The following litany was written by The Rev. Betsy Aldrich Garland for the June 14th Memorial Vigil for Pulse Victims held by the Religious Coalition for a Violence-Free Rhode Island.
LITANY As People of Faith, as Rhode Islanders of good will, and as members of the LGBTQ community and their allies, …
LITANY As People of Faith, as Rhode Islanders of good will, and as members of the LGBTQ community and their allies, …
- We gather together this evening to mourn the victims of the Pulse Dance Club massacre in Orlando, to lift up those wounded in body and spirit, and to give comfort to those who grieve. Regardless of the color of their skin or their ethnic heritage, their blood is our blood, their sorrow is our sorrow, their memories are our memories. Our hearts are torn in two, again, by another senseless killing.
- We decry hate and violence anywhere but especially violence experienced by innocent people – parents and partners, sons and daughters, friends and co-workers – the best of companionship and community … turned into the worst of terror and tragedy … in the blink of an eye. May this be the last community fractured by gun violence.
- We deplore the availability of military assault firearms in the wider community, contributing to 29 mass shootings in the United States in less than 10 years, and the prevalence of guns, accounting for the deaths of 89 people every single day. In moral outrage and in commitment to the common good, we call upon our elected officials in Rhode Island and across the country to proceed with haste to enact sensible reforms to curtail gun violence, a national public health crisis.
- We despair the actions of terrorists who co-opt Islam – which translates as “peace” in Arabic – or who use any other of the world’s great religions for their own evil ends, and we deplore the public rhetoric which engenders fear in the wider community and which demeans and disrespects our Muslim neighbors, especially during this Holy Month of Ramadan.
- We open our hearts to the Spirit of Openness and Affirmation in all faith traditions which calls us to reject racism, sexism, homophobia, and economic elitism, and all other forms of systemic oppression that are part of our culture. Make us willing to change our lives in response to the call to love our neighbors and to work for a world of peace and justice for all.