Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist: One Year Later

Monday is the one-year anniversary of a dark moment in our state's history--the horrible shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist. Reading last year's post, I can recall the feelings as I opened my inbox and saw the email from a friend in Knoxville bearing the news. The killings, the injuries, and the horror of the survivors made the world focus on a congregation in Knoxville, Tennessee. We got hints early in the aftermath that the attack was motivated in part by the fact that the congregation is accepting of GLBT people and its liberalism.

TEP members across the state were anguished about the attack and we continue to be in awe of the resiliance of the congregation.

The Sunday Knoxville News Sentinel takes a look at the TVUU a year later. We'll give John Bohstedt, who is interviewed in the piece, the last word on the anniversary of the tragedy:

Bohstedt, a retired University of Tennessee history professor, said his church appears to have emerged from the ordeal as a stronger community. But don't talk to Bohstedt about seeking or achieving closure. He doesn't believe in such a thing.

"That's a particularly toxic myth," he said. "You learn how to go on and how to appreciate what you've got ... but it's not at all about closure, because things are never the same."

Bohstedt doesn't have an answer about what should be done with Adkisson.

"I think that a person who could come to that place where he was, shows there is real evil in the world in the shape of human beings.

"I don't think he was mentally ill in any normal sense of the word. I'm not even sure he's redeemable. He had been working on this bad streak for 58 years. He had it pretty well developed."

Bohstedt, however, describes himself as an "incurable optimist" and prefers to focus on how the congregation and other churches came together after the shooting.

"I think we've discovered strength we didn't know we had," he said. "We have found out how much our bonds of supporting each other in love mean. You know how crucial that is, to keep our life going both individually and as a community."

Knoxville Church shooting top 2008 story in Knoxville News Sentinel

See the list here.

The eyes of the nation turned to Knoxville when a warm Sunday morning in July was disrupted by three shotgun blasts in a church along Kingston Pike near the University of Tennessee campus.

Unemployed truck driver Jim David Adkisson, police allege, pulled a 12-gauge semiautomatic shotgun from a guitar case he carried into the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. More than 200 people were crammed into the church at 2931 Kingston Pike for a special presentation of the children's musical "Annie Jr."

Two people were killed and six others were wounded in the 10:18 a.m. July 27 rampage.

Police said the 58-year-old Adkisson planned to continue shooting the sawed-off shotgun with the 76 shells he carried until he was killed by responding officers. Those plans were thwarted when several church members overpowered Adkisson as he reloaded the shotgun. They held him until police arrived.

Police said Adkisson targeted the church because his ex-wife had worshipped there and the church supported gay rights.

He is being held in jail in lieu of $1 million bond awaiting a March trial.

Bill Moyers looks at Knoxville Church shooting

Sorry to say, but I missed the Bill Moyers Journal take on the tragic July shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. The Church's minister, the Rev. Chris Buice, is featured on the program. The discussion focused on the role of talk radio in the degeneration of America's political discourse.

JEFFREY FELDMAN: Our system is a deliberative democracy. And that deliberative democracy depends on a certain kind of talk, a certain conversation in order to function well. What right-wing rhetoric does, when it reaches that violent pitch, is it undermines that particular conversation, such that the focus of political debate, becomes increasingly hamstrung by fear, and the ability of citizens to engage in the basic act of civics becomes gummed up. That conversation breaks down.

RICK KARR: Knoxville pastor Chris Buice agrees.

REVEREND CHRIS BUICE: When you blame all your problems on some minority group then everyone else is exonerated. We exonerate ourselves. We don't have to look at ourselves to see what sort of ways we contribute to the problems of the world. We don't have to examine ourselves, to see what we are doing that is helping to create the problems that we're so concerned about.

Tennessee Valley UU Church shooter indicted

Jim David Atkisson, the man accused of opening fire in the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, has been indicted on two charges of first-degree murder, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel. The Grand Jury also indicted him on two counts of felony murder and six counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Adkisson may be facing federal charges as well. U.S. Attorney Russ Dedrick is keeping mum, but the FBI is conducting a civil-rights probe, and Dedrick's office has an extensive history of prosecuting civil-rights cases.

Bridging the liberal-orthodox divide

The Rev. Gail Seavey, minister of First Unitarian Universalist in Nashville, discusses the tragic shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville. She mentions the 2006 marriage summit at First UU, which equipped Unitarians across the state to get involved in the Tennessee Equality Project's Vote No on 1 campaign.

She also mentions some of the bridge building that occurred across the liberal-orthodox divide:

We were grateful, but not surprised by the respectful support the Knoxville police and about 40 mental health institutions have given. But I confess, I was surprised by the outpouring of food, sanctuary, love and public support from the Knoxville religious community, liberal and orthodox.

Messages matter

Wayne Besen has an interesting column on the subject of hate speech. He compares the desires of social conservatives to shut out speech about GLBT people and the harsh rhetoric leveled at liberals on cable and talk radio as a way of tracking the power of media messages. Can social conservatives have it both ways? In other words, how can they say discussion about GLBT issues in the media "promotes" homosexuality (which means the media have power) while simultaneously denying that their own hateful rhetoric influences tragedies like the one at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church?

What I find hypocritical is that the Religious Right will take any image it deems gay and claim it “promotes homosexuality.” This even extends to fictional characters such as Tinky Winky and Sponge Bob Square Pants. Yet, these same oversensitive preachers refuse to acknowledge that their mean-spirited sermons might lead to violence.

Safe to be a liberal? Knoxville News Sentinel looks at the discussion

A good set of questions are raised at the Knoxville News Sentinel's site about the connection between the coarsening of public rhetoric and the tragic shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. There is also a good set of links to editorials, videos, and blogs about the subject.

See also David Waters' blog at Washington Post.

Eaton and Alexander respond to Knoxville Church shooting (updated)

Since the original post, Senator Alexander has responded via Lee Pitts, his press secretary. This statement is to be attributed to Mr. Pitts:

“Senator Alexander was deeply saddened by last Sunday’s events. His thoughts and prayers are with the families, children and community affected by this tragedy."

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Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Kenneth Eaton has responded to my questions about the attack on the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and the Matthew Shepard Act. The last part of his answer may be similar to the feelings of Bob Tuke, whose campaign has not returned my email asking him if he has a statement. But, like I said, the campaign hasn't returned my email, so it's impossible to know. Here is Mr. Eaton's email response in full, which he gave permission to be posted:

I do support the Matthew Shepard Act.

No matter your ideology, what happened in Knoxville is disheartening, and inexplicable. This is such a tragedy, our hearts and prayers go out to everyone involved, but my campaign is not going to use it for political gain.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Eaton

Conservatives draw on core values in response to Knoxville Church shooting

Greg Johnson has a thoughtful piece in today's Knoxville News Sentinel that discusses conservative responses to the tragic shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. He notes that many conservatives in East Tennessee have been "jarred" by the apparent anti-liberal motives of the shooter as well as the debate over the influence of prominent conservative authors. Johnson's column is part of the healing process, just as First Baptist Church's decision to host a prayer service for the Knoxville community. Regardless of whether there is agreement about the policy implications of this tragic event, it is helpful to have an honest dialogue that squarely confronts the questions. Johnson does so poignantly. In his own words:

Some prominent East Tennessee conservatives were wrestling with the question when I spoke to them earlier this week. One noted that a core conservative value is the sanctity of human life. Another spoke of the worth of the individual being a fundamental conservative concept. Both spoke of the need for vigorous yet civil and peaceful debate of important issues.

But some conservative commentators, especially those selling books or ad slots on television or radio, go too far to shock and awe. Our culture - from Hollywood to online communities to cable television to talk radio - has coarsened. Too many on both sides of the political aisle have forsaken dialogue and debate for diatribes.

By some accounts, the suspect despised those different from him, be they liberals, blacks or gays. Though the community has started down the road of healing, our differences will remain. Debate will - and should - continue. Regardless of ideology, though, one timeless truth will still apply: "In the essentials, unity. In the nonessentials, liberty. In all things, charity."

The Senatorials on the Knoxville Church Shooting

I've been looking around for what our U.S. Senators and candidates for Senate have had to say about the tragic attack on the members of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. Since it's this week's biggest story out of Tennessee and since the Senate voted in September on the Matthew Shepard Act, which would have added sexual orientation and gender identity to federal hate crimes laws, I think it's important to know what they have to say. While statements may not seem like much, at times like this, it helps the community heal when leaders reach out, whatever their positions may be on the specifics of policy.

Senator Bob Corker: As far as I can tell, Senator Corker was the first to issue a statement. He says that he has reached out to Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam. Although Senator Corker did not vote for the Matthew Shepard Act, he deserves praise for making his support of the Knoxville community and for local officials known so quickly. It's the right example.

Mike Padgett: I looked on the campaign site and at first didn't find anything. I also didn't recall the shooting being mentioned in any emails. So I contacted Terry Quillen, who pointed out the Knoxville Democrat's blog post dated July 28. His own First Baptist Church hosted a service of prayer for the community. Highlighting the bridge building between two very different congregations is also the right response.

Chris Lugo: Chris Lugo reacted to the news Monday by calling Tennessee Valley UU a "beacon of joy and hope in East Tennessee" and by urging comprehensive gun control.

Bob Tuke: I haven't found a statement yet, so I've asked the campaign for comment.

Kenneth Eaton: I didn't see anything on the main campaign site or on his blog. I've requested comment.

Senator Lamar Alexander: I couldn't find a statement at the Senate or campaign site and I've asked for comment from his campaign, too.

Again, I want to point out that a statement in itself isn't everything. The candidates may have reached out in other ways. I also want to be sure to add that I could have missed their statements. I hope to have updates on all the campaigns whose information I'm lacking.

More reactions to the Knoxville Church Shooting

The responses to the shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church continue to roll in.

Out & About Newspaper features this moving account by Carla Lewis of the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition, who was present during the shooting. Pam's House Blend, a national GLBT blog based in North Carolina, analyzed the media's lack of clarity on what exactly is liberal or progressive about the congregation and reads the hints of an anti-gay motive. Mr. Kleinheider finds links to comments about the tragedy made by First Lady Laura Bush as she was visiting Nashville.

A Knoxville activist asked and received when he wrote Mayor Bill Haslam about acknowledging Knoxville's GLBT community. Haslam wasn't the only elected official to comment. Governor Phil Bredesen issued this statement:

Our prayers are with those who have been affected by this horrible event. We extend our sympathies to the families who lost loved ones and hope those who were injured make a full and quick recovery," Bredesen said.

Targeting the Liberal Movement and Gays

Jim David Adkisson was targeting the liberal movement in his attack on Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, according to a letter he wrote explaining his motives. It should also be noted that he was having trouble finding a job and recently learned that his food stamps were being cut. WBIR reports that Knoxville Police Chief Owen says that the shooter...

targeted Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church due to "recent publicity" the church had received regarding its "liberal stance" on things.

A sign recently went up at the Church indicating its welcome of the GLBT community.

We'll continue to follow the story.

Update: This headline on a North Carolina paper's story is the first I've seen that indicates hatred of gay people is a motivation.

Update: The Knoxville News Sentinel is now adding gays as Adkisson's targets.

Update: The statement of the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition

Update on Knoxville Church shooting

A possible motive for the horrible shooting at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church has emerged. A neighbor reports that Adkisson had problems with Christianity. If that is the case, it is terrifying that people might have been targeted for their religious beliefs. A second person has now died from this attack.

Many people across the state are devasted as they try to come to terms with what has happened.