This past Sunday’s church shooting emphasizes our country’s deepening political polarization and reminds us that gun violence will continue without reform
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
If you follow politics, you are likely aware of one of the most continuously pressing political issues in the United States: the fight for stricter gun laws. There have been 324 mass shootings in 2025 thus far, including six that occurred just this past weekend.
One of these events happened on Sunday, Sept. 28, when a gunman opened fire at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan. During this shooting, four people were killed and eight more were injured. Hundreds of individuals were in the church at the time, and the attack was preceded by the suspect driving his truck directly into the institution and was followed by him lighting it ablaze.
Even though mass shootings are already far too common, they will only continue to increase in prevalence as the country becomes more divided by factors like education, race and religion. Shootings in locations like churches are often political statements driven by opposing viewpoints or extremist ideologies, although oftentimes, the motive is unknown. In the case of the Michigan shooting, it is known that the suspect “hated” those belonging to the Mormon faith, but the suspect’s family and friends did not pick up on any warning signs regarding his behavior leading up to the event.
It’s common in tragic situations, like mass shootings, to want answers, especially regarding why they occurred and how they can be prevented in the future. It is likely that we will never gain full clarity on all of the factors that led up to this event; motives for shootings are often very complex and multidimensional. This also highlights the need for lessened stigma surrounding mental health issues — which often play a contributing role in these types of incidents — and improved access to mental health services.
It is also notable that the news of this shooting follows the recent killing of Charlie Kirk, who advocated for gun ownership and was shot while holding a university debate. Although these two events are not necessarily connected, both occurrences involve the deaths of individuals who were actively practicing their beliefs. These violent actions were targeted and meant to instill fear into the public, aiming to silence different viewpoints. The church shooting also follows a shooting in August at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, which resulted in the deaths of two children and wounded 17 other people.
Churches are meant to be sacred spaces of worship and reflection; individuals shouldn’t have to fear for their safety in places intended for comfort and communal solace. Religious institutions are not only vulnerable targets because they are easily accessible, but they are also symbolic, hence why these attacks keep occurring. Every shooting that occurs — and the many that will undoubtedly occur in the future — should warrant immediate attention as to why gun laws need to change. Shootings at religious locations in particular are meant to send political messages, and, as a result, violence inflicted upon these sanctuaries deepens the political divide of our country.
Globally, religious attacks have also increased dramatically in recent years. The ongoing genocide in Gaza has led to increases in both antisemitic and Islamophobic attitudes, behaviors and rhetoric. While some take out their anger toward the Zionist movement and Israeli government on the Jewish faith as a whole, others have used these events to target and criminalize Muslim and Middle Eastern communities. As the genocide in Gaza continues, we should be reminding ourselves that religious beliefs — while historically linked to political systems — are not justification for hate speech and widespread violence.
On a nationwide level, we have become too familiar with waking up to news headlines informing us of the latest act of gun violence, but prevention can’t happen without reform. We need stricter background checks, mental health screenings and enhanced safety precautions prior to gun purchasing to limit these preventable injuries and deaths. Some view the act of limiting gun use and ownership as a violation of freedom, but when we fear for the safety of our students, friends and families, we are paying for this so-called freedom with the lives of our community members.
Written by: The Editorial Board
