Health & Fitness
All Eyes On Washington
A gathering of clergy in Washington, DC as the Senate finally addresses the issue of gun-violence.
I drove down to Washington D.C. Thursday with a rabbinic colleague for a gathering of Newtown clergy and other clergy of all faiths calling on Congress to pass reasonable, sensible gun legislation.
"We have stepped down from our pulpits and left our houses of worship to remind Congress we’re not going anywhere until they pass meaningful legislation that bans assault weapons and high capacity magazines, institutes enforceable universal background checks, ends gun trafficking, prosecutes straw purchasers, and invests in proven strategies reduce the gun violence that plagues our cities every day,” the Rev. Michael McBride said in advance of the vigil.
The Rev. Jim Wallis, president and CEO of Sojourners, said "It’s past time for our political leaders to find the moral courage to act. The majority of our country supports change, and 92 percent of Americans support universal background checks, but unfortunately powerful lobbyists for gun manufacturers have some politicians scared to do what they know is right.”
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More than 3,300 mock grave markers were set up on the National Mall representing the 3,300 people who have been killed by gun violence since the Newtown massacre.
Not far away, the big news was that enough votes had been mustered—68 to 31— to permit debate on the issue to proceed in the Senate. Even that had been in question until late Thursday morning. And now the hard work begins.
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To read more about the interfaith vigil see the report in the Washington Post and another the report in the Huffington Post.
Rabbi Mark Sameth - named one of the 36 most inspiring rabbis in America by The Jewish Daily Forward - is the spiritual leader of Joyful Judaism: Pleasantville Community Synagogue an inclusive, progressive synagogue – with members from twenty towns, villages and cities all across Westchester and “A Hebrew School Your Kids Can Love.” Read The New York Times article. Follow Rabbi Mark on Twitter . Weekly meditation at the synagogue every Saturday morning at 9 am is open to the public; everyone – without exception - is welcome and warmly invited. OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND, APRIL 19 – 21. OUR MEMBERSHIP DRIVE IS ON. See “Top Ten Reasons to Join PCS” - as well as service times and events - at www.ShalomPCS.com.
