Recently, I attended a large event organized by my church’s diocese and held at a conference center in Springfield, Illinois.  Thousands of fellow Catholics attended the event seeking inspiration, renewal, community… a closer relationship with God.  Unfortunately, I found it very difficult to focus on any of those things.  This is not because of the event, which was a joyous celebration.  My problem was due to my inability to fully immerse myself in what was going on.  It all started as I entered the conference center.  As we got to the door there were numerous volunteers verifying that you were registered to participate.  They were wonderful folk who were happy and anxious to welcome you, but they certainly were not the typical security we’ve become all too accustomed to encountering.  There was no other security at the entrances, no metal detectors or bag searches… you know, the things we now anticipate having to deal with at any large events.  I was carrying a backpack (full of music and stuff) and immediately started thinking that this could be the perfect, “soft target”.

As the day progressed my mind came back to these thoughts over and over again.  Kim and I were part of a hundred voice choir that was going to be singing for the mass which would culminate the day, so we had a rehearsal in one of the meeting rooms.  As we settled in for rehearsal my mind went back to… “soft target”.  The room was fairly large, but it only had one entrance.  There was no security at the door, no verification that the folks filing in were supposed to be there.  As we practiced, I thought about how easy it would be for someone to enter with ill intent and, once inside, what could stop them…

Finally, it came time for the mass.  As I watched the procession of deacons and priests, I found myself thinking about how worthless the swords being carried by the Knights of Columbus would be against a mass shooter.  Instead of focusing my attention on this proclamation of God’s love for us and our devotion to him, I found myself continually thinking about… the “soft target”.  Don’t misunderstand me, there were police on hand, but based on what I could see it was a small number located primarily on the floor.  Depending on timing and location I couldn’t imagine how they would be able to respond to an incident.  I continually looked around the arena searching for individuals that appeared out of place, noticing that the top tier of the bowl was dark and vacant (what a perfect location), and thinking about what I would do should something happen.  How would I get to Kim to protect her?  What was the closest location for shelter (under some nearby bleachers by the way)?  Were there any escape routes (it would all depend on where the perpetrator was)?

We finally got to communion, and I witnessed the organized chaos that occurred as folks came forward to receive the body and blood of Christ.  I realized that many of the bleacher rows only had a single entrance / exit to stairs on one end.  This led to significant bottlenecks.  I saw some folks kneeling to take communion and witnessed the additional confusion this added to the crowd trying to move around the hall.  The floor of the hall was a sea of people, and the “soft target” thought was invading my thought, even as I sang the communion hymns.  My God, if a shooter was up in that third tier how could the small police force on duty get to them?  How could people escape from those bleachers?  If someone fell on the arena floor what would happen?

Thankfully, nothing happened except that I missed out on much of the joy that occurred.  Subsequently, I reflected on the day and my thoughts of a “soft target”.  I realized that I have become so accustomed to heightened security, metal detectors, bag searches, etc. that I became concerned when it wasn’t there.  I spent time profiling people and planning escape strategies.  When did I lose my innocence?  When did I become so accustomed to mass shootings that it became a real option for me to consider while attending this joyous event?

In 2023, so far, there have been at least 565 mass shooting in the United States (that averages to about two per day).  Mass shootings are defined as incidents in which four or more victims are shot or killed.  A few days ago, we witnessed the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, where at least 18 people died and 13 more were injured.  In 2023, so far, our nation has experienced 35,453 deaths and 68,487 injuries from mass shootings.  For reference, in 2022 there were approximately 645 mass shootings and 690 in 2021.  Clearly, we are on track to break our past records.  Folks, this is insane!  Heck, we are at a point where many would question whether four victims should qualify as a mass shooting!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! WE NEED REASONABLE GUN REFORM, LEGISLATION AND LAWS NOW!!! These reforms should include the banning of assault weapons, the banning of expanded clips, the elimination of all loopholes to background checks before purchasing guns and ensuring that an individual has the knowledge, demeanor, and competence to own a gun before they get one. This is not an attempt to ban guns, it is an essential action to improve individual safety while allowing law abiding gun owners to continue to have access to guns for recreation and hunting.

Now, before anyone decides to start to raise those well practiced arguments against this:

• Please don’t tell me that you need an assault weapon or expanded clip for safety. Never in the history of our nation has a situation occurred where such weapons and clips have been used by a regular citizen to protect themselves. Please don’t try using the example of the teenager who drove to Kenosha and used an assault weapon for murder or to defend himself (choose your answer). He went there looking for trouble. Can you actually imagine a situation where you are asleep in your house only to be awakened by the noise of someone in your house?  Would you really leap out of bed, grab an AR-15 and open up on the perp?  How many rounds would you really need and how quickly do they need to be fired?!
• Please don’t say that you need an assault weapon or expanded clip to protect yourself should the government run amuck. Here’s a news flash for you: assault weapons and expanded clips will not save you should the police or military decide that you need to be apprehended. So far there has only been one thing in common in all mass shooting, the individuals involved end up dead or captured.
• Please don’t use that tired old phrase, “If assault weapons become illegal only criminals will have them.” I read a lot of news, and I can’t think of one example… unless you include TV shows (those aren’t real) where professional criminals are using assault weapons against normal citizens. When it comes to assault weapons, I am far more concerned about them coming into the hands of someone with a grudge, who is unstable, or who is misguided.
• Please don’t tell me that you “want” one for fun. Are you really willing to say that your fun is more important than the common good and the need to increase public safety? If you go out target shooting or hunting, please just reload your rifle, shotgun, or pistol.
• Please don’t tell me that you must have an assault weapon or expanded clip for hunting. Since when does anyone need either of these for traditional hunting activities (squirrels? ducks? rabbits? deer? doves? bear…) Further, I’d point out that my Illinois friends who are hunters have been limited on the number of shells their shotgun is allowed to hold for years. Let’s admit it, assault weapons and expanded clips are intended for situations where an individual is trying to take out multiple targets at the same time. Bottom line, they are designed for war and the killing of other humans in large numbers.
• Please don’t reply with that old line that “it won’t help”. You don’t know whether it will help or not because we haven’t tried it. Further, I can’t think of any reason how common-sense gun reform could hurt.  However, I have plenty of evidence that assault weapons, expanded clips, and the absence of background checks have hurt… have killed… a lot.
• Please don’t tell me that this violates the Second Amendment. First of all, let’s make sure that we all know what the Second Amendment says: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” When the Founding Fathers wrote the Second Amendment an organized militia was necessary for public safety because we didn’t have a standing army. This is no longer the case. We have an abundance of police and military personnel to maintain security for us. In addition, when the Founding Fathers wrote the Second Amendment all weapons were muzzleloaders. I am absolutely happy to allow all U.S. citizens to own all the muzzleloaders they want. Further, when the Founding Fathers wrote the second amendment all weapons were single shot. How does a Constitutional Amendment enacted in a time of single shot muzzleloaders justify assault weapons and expanded clips? Could our founding fathers have even imagined the guns that are produced today?  Finally, assault weapons were banned in the U.S. from 1994 to 2004 without any Constitutional questions.  The legislation just had an end date and wasn’t renewed due to the lobbying of the time.
• Please don’t tell me that background checks violate your privacy and individual freedom. Here’s a news flash for you, we require far more training and accountability before a person is allowed to drive or own a car… and more Americans now die from guns than in car crashes (look it up). Maybe if we required everyone to undergo training and licensing for guns, like we do cars, we could address some of the problems?  In point of fact, we require greater accountability to drive a car, own a car, obtain a credit card, get married, obtain insurance, buy a house… than we do to own a gun.  Heck, we won’t even let a person drink till their 21… but they can buy an assault weapon at 18.

I totally respect an individual’s right to own a gun for personal safety, hunting and / or recreation, provided they are competent to own and handle one. But no average citizen needs an assault weapon or expanded clips. Banning these items, and increasing background checks and red flag laws, will reduce the risk that an individual who is a threat to themselves or others, will gain access to a weapon designed to kill people.  I would argue that they could have prevented what happened recently in Maine.

Bottom line, we have all lost our innocence regarding gun violence.  We expect heightened security and become concerned when it’s absent.  I for one don’t want these expectations to grow for future generations.  I don’t want to see bulletproof armor become the required uniform for school children and mandates that all teachers carry an assault weapon!

Sorry this blog isn’t an upper…