The rituals of mourning can be immensely powerful. But ritual can also be empty and, in its emptiness, offensive. That’s where we are with the customary congressional “moment of silence” following a mass shooting, and one member of the House is calling it out.
Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jim Himes tweeted Sunday night that:
I will not attend one more"Moment of Silence" on the Floor. Our silence does not honor the victims, it mocks them.
He continued:
The Moments of Silence in the House have become an abomination. God will ask you, "How did you keep my children safe"? Silence.
Other members of Congress should consider following Himes’ lead and making a statement by skipping the empty ritual. Instead, they should call for meaningful action.