NOT AGAIN
by Thomas P. Bonacci, C.P.
I owe you an apology. I have been late in responding to the massacre of the children in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. I am almost too stunned to respond. An eighteen-year-old boy, groomed to violence by political indifference, the worship of guns, and the greed of corporations, shot his grandmother, two teachers, and nineteen children in their elementary school.
The reports said he was acting alone. The lying must stop. He acted out because the gun lobby has corrupted the political leadership of our Nation. What sense does it make to sell weapons of war and 375 rounds of ammunition to a boy who just turned eighteen? Why on Earth does anyone need an assault weapon? Our Nation’s addiction to violence is realized and symbolized in the false god of a gun. The Nation cries out for help, healing, and conversion of heart. There are fifty million more guns in the United States than people.
The courts have failed us. The Supreme Court continues to enable the dismantlement of the civic right to vote as it empowers the ability to kill. A culture of death reigns in the land as the blood of our children cries out from the ground. The madness must stop.
I hesitate to write this because I want to do more than write statements. Thoughts, prayers, and expressions of sympathy ring hollow as the powerful and the greedy continue to attack what is decent and right with their twisted logic. They want us to believe gun violence can only be stopped with more guns.
Every time I see a child, I offer a prayer for their well-being and safety. I want to hug them and tell them they are safe and loved. The time has come to bless the children. I fear the children of Uvalde will be forgotten as so many others have been forgotten. The number one killer of children in our Country is gun violence. We do not need a vaccine to cure this virus but a heart. I sense the desire to kill is becoming more important than the right to live.
We need to speak up. We need to stand up. We need to vote responsibly. We need to hear the cry of the children. For the moment, let us never forget:
Nevaeh Bravo, 10
Jacklyn Jaylen Cazares, 10
Makenna Lee Elrod, 10
Jose Flores, 10
Eliahna Garcia, 10
Irma Garcia – Teacher
Uziyah Garcia, 8
Amerie jo Garza, 10
Xavier Lopez, 10
Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10
Tess Mata, 10
Maranda Mathis, 11
Eva Mireles – Teacher
Alithia Ramirez, 10
Annabell Rodriguez, 10
Maite Rodriguez, 10
Alexandria Aniyah Rubio, 10
Layla Salazar, 10
Jailah Nicole Silguero, 11
Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10
Rojelio Torres, 10
In Peace,
Thomas P. Bonacci, C.P.
Executive Director
With The Board of Directors
The Interfaith Peace Project
Notice
As things begin to return to a new normal, we at The Interfaith Peace Project are here for you in any way that you need us. The Antioch Center is now open to fully vaccinated people on Wednesdays, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. We are vigilant and will adjust to any and all recommendations from the state and county. We will continue our work through Zoom as we add in person programs. If you would like to schedule an in person or Zoom program or would like a phone appointment with any of us, give us a call. You may call or email Tom at:
Tom Bonacci
925-787- 9279
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