John Powell’s “Death by Favorite Weapon” is a powerful reminder that we must resurrect our pacifist beliefs and become a strong Mennonite witness against gun violence. Mennonite Church USA has spent so many years bickering and pointing fingers over Bible verses that our peace witness has suffered.

We need to focus on being peacemakers and speak out passionately against gun violence.

It seems we have become immune to the tragedies at the hands of someone with a gun. We cannot let the National Rifle Association and those who want to make guns more readily available be the dominant voice in making our laws. When we sit back and do nothing, we are inadvertently supporting gun violence. We need to organize groups for letter-writing and emailing to tell our legislators we need stricter gun-control laws.

Ruth Linscheid
North Newton, Kan.