Clergy Blog

July 7, 2022

Dear Friends,

“Choose Life.” These words from the Book Of Deuteronomy are an apt, two-word encapsulation of the central message of the Torah. In expounding on these words, we tend to focus on the second word: Life. But a mandate to choose life, as opposed to death, is hardly profound. I suggest, therefore that we focus on the first word, on the notion of choice.

In the Garden of Eden, in a world of perfect harmony and cooperation, choices were not necessary. But that sort of life was unsustainable. Moreover, without the mandate to choose, there can be no good or evil. And so, God endows us with Free Will, the ability to judge for ourselves, to live by the consequences of what we choose and, by choosing well, fulfill the hopes of the God who created us. Without choice, we simply...do. It is only when given a choice can we choose Good over Evil. It is the human challenge to choose Good.

This message is reinforced at the very end of the Torah. Moses, speaking in the name of God, is well aware that the world will offer choices to the Children of Israel. There will be options and difficult situations when it will be hard to make the right choices. And, it is not possible to know, at any given moment, what those choices will be. So, Moses counsels, make choices that are life-affirming, choices which reflect the values I have taught. The act of choosing, you see, is the supreme opportunity given to us, as human beings. To live up to the Holiness God has assigned to human beings, we are entrusted with the charge to choose and, hopefully we choose that which is Good. Moreover, since the option exists to choose ways that are evil, harmful, and violent, the choices we make are of the greatest importance. Life, you see, is about the choices we make.

What should be the response to the horrific mass murder which was perpetrated in Highland Park, IL? Are there words of condemnation strong enough? Are there words of sympathy that can heal even a small part of the wounded hearts which so many now must live with forever? I certainly have no such words. All I can say is, if I had the words, I would use them today. The question today, however, is not what we can say. The question is what can we do? I believe that there are some things that can be done, particularly in the area of gun control.

First and foremost, the NRA must help. This murderous episode was committed as a premeditated and carefully planned act of murder. This was not a matter of someone being forced by some outside authority or compelled by inner voices to murder innocent people who had gathered for a parade on the 4th of July. This was simply a single person choosing death and evil. But equally as important, let us not forget the other instances of mass murders committed from Columbine until today. Let us not overlook the fact this year there have been over 300 mass shootings in the US so far this year (Washington Post, June 2, 2022). We are living in a society of violence and wanton murder.

We now understand that we cannot rely on those who buy guns to assure the safety of the larger society. Were it the case that guns were used for hunting or sport shooting, and even for personal protection, not for mass murder, one might make the case that gun sales do not endanger the rest of society. But now we know better. We know that we, today,are endangered by those who choose death over life. And therefore, we must make the next choice: to deny access to guns in a way which can assure the safety of the rest of us.

Personally, I would favor a full repeal of the Constitution’s Second Amendment. But, understanding the difficulties involved in such a repeal, there is still much that can be done. Beginning with far-more extensive, national background checks to a full ban on assault rifles, the rifles use in the most deadly instances of mass murder. And here, it is the NRA which must exercise their power and their humanity. It is our distinct ability and charge to make decisions for life. And here is the choice most clearly on the side of Life.

And something else. The Gun Control Bill which has been passed recently by Congress, touted as historic, is an insult and a farce. In it is an agreement that assault rifles can no longer be sold to individuals 18 years old. Now one must be 21. Is there any reason to think that someone with murderous inclinations cannot wait to carry out premeditated acts until they are 21? That is just silly. But it is another aspect of the bill which is both insulting and dangerous.

Connected to this bill is a not-insignificant amount of money designated to help fund access to mental health opportunities for young people deemed ”at risk”. Having spent my life in a field which touched often on matters involving mental health, I should be pleased to learn that more money is being spent to address mental health needs. But, connecting this money to Gun Control is a sinister and misleading move.

This legislation is simply wrong for a variety of reasons:

1. There is no evidence that the acts of mass shootings and murder are being perpetrated by people with identifiable mental health issues. We should assume, therefore, that despite attempts at intervention, we will not see a change in the numbers of shootings we are witnessing.

2. This bill provides cover to the NRA and those who oppose gun control by suggesting that they are, in fact doing something to help. In truth, they are not.

3. The most nefarious aspect of this bill is the implication, of course, is that these acts of mass shootings and murder are perpetrated by people who are mentally ill. We can feel better, therefore, that those “sickos” will be identified early, thereby giving them the necessary treatment to prevent these violent acts from occurring.

In a single bill passed by Congress this country takes a major step backward in the stigmatization of those with mental health issues. Now, it will become an assumption that one pool of suspects in acts mass shooting and murder are those who are in need of mental health treatment. And so, for those who take anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medication, you (and I) too fall into that pool.

I cannot offer words which can heal or lift the pain from those who now carry the pain and trauma of such violence. I can express solidarity and a sense of shared outrage not only that this tragedy has occurred, but that this has occurred again in our country. But I can say that, those in pain and those who stand with them, must demand change in our gun laws. For the sake of our country, for the sake of our children and for the sake of our humanity charged with choosing life, we can no longer wait to Choose Life.

B’Shalom,

Rabbi Neil S. Cooper