LETTER: Stop the Killing at Home and Abroad

I grieve with the families of innocent victims in Orlando Florida. The horrific violence carried out Sunday, June 12, 2016, against members of the LGBTQ community at the Pulse club by Omar Mateen is difficult to comprehend.

How could anyone do such evil?

Certainly the availability of military-style assault weapons in the US contributes to such massive casualties—49 dead and 53 injured.

But it doesn’t explain the source of such hate and violence.

More is becoming known each day. Several news sources now quote statements made by the shooter on Facebook in the early morning hours of the shooting.

“You kill innocent women and children by doing US airstrikes… now taste the Islamic state vengeance.”

In short, innocent lives killed for killing innocent lives. An eye for an eye. A cycle of violence. Vengeance for vengeance. Killing and more killing without end.

Solving the escalating killing of innocents will require more than banning military-style assault weapons, though that is a start.

What about the innocent lives killed on the other end of official US military assault weapons—weapons of war? Are innocent women and children killed abroad by US airstrikes, drones, special ops, etc., of less value than innocent people killed at home in Orlando?

There are reports that four million Muslims have been killed in US/NATO wars.

Even if that number would be cut in half, that still involves an awful lot of people killed, and without doubt, many completely innocent men, women and children.

Isn’t it time to stop the killing both at home and abroad, and build a world with liberty, justice and peace for all?

In truth, we are one human family. Let’s show by example that more violence, more weapons, more war and more hate is not the answer. Love is the answer. Love conquers hate. Let’s live aloha!