May 25, 2009 issue
Random acts of gun violence
By Gabe SchlabachPage:
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A few weeks ago, as I waited for a bus in Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown, five teenagers — three girls and two boys — clashed over a tacky, pink and silver backpack.
The Chinatown area is a safe, well-lit part of town, complete with restaurants, museums and the sports arena where the Washington Wizards play. On this particular night, the bus stop was brimming with people slowly edging away from the escalating argument.
The girl with the backpack swung it back and forth slowly, tempting one of the boys to grab it. Then she yelled at him, snatched it back and held it out again, repeating the cycle over and over.
As the bus pulled up, the teenagers continued bickering behind me. I took a seat in the middle of the bus, by the side door. Others boarded the bus, including the three girls, who continued the argument by yelling out the windows at the boys.
Then one of the boys began throwing glass bottles, which shattered against the side of the bus.
The driver rose from his seat and yelled at the boys. They responded by grabbing bricks from the sidewalk and pitching them at the bus, hitting the driver. He ran at them.
One of the boys pulled a handgun from his pants.
Everyone on the bus ducked, waiting for the sound of gunfire. Thankfully, it never came. By the time it was safe to look out the window, the boys had run away from the approaching sirens.
Another bus arrived, and I rode home thankful to God that no one had been hurt. The situation left me jarred, but also saddened by a society in which violence is reflexive and handguns are so easily available to juveniles.
Often when we think of gun violence, the typical stereotypes are of gang members and hardened criminals.
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Comments
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I am a firm believer in the Bible truth that whatsoever we sow, that shall we also reap. Since January, 1973, when the violent killing of innocent babies in the womb was legalized, it is estimated 50 millions babies have been killed. In addition, we have pushed God out of our schools and other areas of society and we wonder why there is so much violence. In short, we have sown violence and we are reaping violence. Add drug and, alcohol addiction and knives to the mixture and you have the ingredients for violence. In addition, the gun ban areas of the US have the highest crime rates. Mr. Schlabach should look at Switzerland which has the highest gun ownership rate in the world yet one of the lowest crime rates. It was Hitler who issued gun ban directives in his rise to power which enable him to take control of Germany. Because of Switzerland's high gun ownership rate, Hitler chose not to invade that country. Why more gun laws when there are already hundreds of restrictive gun laws in existence? People who promote gun ban legislation should do a thorough research on benefits of gun ownership by law abiding citizens.
I am thankful I live in an area where gun ownership for law abiding citizens is not restricted.
In the inner city gangs, it is quite likely that knive ownership rates for crime purposes is much higher than gun ownership. So why not promote knife control laws?
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Gabe Schlabach has some very good points reflecting on his personal experience. Thanks for the information of the new MCC guide to "Preventing Gun Violence". I plan to get a copy. Everyone interested in the sacredness of life should get a copy.
Mr. Welty wants to focus on "pro-fetus", not "pro-life". "Pro-life" includes everything after birth as well as before. That is why many of us also include, as pro-life, infant mortality (USA is about 20 in industrialized nations), accidents, war, suicides, injuries in war, abortions, murder, diseases, premature deaths because of obesity, alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, etc. I took Mr. Welty's advice and did a fairly "thorough research" of gun deaths. Anyone can do the same by searching "Gun violence" and many derivatives of that. I find that Mr. Welty did not do that or did not use that information. A May 6, 2009 release based on latest information available (2006) headlines, "States with higher gun ownership and weak gun laws lead nation in gun deaths". Listed as the top 5 are Louisiana, Alabama, Alaska, Mississippi, and Nevada. Each far exceeds the national gun death rate of 10.32 per 100,000. Louisiana household gun ownership is 45.6%. Their gun death rate per 100,000 is 19.58 (national 10.32). It is good to check the reason for the statistics we have--there is a reason for everything. You can check the reasons on the internet for the drop in abortion rates since 1988-about the first year of any decline. In regards to Switzerland's gun death rate: 1. Gun owners are licensed, 2. Guns are registered. 3. "There is strict screening of army officers and ammunition is stored in sealed boxes and inspected regularly." All 3 are strongly opposed by the NRA and many gun owners. Just as important: in Switzerland the households with guns is 27.2%, USA 41%. (Not every source gives quite the same figures.) The gun deaths per 100,000 in Switzerland is .46, in the USA 6.24. Mr. Welty used "crime rate". Switzerland does not have "the highest gun ownership in the world". Look on internet to get the facts. Dale, I learned over 40 years ago that the NRA and gun owner lobbyists are not the best source of information. England/Wales prohibit handguns, register firearms, license gun owners and have .07 homicides per 100,000 (USA 6.24). I also question the reason Hitler did not invade Switzerland--how do we know the reason? Also check about the use of knives in homicides vs. guns. "hundreds of restrictive gun laws"? One source reads that 22 of 24 gun laws are not enforced. I refuse to believe that God is not every where--even in schools. As President Reagan is quoted, "As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in schools".
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My response to Carl Smeltzer' comments. The question is, if the boy who drew the handgun from his pants had instead drawn a knife, do you think Mr. Schlabach would have written an article to MWR? No, I don't think so. The reason a letter was written, and reason MWR published it was because it was 'believed to be' a gun and here was an opportunity to write about the evil of guns. Mr. Schlabach states the boy with the gun was no outlaw. Really? How can this boy with the gun be the legal owner? If he is not the legal owner, he is in violation of the law and not a law abiding citizen and should be arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. Further, was it a real gun or just a look-a-like, designed to impress or intimidate? Mr. Schlabach does not know because no shots were fired, therefore, he assumes.
Mr. Smeltzer, I stand by my sowing of violence via abortion killings and the reaping of violence today you seemed unwilling to address. Since you enjoy issuing various statistics, tell us what the gun violence rates would be if you eliminated the impact of drugs, alcohol and high welfare rates among minorities in our society and then compare them to other cities or countries on an apple to apple basis. Regarding gun ownership in Switzerland, the following is a quote from Wall Street Journal Europe, June 4, 1999, authored by Stephen P. Holbrook "The U.N. study omits mention of Switzerland, which is awash in guns and has substantially lower murder and robbery rates than England, where most guns are banned". With that quote, I am doubtful of any other statistics you provide, therefore will not respond to them. Oh and BTW, the NRA was not a basis for any of my comments, sorry. Unsure why you have a bias against the NRA. It is a good and reputable organization protecting gun ownership rights of law abiding citizens and defending the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
One more thing, regarding MCC book "Preventing Gun Violence" and credibility of MCC. Israel does not occupy all the land that God deeded to them. In conjunction with that, God established an everlasting covenant with Israel and He states in Genesis 12:3, "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee". MCC is certainly not in the Israel blessing business but has frequent and deep criticisms of Israel which I consider comparable to low level cursing. Therefore I have no intention of obtaining or reading the MCC book, because in my mind it lacks credibility?
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"A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." I wonder,k Dale, if you feel listened to. I wonder if you listen to other people who do not agree with you. I know I am a stickler for facts and the truth. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. I'm glad that most of the writers in the MWR quote the Bible more often than the Wall Street Journal Europe or Stephen P. Holbrook.
I wonder why we are talking about Switzerland which has a homicide rate of .50 in 1998, England/Wales .15 in 2002 and do not talk about the USA with 3.98 homicide rate in 2001 (the dates given are on the same chart.)
I wonder why we quote Gen. 12:3 as "everlasting". The word "everlasting" does not appear until Gen. 9:16.
Why do I not see people quoting Exodus 40:15, "an everlasting priesthood"? Or other uses of "everlasting"? Psa. 24:7 mentions "everlasting doors". John 3:16 has the best use of "everlasting"--and that life (not earthly life) is most important to Jesus!
Now we are back to one of Gabe Schlabach's points.
Might you have given yourself away in the last sentence "in my mind"?
What is in my mind is not important. But I do put the Apostle Paul (who was right) in Romans 12:2 above Holbrook (who was wrong in his facts). ". . . be transformed by the renewing of your minds." I have been learning for many years that what I think will not last forever, but God's word will. Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets. Do people who quote the Old Testament over the New Testament believe Jesus? Did Jesus tell the truth?
I will go to the Bible study again tomorrow morning, the Lord willing, to again have my mind and life transformed. I need it. That is exciting!!
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Response B. Gabe Schlabach refers to MCC. Then a response refers to Gen. 12:3. "I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee." Doesn't an accurate reading mean that it is referring to Abraham and no one else? Was Abraham ever named Israel? Jacob was, Genesis 32:28, the first mention of "Israel" in the Bible.
The first covenant God made was with Noah. Gen. 6:18, 9:9. Noah interpreted it as an "everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures." Gen. 9:16, NIV.
Gen. 17:8, 9, "I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come." Do we just accept what God gives? And not do what God commands? Ex. 19:5, "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my material possessions."
We know the results. The children of Israel did not keep God's covenant. They broke it and Moses never entered the promised land while the Children of Israel wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. That theme of the broken covenant is throughout the history of Israel. That is why they were taken captive. While they were captive, were they residents of the promised land? After captivity until 1948, where was the land that they possessed forever?
Genesis 17:20, 21: Ishmael: "I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac."
The whole book of Ephesians pretty well debunks the present-day man-made theory that the current nation of Israel and the area was "deeded" to Israel. God was talking about people, not a political entity.
Hebrews (note the name) 8:6 "But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
For if there had been nothing wrong with the first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: 'The time is coming declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers. . . because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them. . .'" The new covenant was to be in their minds and written on their hearts.1 Peter 2:8, Christians have replaced the nation of Israel as "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God."
What does "Israel of God" mean in the context of Christians in Galatians 6:16?
Romans 9:2 the people of Israel have been cut off from Christ.
This is from the inspired Word of God and that I must follow.
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