A coalition of faith-based and community leaders gathered at Milwaukee’s City Hall on December 20 to address what they described as a preventable tragedy, the recent mass shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison.
Hosted by the 80% Coalition, an advocacy group that includes more than 35 business, faith, and mental health organizations, the press conference brought together religious leaders, civil rights advocates, and youth activists to urge state legislators to enact commonsense gun violence prevention measures.
“We were shocked when we turned out our television sets, when we listened to the radio, to hear about the breaking news about another mass school shooting, this time in the state of Wisconsin,” said Darryl Morin, National President of Forward Latino and a co-founder of the 80% Coalition. “As a parent, like so many others, my first question was, is it at my child’s school? That feeling, that pit you feel in your stomach, that in your throat, it’s something that I don’t wish upon anyone. As information began to get shared, each parent at the Abundant Life Christian School lived in agony, wondering, if their child was going to be coming home. Wondering if there was gonna be a stocking for each one of their children over the fireplace.”
Morin and the other speakers demanded legislative action and reminded the public that steps taken now could save countless lives. Just four days after the shooting that left families fearing for their children’s lives, those assembled reflected on what many described as a heartbreaking and familiar pattern of avoidable violence.
They asked the public to consider the trauma inflicted not only on the victims and their families, but on students who survived and must now carry emotional wounds that can never fully heal.
Against the backdrop of a season meant to inspire hope, each speaker emphasized that such hope must guide determined legislative change. Representatives of various faith traditions stood in solidarity with the grieving community, offering both prayer and a call to action.
“In the midst of this holiday season, when so many of our faith traditions are celebrating the birth of light and hope and love, and yet here we are to mourn yet another situation in which gun violence has shattered the peace and tranquility of school, of a community, of a nation,” said Rev. Paul Erickson, Bishop of Greater Milwaukee Synod (ELCA). “There’s so much that we don’t know at this time about why this happened, but then there’s much that we may never know. But we do know that we need to do something to change the laws and patterns in our society that allow for too many guns that are too readily available. We need legislative action, and that action is long overdue.”
A stark reminder of the impact on young people came from a high school student who identified themselves as Izzy, a junior at Milwaukee High School of the Arts and a member of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort Youth Advisory Board. Describing the attack at Abundant Life Christian School, Izzy drew a chilling comparison.
“I’m currently 16 years old. The same day and same time as this tragedy was occurring, my friends over at Golda Meir School were in the middle of an hour-long lockdown due to shooting threats right here in Milwaukee. The truth is when I found out about both of these incidents, it was like hearing about snow in December. This constantly expected shooting in American schools has permanently desensitized children my age to gun violence,” said Izzy. “It’s scary. We hear the news. We live with this knowledge. We live with the fear that one day we will go to school and come home in a body bag. I’m scared. And I know that every single teenager that I’ve ever spoken to about the chance of being in a school shooting is scared too.”
Tyler Kelly, a Policy & Engagement Associate with the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE), highlighted that Abundant Life Christian School had now been added to the heartbreaking, ever-growing list of communities torn apart by gun violence. He underlined the harsh reality that guns have become the number one killer of children in the United States.
“Families are shattered. A school is forever scarred. Students who should be focused on math and science are now burdened by the weight of unthinkable trauma. Families who should be embracing the joy of the holiday season are now consumed by unimaginable grief. Gun violence is the number one killer of children in America. Guns take more young lives than car crashes or cancer, and every one of these gun deaths is prevented. Think about it. And yet, our leaders still haven’t done what’s needed to protect our children,” said Kelly. “We know there are popular constitutional policies that save lives. Universal background checks work. Extreme risk protection orders work. Safe storage laws work. These aren’t guesses, they are evidence-backed, life-saving solutions. States that pass stronger gun laws have lower rates of gun violence. But here in Wisconsin, we have inexcusably weak gun laws. The truth is, we’ve been failed. Failed by leaders who offer thoughts and prayers but no solutions. Failed by lawmakers who refuse to put the safety of our children above the power of the gun lobby. Failed by a system that lets shootings like this happen time and time again. Lawmakers have failed by generation by refusing to take action to stop gun violence. They now must act to protect the next generation from enduring these senseless acts of violence at school. Every day that we fail to act, we make the next shooting inevitable. Every day that we accept guns as the number one killer of our kids, we are saying that that is okay.”
Morin recalled a recent community event hosted by the 80% Coalition that featured a survivor’s parent from Uvalde, Texas. Kimberly Mata-Rubio, who lost her fourth-grade daughter in the Robb Elementary School shooting, had warned that Wisconsin could be next if it failed to enact basic preventive measures.
Her words, Morin said, proved prophetic. He reminded the public that while prayers and spiritual healing were essential, faith also “obliges us to act.” Morin urged every Wisconsin resident to call their state senators and representatives.
“We want you to talk to your state senator, we want you to talk to your state representative and say that it’s time that once and for all, we pass these overwhelmingly popular measures of universal background checks, of extremist protection orders, better known as red flag laws, and pass safe storage legislation so that those who are authorized to gain access to a firearm, so that they’re not able to gain access to a firearm,” Morin added. “If you are celebrating this season, if you’re out purchasing gifts for loved ones, let me tell you the greatest gift you can give all of us that you can give your children is that of health and safety.”
The 80% Coalition and its partners did not call for far-reaching or radical reforms but for steps that were widely supported across the political spectrum. They believed the only barrier was political courage. Years of offering prayers have done nothing to prevent the next school attack.
Policy changes might help prevent future tragedies, but without moral conviction, legislation would remain stalled. By bringing faith leaders, youth activists, and community voices together, the coalition aimed to present a united front strong enough to push past excuses and enact long-awaited reforms.
© Photo
Nam Y. Huh (AP) and 80% Coalition
