A group met at Zion Baptist Church Saturday morning to walk. They walked through downtown Columbia to the Statehouse. They walked to raise awareness. They walked for peace.
Once they reached the capitol building, those participating in the Peace Walk, sponsored by the Faith Coalition on Gun Violence (FCGV) held a brief program which included prayer, reflection and music in recognition of victims of gun violence and their families. Victims and survivors of violence and their families shared brief personal stories.
“Basically, we want to get the community thinking about ways in which we take advantage of guns and the resulting use of guns, which is violence and death,” said the Peace Walk Coordinator, Kathy Handel.
Walkers were encouraged to “step up to stop violence” as they formed teams to walk together in solidarity against gun violence. Individuals, teams and organizations displayed posters and banners reflecting the theme of peace.
“It’s going to take us all coming together, a multitude, to make this happen because we are the voices of our loved ones,” said Stephanie Wetstone, the mother of a gun violence victim. “So, let’s stand up and speak out because our loved ones no longer can.”
John Evans, a former religious studies professor at USC, also spoke at the event about ideals of peace.
“We must commit ourselves to a nonviolent, peaceful way of life,” Evans said. “That’s right — we must commit ourselves to a nonviolent, peaceful way of life. We must practice the way of peace.”
FCGV's mission is to affect a culture change through discourse about violence and its effects on individuals and communities, alternatives to violence in resolving conflicts, education about the responsible ownership of firearms and advocacy for reasonable responses to the epidemic of gun violence in our society.