SCC Hosts Vigil for Victims of Gun Violence: Mayor to Explore Ban on Assault Weapons

At dusk on Sunday, December 20th over 100 people gathered on the grounds of The Scarsdale Congregational Church for a vigil for victims of gun violence. "This event was so meaningful because people of all faiths and ethnicities came together. The Bible, Talmud and Qur'an were all quoted making the same points against gun violence," said Suzanne Kelly a participant in the vigil.

Reverend Frances Wise Grenley, Senior Minister of the Scarsdale Congregational Church introduced the event organizers Pat Colella and Bonnie Mitchell, who are the Church's Co-Chairs of the Task Force to Address Gun Violence. Colella welcomed the crowd, explaining the event was being held in commemoration of the third anniversary of the Sandy Hook School shooting in Newtown, CT where 20 first graders and six teachers and staff were shot by a 20-year-old. Held in conjunction with the Newtown Foundation, Faiths United to End Gun Violence and Everytown Survivor Engagement Network, the vigil was one of many nationwide. "Today we are honoring the 90,000 Americans killed by gun violence since Sandy Hook," Colella explained. She went on to say that "each of us can make a difference...together we can make a difference." In particular, Colella urged attendees to write their NY State senator and the leadership of the State Senate to pass Nicholas's Law, which would require the safe storage of guns. The law is named in memory of Nicholas Naumkin, who was accidentally shot and killed when his friend took his father's pistol out of an unlocked drawer. For a list of other action items and information compiled by the Task Force, click here.

During the vigil, For Good Measure, the Scarsdale High School A Capella Group, sang Lift Every Voice and Sing. Rabbi Jonathon Blake, Senior Rabbi at Westchester Reform Temple played the guitar and led the group in singing Blowin' in the Wind and Assistant Cantor Amanda Kleinman from Westchester Reform Temple led in singing Let There be Peace of Earth.

In addition, Rabbi Jeffrey Brown of Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanuel, Reverend Mark Snyder, the Senior Pastor of Scarsdale Community Baptist Church and Dr. Avi Javed of the Upper Westchester Muslim Society read passages supporting peace and non-violence from the Talmud, Bible and Qur'an, respectively.

Rabbi Jonathan Blake spoke on how gun violence is a religious issue. Blake noted that religious people have played a role in this debate on both sides of the issue. However, Blake feels there is a compelling case from our shared religious traditions to cherish human life and to save a life. Blake called for universal background checks, and a ban on the sale of high capacity weapons and ammunition, which he believes have no civilian purpose. He also advocated that gun trafficking should be classified as a federal crime and that current gun laws should be enforced, along with printing ID numbers on guns, promoting the development of smart guns (which can only be activated through the fingerprint of their owners) and mandatory videotaping of gun purchases.

"This year marks the first time the annual death toll by guns is greater than the death toll by motor vehicles," Rabbi Blake said. He went on to ask that we all demand change and not let a politically influential minority impede our ability to save lives. "Change is never impossible, " Blake concluded.

Scarsdale Mayor Jon Mark began his remarks by noting that our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms has given rise to an unanticipated problem in that today's semi automatic assault weapons and large-capacity magazines were never envisioned when the first ten amendments to the Constitution were adopted in 1791.

Mayor Mark went on to say that in early December, the US Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to Highland Park, Illinois' ban on assault weapons. Some legal experts have interpreted this move as strengthening municipalities' rights to determine how best to protect their communities. Mark noted that a Scarsdale resident wrote him recently asking why Scarsdale does not adopt legislation similar to Highland Park? "That is a very good question, and one I have given much thought to", said Mark, who then promised that he would be exploring this issue with the Village Board in the weeks ahead.

For many, the emotional highpoint of the vigil was when the Rev Frances Wise Grenley of The Scarsdale Congregational Church lit 33 candles while the church bell tolled. Each candle represented 1,000 Americans killed by guns each year. Rev Grenley said, "Life is a sacred trust, and we are the guardians of that trust. We must ask ourselves, what kind of stewards of life are we? In our individual choices and our choices as a society, we must ask ourselves where our priorities lie. We mourn the lives that are destroyed by violence. May we be strengthened to do our part to move our nation toward a more peaceful, compassionate and just way of living together in this our common home."