By "it," I mean what is supposed to be the Christian response to violence. No, it isn't a holy war, or capital punishment, or even a "war on terror." It's not lynching or looting or loudly proclaiming how despicable and unlovable some monster of the week is.
Instead, it's mourning not just the victims of violence, but the death of those who commit violence acts. It's praying for friend and enemy alike. And the Amish who showed up for the funeral of the 32-year old milkman who shot ten of their own put it on display this weekend:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061008/ap_on_re_us/amish_school_shooting Maybe the conservative politicians should get on their soapboxes and call these people "traitors," and "cowards" or maybe use the usual "soft on crime" or "weak on defense" lines.
I don't think it's weak or cowardly. I think it might be one of the strongest, bravest and most noble things I've ever seen.
Maybe we as a nation can learn from this example, and learn it's okay to pray for and mourn dead Iraqui civilians and even insurgents while at the same time praying for and mourning the loss of our own soldiers. It's not betrayal. It honors everything they lived and died for.