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Friend:
Once again I write to you from a place of heartache and outrage. I’m sick for all the families in Uvalde, Texas; Buffalo, N.Y.; and the countless communities mourning lives stolen by gun violence and hate. I’m devastated for all parents and kids who have to worry every school day. And I’m tired of religious extremists’ disregard for American values and lives.
Yes, I mean to link gun violence with religious extremists. As Dr. Sam Perry, a University of Oklahoma professor who has written two books and numerous scholarly articles on Christian nationalism, explains, “guns are practically an element of worship in the church of white Christian nationalism.” And that’s because guns are necessary to preserve and protect what is perceived as God-given white Christian power. Indeed, many of the political responses to the Uvalde massacre are right out of the Christian nationalist playbook. Just a few examples:
- U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas) on Newsmax: “The United States of America has always had guns. It's our history. We were built on the Judeo-Christian foundation and with guns. … We took prayer out of school decades ago, we had the Roe v. Wade abortion [decision] in 1973. … Our founding fathers said this type of republic cannot survive unless you have people of faith."
- U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Twitter: “We don’t need more gun control. We need to return to God.”
- U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) on a conservative radio station: “I think the secularization of society, I think in many cases the loss of faith” are to blame for mass shootings. “I think the solution is renewed faith.”
- Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told Laura Ingraham on Fox News: “For those of us who are Christians we need to take a hold of our country and we do that through prayer. You cannot change the culture of a country without changing the character of the people, and you just cannot change character without changing a heart and you cannot do that without turning to God.”
Perry’s study demonstrates that many religious extremists hold gun rights “sacred above every other right.” Given the list of the rights provided in the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution—the Bill of Rights—more than 4 in 10 white people who said America should be a Christian nation named the right to keep and bear arms as the most important right. “Not freedom of speech. Not even freedom of religion. Gun rights,” bemoans Perry.
We don’t yet know what motivated the teenager who murdered 19 children and two teachers in a Uvalde elementary school. But we know religious extremism has spurred plenty of others to commit acts of violence, including the recent shooting in Buffalo. We know Christian nationalism and gun worship are intimately correlated. And we know that, in pursuit of power, Christian nationalists are willing to topple our democracy and unwilling to do anything about gun violence beyond calling for more Christian nationalism.
With your support, Americans United will never stop fighting against religious extremism and the harm and havoc it wreaks on our society. We will continue to push for a country where parents feel secure in sending their children to school and where people feel safe to attend a house of worship—or to worship no religion at all. That is the vision of freedom and equality all Americans must work toward.
Please consider forwarding this email to a few friends so that they too can join our movement.
In solidarity,
Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO
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