February 16, 2018

The Honorable Marco Rubio
United States Senate
201 South Orange Avenue
Suite 350
Orlando, FL 32801

Dear Senator Rubio,

I follow you on Twitter and I am grateful that you trust in Christ.  On February 15, 2018 you quoted the Gospel of John, “in the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”  I replied, “True.  Jesus has overcome.  But as a senator I implore you to go to Jesus for wisdom about Parkland.  Things legislatively have to change.  We are too broken and sinful for things to remain as they are.  The violence will only continue.”

I appeal to you as a bishop and as a fellow Christian who cares for the well being of all in our community.  Politicians who only offer thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families are not enough.  Politicians who attribute these acts of unspeakable violence only to mental illness are not acting in accordance with the responsibilities of their office.

Gun dealers who sell AR-15s and those who support the sale of these automatic weapons on the open market must face the fact that they are complicit in the killing of our children.  I would be complicit too if I remained silent.

I appeal to legislators, mental health counselors, religious leaders, politicians and community leaders to come together and find better solutions than we have found in the past.  No parents should say goodbye to their children and send them off to school fearfully wondering if today is the day their school will be attacked.   This is not a symptom of freedom, including the right to bear arms.  This is a symptom of madness, apathy and lackluster leadership.

I plead with you to your office for the good of our communities.   Let us find a way to both pray and act together.

Faithfully,

The Right Reverend Gregory O. Brewer
Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida