Yesterday, The Forest Grove Leader / The Oregonian published my latest op-ed:

Ending gun violence: The faithful choice means reducing easy access to powerful weapons

NRA supporters took to Twitter to support opposition to my argument. They disagreed with my basic point:

.@RevChuckCurrie @mrzmazz @glock34girl @damnedifiknow72 Man will always find ways to murder, disarming the citizens only ensures its ease.

— Mark (@tazcat2011) June 28, 2014

But they also dismissed my views for other reasons. For example, because I support marriage equality:

@RevChuckCurrie @tazcat2011 Faithful Christian? Well even the elect shall be deceived. I'll leave this here, REV. pic.twitter.com/0665v5bb1G

— Beretta Khar (@glock34girl) June 28, 2014

They engaged in Islamaphobia and questioned President Obama's Christian faith - strongly:

@tazcat2011 @RevChuckCurrie I think it's interesting that a revered would agree with Obama on anything AND speak of Islam like its a leader.

— Beretta Khar (@glock34girl) June 28, 2014

“@tazcat2011: .@RevChuckCurrie @glock34girl Faithful Christian? You have 0 credibility with that nonsense.” Yeah really. Obama has no faith

— Damnedifiknow (@damnedifiknow72) June 28, 2014

They have issues with basic civil rights and civil rights leaders:

So he is as much of a Reverend as Al Sharpton/Jesse Jackson. @glock34girl @damnedifiknow72 @tazcat2011 @RevChuckCurrie

— AMC (@Soldier1eaODGrn) June 28, 2014

And they don't like when clergy pray for civil rights...

“@glock34girl: @tazcat2011 @RevChuckCurrie I know my church does NOT believe what this dude prays for. pic.twitter.com/AyrfdVfw2J” Wow. Crazy.

— Damnedifiknow (@damnedifiknow72) June 28, 2014

And these are the folks who want to keep assault weapons on our streets. There is too much violence in our nation - too many of these mass shootings - and we can do something about that. Intertwined with the issue of how to prevent gun violence are issues of bigotry directed toward people of color, different faiths, and women (as some of the tweets I got about Secretary Clinton showed). This makes the work of faith communities even more important. Creating justice includes creating space for reconciliation.  But for progress to be made we have to recognize how these issues are intertwined.