Ralph Yarl was seriously wounded for ringing the doorbell of the wrong house. Kaylin Gillis was killed for mistakenly pulling into the wrong driveway. Both were victims of white men toting guns, armed by their own fear and paranoia, shooting first, facing questions later. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? To faith in our fellow man or woman? To the benefit of the doubt? We are living in a society that promotes systemic violence and fear of others. The Bible says, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the son of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” These shooters, clouded by their own societally-fed panic and alarm, reacted as they have been systemically taught: Be afraid. Young Black man? Strange white woman? Not my neighbor. Not the son (or daughter) of my people. Shoot first.
What might have been the outcomes had no guns been involved? We will never know. Thoughts and prayers are no antidote to a country so wed to its weapons. At what point is enough enough? At what point do conservatives and gun lobbies see the true horror of what they have wrought? At what point will we lay down our arms, set aside our fear, and rediscover faith in others? Ralph Yarl and Kaylin Gillis are just the latest in the long list of innocents victimized because a man entrapped by systemic fear had a gun. We are all the children of our people. We are all neighbors. We must seek to rediscover the respect and faith in others that we see and seek in ourselves. Then, maybe, we can tune out the conservative noise, and resolve our misunderstandings non-violently. Imagine. No guns. Just, “Sorry sir, my mistake. I’ll get out of your hair.” And everyone gets to go safely home to their loved ones, no harm done. Just imagine.
