[HANASHIR:3715] Re: Sermon in Las Cruces

[Andy Curry <acurry...>]

All,

I'm somewhat ashamed that I didn't reach out to Rick Lupert as soon as I
read his message following the shootings.  But, Rick, I know you'll be
reading, so I hope late is better than never.  

Rick, I'm sure the effects of that incident will linger for a very long
time, in ways that you might not anticipate.  I wish and pray for healing
for you and all those involved.

All:  My friend Rabbi Gerald Kane, of Las Cruces, NM, sent me a sermon he
gave concerning the shooting.  I'm not going to include it here, but I'm
sure he'd be glad to send it to anyone.  His e-mail address is shown below.
 Following part of his message is my response.  Maybe others are struggling
with some of the same feelings I have...

Andy

>Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 13:52:27 -0700
>To: JerCyrl (at) aol(dot)com
>From: Andy Curry <acurry (at) cnkcmail>
>Subject: Re: Sermon in Las Cruces
>In-Reply-To: <34890a4(dot)24ead757 (at) aol(dot)com>
>
>At 11:18 AM 8/17/99 EDT, you wrote:
>>Dear Family / Friends
>>
>>I wanted to share my sermon with you which I gave last Friday evening.  It 
>>has generated a lot of interest and comment within and outside the 
>>congregation.
>>
>>Cyrille and I are doing great.... and hope you are all well!
>>
>>Let us hear from you!
>>
>>Jerry
>>
>Dear Jerry & Cyrille,
>
>Greetings from KC, and thank you for sending your sermon.  Although I
haven't talked about it much, I have some feelings about the shooting at
the North Hills JCC.  I met Rick Lupert at Hava Nashira, and he WORKS at
the Center as a camp counselor.  He reported yesterday that all but one of
the people wounded in the attack are back.  Thank God, he was elsewhere at
the time.
>
>What disturbs me most about my own feelings is...numbness.  I filled in
for Devra Lerner in the TBJ renewal service last Shabbat, and Rabbi Zedek
wanted to talk about this numbness - the seeming desensitization of society
as a whole.  This incident seems to have come as the latest in a string of
mass shootings, one immediately following the other, and I can understand
the reaction of "gee, that's a shame (yawn)", because that was my reaction
to some degree.
>
>What makes me feel impotent in the face of violent hateful acts which
occur in this country is that they are perpetrated by individuals who have
little in common but guns, hate, and loose screws.  Terrorism in other
countries seems to be more attributable to organizations with agendas.
Here we don't really know whom to watch, fear, and fight, because they can
walk in from any direction at any time.  The enemy is unknown and unseen,
like a disease whose cause is not known and for which there is no cure.  So
what can we do?
>
>You have suggested that there is one thing we can do, which is, in a
manner of speaking, to visit the sick, those who have been stricken by the
disease.  We can offer them our support and our presence, physically or
emotionally.
>
>But what can we do about violence yet to be done?  Some suggest gun
control.  My own feeling is that there are so many guns in existence
already that it wouldn't make a dent.  Furthermore, our lawmakers continue
to use the red herring of "keeping guns out of the hands of criminals."  A
good portion of the perpetrators in massacres were not criminals before
they opened fire.  Before we can have meaningful gun control, we must have
meaningful campaign-finance reform - an uphill battle.
>
>When we are commanded to "seek peace, and pursue it", no measure is given.
 As there is no limit, there is also no minimum.  So, when we feel
powerless to pursue peace for a world, or a city, or a Jewish community
center, we still have the power to pursue peace in our families and in
ourselves.
>
>Od yavo shalom alenu v'al kulam.
>
>Andy

*******************************
Andy Curry
CellNet Data Systems
Kansas City MO 64106
Office: 816-545-7739 (direct)
or 1-800-697-7044 ext 7739
Pager: 800-317-1694
Home : 816-363-8381
E-Mail: acurry (at) cellnet(dot)com
*******************************

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