Readers write: Lifting humanity through a story, prayer after mass shootings, making sense of confusing events

Lifting humanity through a story

Regarding the Feb. 9 Monitor Daily article “ ‘Calls From Home’: Kentucky radio station connects inmates and families”: This was such an important story. What I love about the Monitor is your focus on every front page of some story that lifts my humanity. You so often point out what people are doing to make positive changes in this world, as well as highlighting the humanity of people who walk a different path from mine. I wish this story could be spread far and wide. Thank you for connecting it to government actions that affect the people in this story.

Marianne Borgardt

Santa Monica, Calif.

Prayer after mass shootings

Regarding the Feb. 16 Monitor Daily editorial “After large-scale killings, aid groups find new ways to comfort”: Lovely piece. Right on. But I would appreciate also addressing the issue of whether prayer is enough in US mass shootings. One side says that it’s all we can and need to do. The other side says we need a fundamental change – e.g., the stricter regulation of guns that a strong majority favors. Christian Science affirms the efficacy of prayer – it’s not synonymous with doing nothing – but also the need for practical help that shows our faith by our works and reform. I believe permitting continued easy access to assault-type rifles, huge magazines, armor-piercing bullets, and secondary market weapons defies common sense and humane values. We should not duck the Christian and moral duty to prevent violence if we can. That means both effective prayer – right thinking – and right acting. And action embraces policy as well as after-the-fact care.

Lance Matteson

Mercer Island, Wash.

Making sense of confusing events

The March 5 OneWeek piece “Who will believe Mueller’s report?” was a great long article that put together a confusing series of events for me.

Lynne Lawson

Peacham, Vt.