On Saturday, October 27th, a man by the name of Robert Bowers opened fire in a Pittsburgh Synagogue, killing eleven people. Bowers also injured two other worshipers and four police officers, according to USA Today.

Out of the eleven victims one was Rose Mallinger, aged ninety-seven, and a Holocaust survivor; this woman had survived one of the largest genocides in history and got murdered in her own place of worship seventy-three years later in America.

No person should have to be worried for their lives in a place where they are supposed feel safe and at home. Aside from that, the fact that people are being looked down upon for believing in certain things is going against the basic ideology in which America was founded upon. It is ridiculous that hate crimes are still going on in today’s world.

That brings us to the question: Should religious institutions such as churches, synagogues, and mosques be protected? It is sad that this is even a topic up for debate. Personally, I believe that having institutions such as those protected by police or security infringes upon the first amendment. Every single individual should be able to practice whatever they want in peace. However, if the only solution to innocent lives being taken is to install security, then so be it.

When asking fellow students what they think about religious freedom and what they think should be done, Alex Bransteter stated that, “Churches should be protected because clearly something needs to be changed within America. People are dying and that is not okay, so I think it would be a good idea.”

We as a society should expect more and try to raise further generations as less hateful in order to better the communities that surround us, not add security. A place of worship should not be similar to a prison.