To the editor:

Members of the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice share the deep sense of grief for the victims of the shooting in Tucson, Ariz. We abhor the use of violence, violent language which has its deadly consequences and violent behavior used to achieve political goals and ends. This is most certainly true of the Tucson massacre.

On the heels of a peaceful change of leadership in Washington these savage and senseless murders shake our hope in our political system. The brutal reprisals in the Georgia prison strike constitutes another form of senseless violence which we abhor. Violence against our elected officials as well as against peaceful protesters strikes at the heart of our belief in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We denounce violence as a civic tool or a political statement.