Opinion: We All Have Blood On Our Hands From Newtown

Now that social media is being utilized as a barometer of the American public’s thinking on gun control, I decided to engulf myself in reading the many opinions on the horrific events in Newtown, Connecticut where so many children and brave adults lost their lives to a madman with a military style assault weapon.

What I found curious after five days of reading is that there are three categories of people: the  angry ones who want all guns banned; the ones in denial who believe guns are never part of the problem of violence in this country; and the rational ones who are stunned that weapons are even allowed to be sold.

What most have to realize is when the amendment was made, people were using muskets. It took the most skilled person to get maybe two or three shots off in a minute back in the 1700s.

The evolution of the gun has changed dramatically and is a much more fierce weapon of ending human lives in a quick, tragic manner. So, the second amendment is outdated, written hundreds of years ago during a completely different era.

What I also find astounding is that many who defend this amendment are believers in Christ, the same Jesus who told his apostles to drop their swords at the betrayal in the Garden that night some 2,000 years ago. Hmmm. Look how long it’s taking us to understand Jesus’ message of peace.

I find it appalling that fellow Christians who go to church every Sunday and talk about Jesus’ message also find it comforting to own a firearm.

Imagine if we all owned guns? Oh right, those were the times of the Wild West. Why do you think historians refer to this time as the “Wild West?”

Have we all gone mad?

Have you?

Is owning a gun that important to you? Is it necessary to be able to possess a military style assault weapon based upon the second amendment? Are we still fighting the British?

Do you realize that by not banning such assault weapons more mass style killings will be, NOT could be, in store for us as a country? Do you want more children’s blood on your hands?  It’s on ALL of our hands for being ignorant and non-responsive to these killings in the past.

How much more blood will be spilled from our children’s bodies until we WAKE up and decide the second amendment should be AMENDED?

I plead for you to look yourself in the mirror on Sunday as you dress for church. Ask the person in the mirror, what would Jesus want? Would He want you to be so passionate about your guns instead of being passionate for the poor and homeless? Perhaps your passion will lead you to post pictures on Facebook or twitter or anywhere about wanting drug testing for gun owners as opposed to people who can barely feed themselves.

Do you really believe in Jesus?

Jesus. You know Him. The son of God who preached peace! The son of God who ignored Judas’ pleas to take on the Romans in violent confrontation and instead gave up His life for us so we could live in peace – in our hearts -- forever.

I wonder what Jesus would think about our second amendment. I wonder how much He has cried watching the adults stand by and let it happen over and over and over again.

Because we all let Newtown happen. The politicians on both sides of the aisle. You. ME. Every single one of us. 

Wishing everyone a peaceful Christmas and holiday

We can change the gun culture in this country. Take a look. It doesn't mean the second amendment is removed. But some strict changes can move us in a more non-violent way.

*From a CNN report: In Japan, you cannot buy a handgun or an assault rifle. You are allowed to buy a shotgun or an air rifle. However there are several steps. 1. You have to take a class and a written exam. 2. There’s a skill test at a shooting range. 3. There’s a drug test. 4. A mental evaluation. 5. If you pass all these steps, you have to file with the police who do a background check. In 2008, the U.S. had 12,000 gun-related murders. Japan had 11. This is more than double that number were killed in the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.

Michael John Sullivan is an author living on Long Island. Certainly a flawed Christian, he has written two novels, Everybody's Daughter and Necessary Heartbreak. He is currently working on his third novel, The Greatest Christmas.