George of Sylvania

Tag: mass shooting

  • Everytown, OH

    Everytown, OH

    By now I am sure you have heard about the mass shooting event that occured on Saturday during the Old West End Festival here in Toledo Ohio. This festival holds a special place in my heart, as my wife and I lived in the OWE when we were first married. The very first place we called “our” home together was an apartment on the corner of Parkwood and Acklin from 2011 to 2013. There are few places in the world where you get the understanding of what a neighborhood and neighbors are, and the first real time I experienced it was here.

    While I was not present for this uncalled for violence, like most people in this wonderful city, I have friends who were. The church we belong to participated in the parade for the first time in years, and my son and I left hours before this occurred. For months members spent planning what was our Pride celebration kick off, and the two mile march was a great time. But the next day, Sunday, our annual Wear Orange/Gun Violence Awareness service which happens the first Sunday in June, was more somber than usual.

    I pray and give thanks that no one was killed, the community and fest goers responded in the way we hope people will, I mourn the fact that it happened. At a vigil I went to with some friends on Sunday, I overheard someone say that they were surprised this hadn’t happen here yet. And I am disgusted that I too found it surprising.

    Ohio ranks 30 of 50 in gun laws, which is down from last year when we were ranked 29th, per Everytown’s website. It was also no surprised that when I too posted about this on social media asking people to call their reps and demand gun legislation that there were people parroting the “it won’t work” talking points. I’m tired of listening to them, or giving that point oxygen.

    Gun legislation now,

    gun legislation tomorrow,

    and gun legislation forever.

    I’m sure there will be more to come on this, but today my heart is weary. While as of writing, there is one suspect in police custody, an 18 year old kid that doesn’t have a fully developed frontal cortex. My friend Alyx I think summed up my thoughts best in their post when they wrote, “You can’t expect kids [or anybody] to care about a future we’ve robbed them of.“

    Flood your reps with calls, letters, emails, etc. demanding gun reform. If you happen to find yourself in Toledo this weekend, I highly encourage you to attend Unwanted Firearms Disposal event sponsored by the Multifaith Council of Northwest Ohio. If you’d like a sample letter to send to Governor DeWine to enact common sense gun safety executive orders, I’m happy to provide one.

    We don’t have to live this way.

    Grace and peace.

  • This is ameriKKKa

    This is ameriKKKa

    A few days ago a friend of mine posted an image on social media from the Department of Homeland Security that I thought had to have been photoshopped. Forgetting the people who are leading this country right now, I thought to myself, there is no way this could be real. To my horror and surprise it was real, and it is not fantastic. The image is of a presumably white protestant church with the words, “One Homeland, Under God” with a social media caption reading:

    But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

    – 2 Peter 3:18

    May our nation continue to be guided by the light of our Savior.

    This is white christian nationalism in action.

    This is the type of radical and blasphemous theology that leads to the horrific murders of our siblings.

    Yesterday Mansour Kaziah, Nader Awad, and Amin Abdullah were murdered in a house of worship. Abdullah was acting as the security that made it possible for this tragedy to not have been worse. As of the time of writing, only one of the murderers has been identified, both were teenagers. Hate speech was written on their guns. Allegedly there is a suicide note that contains white supremacist ideology.

    Last week in my post Ignorance Personified, I wrote about the kkk in America, and the fact that the leaders currently in power are still chasing those ideologies. For over a decade (and longer) the vilification of Islam, and the rampant Islamophobia that has been pushed by american leadership has been shameful.

    While walking up to a podium at a press conference, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria was confronted by an incredible woman who yelled, “This is a fucking direct result of your leadership! Your leadership! Our Muslim brothers and sisters have been talking to you for how long? You had to fucking listen to them, Todd, just like you did with ICE… Zionist propaganda. And you’ll keep doing it as long as it lines your fcking pockets, won’t it? Show something! Worse approval rating than a fascist dictator with shit in his pants.” She went on to say a few more things and you can watch the video here.

    Christian national theology is killing our siblings.

    I know I have been beating the drum of ripping out white supremacy wherever it takes root, and believe me I am tired of having to say it. But until all of us are free from this poisoned fruit, none of us will be free from it.

    You can support the community and families of those affected by the nonsensical violence by donating here.

    Grace and peace my friends.