'm angry, I'm not.  Well, actually sometimes I am.  It's just that really we should call it what it is, not play and pretend.

The truth is, the Lexington Herald Leader doesn't really care what I'm all about.  They just want 10-12 people to respond to their "Question of Faith".  They've got their plan, their agenda so to speak.  Likewise, others might convince themselves of my interests or abilities to fit their puzzle.  Or they might never consider me at all, depending on the situation. 

We categorize people.  We make people, in our minds at least, what we want them to be.  And sadly, it's often a case of mistaken identity.

I'm hoping in 2013 to be less assuming of others and not allow myself to be as confined as I've been in the past.  That can mean being vulnerable, which is frightening, but also hopeful.