‘We’re All Children of God’: Obama Remarks on Kansas City JCC Shootings
"This morning our prayers are with the people in Overland Park, and we are still learning the details, but this much we know. A gunman opened up fire at two Jewish facilities, a community center and a retirement home. Innocent people were killed. Their families were devastated, and this violence has struck at the heart of the Jewish community in Kansas City. Two of the victims, a grandfather and his teenaged son, attended the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection which is led by our friend Reverend Adam Hamilton. Some of you may know that during my inauguration Reverend Hamilton delivered the sermon for the prayer service at the National Cathedral, and I was grateful for his presence and words. He joined us at our breakfast last year. And at the Easter service for Palm Sunday last night he had to break this terrible news to his congregation.
That this occurred now, as the Jews were preparing to celebrate Passover, as Christians were observing Palm Sunday, makes this tragedy all of the more painful. And today, as Passover begins, we are seeing a number of synagogues and the Jewish community centers take added security precautions. Nobody should have to worry about their security when gathering with their fellow believers. No one should ever have to fear for their safety when they go to pray. And as a government, we are going to provide whatever assistance is needed to support the investigation. As Americans we not only need to open up our hearts to the victims, we have to stand united against this kind of terrible violence which has no place in our society. And we have to keep coming together across faiths to combat the ignorance and intolerance including antisemitism that can lead to hatred and to violence, because we are all children of god, we're all made in his image, all worthy of his love and dignity. And we see what happens around the world when this kind of religious-based, or tinged, violence can rear it's ugly head. It's got no place in our society."
