A Reverse Town Hall to End Gun Violence - Sept 17

Finding Common Ground: A Reverse Town Hall to End Gun Violence

A Statement From Rev. David A. Miller, Senior Minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax

We seem to be living in a world of false dichotomies, especially in our political process. Being in ministry over the past decade, I have come to realize more than ever that although there are some certainties in the world, life is rarely clear cut. In the past few years, with the preponderance of high-profile acts of violence utilizing technology never possibly imagined by our founders, the political arguments have tried to place us in a constant flow of us versus them, whoever us is and whoever them may be. I know this not to be a certainty. I have met liberals, conservatives and others who have been personally impacted by gun violence. I have seen police, white, black and people of all races and backgrounds suffering the horrible loss of a loved one. I have personally been tormented by the faces of children whose gifts will never be extended and whose legacy I will not forget.

With that as the foundation, I also still deeply believe in our ability to come together to solve issues that threaten to unravel the threads of our common humanity. We all must do what we can from where we sit and in the words of Robert Kennedy send “forth a tiny ripple of hope.” To that end, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, located at 2709 Hunter Mill Road in Oakton, VA, is holding an event that we hope will support a more productive and hopeful way of moving forward. On Saturday, September 17, 2016, at 6 p.m., we will host Finding Common Ground: A Reverse Town Hall to End Gun Violence. The goal is to break the stereotypes that often come with the labels "gun owner" and "non-gun owner" and start to find the common ground that can help end the heartbreaking level of gun violence we are experiencing in our country. Through this event we hope to allow creative ideas to surface in a productive and respectful environment.

The event format will be as follows: Attendees will be seated at tables according to ZIP codes. A Virginia legislator who serves that constituency will be at each table. After a potluck dinner where attendees introduce themselves to each other, each table member will tell his or her story and then listen respectfully to the stories of others. There will be no cross talk, debates or political arguments. After each table member has told his or her story, the legislators will reflect on what they have heard and offer their perspectives. The table conversations will be facilitated to ensure respectful sharing of views.

The following Virginia state legislators have agreed to attend: Senators Adam Ebbin. Barbara Favola. Jennifer Wexton, and Dave Marsden; Delegates Jennifer Boysko, Ken Plum, Kathleen Murphy, Marcus Simon, Rip Sullivan, Jr., and Vivian Watts; and LuAnn Bennett, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Although we can be never sure that this approach will succeed in creating meaningful change, we refuse to give up trying.

Reservations and information can be found at uucf.org/finding-common-ground.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax. 2709 Hunter Mill Road, P.O. Box 130, Oakton, VA 22124. 703-346-3027. uucf.org