A Tale of Two Churches

It is almost too easy to point to two recent mass incidents as example and counter example of the righteous person able to act.

West Freeway Church of Christ

Sunday Dec 29 2019  Dickless Asshole entered the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas during Sunday services.  Dickless, characterized by the FBI as “relatively transient with roots to this area," pulled a shotgun from under what appeared to be a long black coat.  He then shot and killed Anton Wallace and Richard White, members of the church security team before two additional members of the church security team shot and killed him.

The entire shooting was captured by the church’s security camera and was available, but has since been taken down by YouTube. The entire incident, from the time the shooter pulled out his gun until he was shot, is reported to have taken six seconds.

Jack Wilson, credited with stopping the assault is identified as a former reserve deputy sheriff and long-time owner of a firearms training academy. “I don’t see myself as a hero. I see myself as doing what needed to be done to take out the evil threat.”

On the other side of the spectrum, on Saturday Dec 28 2019, another Dickless Asshole entered services at Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg’s Shul in Monsey, New York during a celebration of the seventh day of Hanukkah and the end of Shabbat.  Armed with a machete he stabbed five people and at least one victim remains seriously wounded.

A license plate number and description of the car was obtained and the suspect arrested and charged with five counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary.  Judge Rhoda Schoenberger has set bail at $5 million. The judge has also said that Dickless, if released, must forfeit any firearms and stay away from the alleged victims.  

NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo has described the attack as an act of “domestic terrorism.”  Dickless’s court-appointed attorney said that Dickless has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.  Wisely, no one has come up with bail.

Two stories about the need to defend yourself.  There are points about each worth review.

First gut reaction: the West Freeway Church had a security force.  They anticipated the possible need for a reactive response to violence.  They had a plan and they carried it out.

From the little I can tell there were no security precautions in place at Rabbi Rottenberg’s Shul.  I have to wonder if the members of Rabbi Rottenberg’s congregation saw themselves as protected people beyond the cares of this physical world.  We don’t know if anyone was armed and prepared.  I suspect not.  

As of this writing, no one has died, but it is interesting that if Dickless does make bond, the court requires that he must forfeit any firearms.  I suspect he doesn’t have any because he didn’t use them.  He must also promise to stay away from his victims.  Again how do you enforce that with someone willing to hack people apart?

In New York the politicians are riding the domestic terrorism pony and demanding more gun control, better background checks and of course more federal funds.  Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is violently anti-gun calls it ‘domestic terrorism.’

 

Frankly, does labeling it improve the injured survival rate, reduce their pain or mitigate their mental suffering of the injured, survivors and family members?  The answer is ‘No.’  This just provides a sound bite for the governor.

I predicted the politicians will later redefined it the work of a seriously troubled person, otherwise their constituents would demand actual changes and results.