It’s been a tough week in Knoxville. Last Sunday an angry, alcoholic, unemployed Vietnam vet with a history of domestic violence fired 3 shotgun blasts in a Unitarian church, killing 2 and wounding 7 before the church folks tackled the shooter and put him in a martial arts hold until the police could take him away in handcuffs. (Hey—we liberals are peaceful, but we can put a hurtin’ on a gun-toting wingnut.)
According to police reports and a “manifesto” found in his truck, Jim Adkisson targeted the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church because he hates liberals and blames them for “ruining America.” Among the books found in his home were vitriolic liberal-bashing books by right-wing media spokespeople Pat O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, and Michael Savage. Police chief Sterling Owen says “We’re certainly investigating it as a hate crime.”
The shooter made threats against his ex-wife who took out a restraining order 8 years ago after he threatened to “blow her brains out.” He recently bought a 12-guage shotgun from a pawn shop. The law requires a background check to purchase a gun, but apparently a restraining order based on a death threat is not enough. Too bad—it might have saved two lives.
And why target Unitarians? Well if you’re a drunken homicidal maniac who hates liberals, you’d really hate these folks. They do horrible things like welcome gays and lesbians in their church, protest wars, and preach tolerance of gays, racial minorities, and people of other faiths. They’ve been at the forefront of liberal and progressive causes for decades, and are the perfect symbols for liberalism, God Bless them.
My daughter and I went to Monday’s memorial service at the Presbyterian church next door. There were 1000 people there. This morning my wife and I helped out at the TVUUC re-dedication service by working in the nursery with other volunteers from our church. There were so many people at this service that they spilled over into two other spaces and the service was televised.
The prayers of thousands have gone out to these folks and will continue to do so. If there is anything good that has come out of this ugly hate crime, it is that thousands of folks have reached out to support this body of believers, including Presbyterians, Catholics, Episcopalians, Muslims and Jews.
Now wouldn’t it be great if conservative talk shows like Michael Savage would condemn this crime and dial down the violent undertone in their rants?
