James A. Allen
Paintings and Drawings

Nuns and Guns

"Nuns & Guns" can be seen as an allegory of the inherent conflict within us between voices calling for the acts of mercy and voices that demand that we take another eye, another tooth--perhaps in defense of the values that allow the acts of mercy to flourish. I live with this conflict and cannot pretend to believe that every evil or perceived threat of evil will submit in the absence of violent action. I suppose that until we all learn to love each other more and better we will continue to have both nuns and guns in our lives and in our hearts.

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