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Cast Aside Thoughts and Prayers


 


The violence that we are inflicting on our children, both here and abroad, is so reprehensible and morally shameful.

No child should be shot while praying. Or shot at all.

How can the United States rapidly decrease its VIOLENCE FOOTPRINT?

That's the question we should be asking, answering, and implementing solutions around in our legislative halls, Oval Office, pews, corporate suites, homes, and educational institutions.

May we pray with our action.

BE LOVE

Bernice A. King

*****

King, whose childhood memories include the massacre of little girls in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing and the brutal assassination of her own father, speaks from painful experience. Notice how she says:

“The violence we are inflicting on our children, both here and abroad…”

 - - because she knows and acknowledges that they are all our children. No exceptions, no omissions, no carve-outs for those we don’t care about or place value upon. They are all our children and we are responsible. 

Our love and our prayer, King says, must be action. 

*****

The following reference is sadly becoming my equivalent to The Onion’s “ ‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens” article.  It is written from the viewpoint of a teacher required to participate in an active shooter drill at school.

Final Thoughts

This is the world I’m giving my daughter. A world of mass shooters and death unprepared, where school and church, mall and workplace are all potential pits of blood and bodies. What kind of a parent am I? How can I simply pack her into a car and drop her off when I know I can do nothing to protect her?


*****

"Everything we don't address in society lands in a teacher’s lap." Nelba Márquez-Greene, LMFT

Marquez-Greene founded the AnaGraceProject “…as a response to the tragedy that took her daughter’s life in Sandy Hook, CT on 12/14/12.”



Promoting love, community and connection family
for every child and family.

At The Ana Grace Project, we know that communities are healthier and safer when we:

1) Value relationships and connection -> reducing social isolation
2) Teach tools for empathy, self regulation and self care
3) Move, play and create
4) Respect diversity
5) Provide help, hope and information
6) Promote acts of service

The "Love Wins" movement of The Ana Grace Project recognizes that all children/families have stories and every story has value. We believe that all children and families can succeed with proper supports - and healthy relational networks are essential. Through our partner schools, professional development and music/arts initiatives - The Ana Grace Project reaches thousands of children, families and providers in education, medicine, mental health/social services and the private sector.

Love wins. It also saves lives.

You’ll notice there’s no reference to “thoughts and prayers” there. That’s because they are passive. 

And love is not. Love is an active verb.


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