On Sunday morning, as children put on their church play, a gunman walked in the door of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and began shooting.  I don't need to tell the story, its national news.  I had been batting back in forth whether or not it was appropriate to comment on this tragedy here.  To hell with what's appropriate...

I am devastated by the news.  My heart aches for the poor souls, my fellow UUs, the women, children, and men, that witnessed true horror.  My mind naturally wanders to a view of sitting in my own Fellowship Hall, to turn around to some stranger with a gun.  Sheer terror...i find it nearly impossible to breathe.

The gunman apparently hates liberals.  He was at his wits end, and had to take it out on someone.  I am finding it incredibly difficult to offer compassion to this man, but i am still trying to empathize with his desperation.  But i simply cannot relate to the progression that led him to hate in action. 

It is hard for me to imagine how someone could hate a group of people with core values that extend love and peace to all humans.  Unitarian Universalists tend to be very active in social action.  Is it irrational to not want all Americans, nay, all Humans, to have equal rights? 

I would like to think had this man walked into Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and simply asked for help...it would have been extended to him in whatever capacity was available.  It comes with the territory of being a "bleeding-heart" liberal that he apparently hated so.

What is this human desire to kill something beautiful?  Why are people hell bent on stamping out love where ever the light is shining?  

"Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule. " - Buddha