Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.
Violence based on ideological differences has become so normalized that I wasn’t surprised to learn that while I was sitting in my pew in Bloomington, thinking about the life of our church president who had passed the night before and enjoying the annual children’s program, in Michigan my fellow church members were fleeing violence, death and fire (“4 dead in church shooting, fire,” Sept. 29).
I knew it was just a matter of time until my church was targeted. Why? Because violence in speech and action have been normalized. Because we have so many church buildings in the country. Because there is an unreasonable hatred for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. People call us rigid, yet I don’t know of any other faith that believes that everyone will go to heaven. They call us Antichrists, yet we study the life of Christ and try to live according to his teachings. They call us “Mormon” because they don’t respect us enough to use our legal and preferred name. They don’t know that “Mormon” was originally a derogatory term used by people in the 1800s, especially those in Missouri who feared our pre-Civil War abolitionist beliefs and murdered, raped and drove our people out of their homes before making it legal from 1838-1976 to kill a “Mormon” in Missouri.
Was I surprised at what happened in Michigan? No. Did I think about how easily I could have been in that church building? Yes. Am I in mourning for those affected by this event? Yes.
Am I angry? Yes! I’m angry that our culture has normalized violence and hating our neighbor, that we allow the disparagement of entire groups of people and that we allow hateful speech. I’m angry that respectful debate and discourse has disappeared from our politics and news systems. No one has the right to commit violence, forcefully silence their detractors or make jokes at the expense of a group you don’t belong to. Hate is not acceptable.
The only way to make changes is to take action. Take a moment to reflect. Instead of judging, ask questions. Seek for holy envy, not just in other’s religions but their politics, cultures and identities. Support those who support peace and dialogue not judgment and ridicule. Show love to your neighbor and even your enemy. The only safe way to destroy an enemy is to make him your friend. Make friends.
Rachel Payne, Bloomington
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