Turning Hatred To Hope: Burke Lectureship on Religion and Society Presents Two Powerful Conversations on Gun Violence

The Burke Lectureship on Religion and Society, presented by UC San Diego Extended Studies, was founded to provide a dedicated platform for exploring the big questions that religion was meant to answer. Who are we? Why are we here? How are we supposed to live and treat each other in the world? What is the relationship between religion, ethics and humanity in contemporary society? 

This season, the lectureship, which celebrates its 40th anniversary at UC San Diego in April 2025, presented two moving and resonant events about gun violence to explore how individuals and communities can persist through tragedy. 

The events upheld the inclusive approach and challenging themes that are a hallmark of the Burke Lectureship and, as Board member Richard Madsen stated in his opening remarks, harnessed “reason, ethics and passion to help citizens engage in the essential conversations that make democracy possible.”

Film Screening of “A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” 

On October 9, 2024, UC San Diego’s Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts hosted more than 125 attendees–-more than half of whom were current students—for an emotionally charged screening of A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting. The movie vieweing was followed by an insightful discussion with Professor Allan Havis from UC San Diego Jewish Studies Program and independent film producer Susan Margolin.

The documentary, available on HBO and streaming on Max, chronicles the devastating 2018 mass shooting that claimed eleven lives at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue, marking it as one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in U.S. history. The film brings to life the voices of survivors and community members who faced unimaginable loss while grappling with the lingering impact of this hate-fueled attack.

Margolin shared the genesis of the film, recounting how director Trish Adlesic, a Pittsburgh native, was compelled to tell the story after the horrific event unfolded in her hometown. Adlesic received immediate support to make the film, with a friend encouraging her to document the congregation's resilience. 

Margolin emphasized that the film serves not only as a tribute to the victims but also as a powerful tool to spark conversations about the growing tide of hate-based violence in America.

The timing of the event was particularly poignant, coinciding with the Jewish High Holy Days, a period of reflection and atonement. As Havis noted, the season invites deep contemplation, aligning with the film’s themes of grief, healing, and the pursuit of justice. Margolin updated the audience on developments since the film's completion, including the death penalty sentencing of the shooter, Robert Bowers. This brought a sense of closure for some survivors, but Margolin acknowledged the ongoing trauma that still grips many.

The conversation also highlighted the broader context of rising antisemitism and hate crimes in America. The attack in Pittsburgh is not an isolated incident, as both Havis and Margolin pointed out. Similar events, like the Poway synagogue shooting near San Diego and a hostage crisis in Texas, have forced many religious communities to confront a new reality: worship now comes with the necessity of heightened security.

Margolin underscored the alarming statistics, sharing that in 2022, there were over 2,500 antisemitic incidents reported in the U.S. The Anti-Defamation League’s 2023 report showed even more startling figures, with over 10,000 antisemitic acts and more than 8,000 identity-based attacks against Muslims. These rising numbers are a grim reminder of the challenges society faces in combating hate and preserving the safety of all communities.

As the discussion drew to a close, attendees were invited to reflect on their own questions and experiences, deepening the sense of collective responsibility in addressing the epidemic of hate. The film A Tree of Life continues to illuminate a community's resilience while challenging us to confront and resist the forces that threaten our shared humanity.

Gun Violence Prevention Activist David Miles Hogg

In a powerful address on October 15 at The Jeannie lecture hall at UC San Diego, David Hogg, a prominent advocate for gun violence prevention, shared his journey from survival to activism with nearly 200 campus and community attendees. Along the way, he talked about his local connections to San Diego, how he ended up at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on the fateful Valentine's Day of the largest school shooting in U.S. History, and his current advocacy activities. Author of “#NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line” and co-founder of Leaders We Deserve, the 24-year-old Hogg is paving the way for young progressive leaders who can make big changes. 

His story, marked by persistence and hope, emphasized the importance of overcoming apathy, cynicism, and a fatalistic approach to government by nurturing empowerment and possibility.

Hogg attended the event with his mother, revealing his deep roots in the San Diego community.

“I obviously have you guys from Parkland, but my story would not be possible without San Diego. My mom, who's here tonight is a third-generation San Diegan,” said Hogg. “My story would not be possible as well without your naval base here in Coronado, where my dad was a helicopter pilot and my mom was advertising for a roommate and my dad applied. The rest is history.”

He opened his talk by relating his experience of the mass shooting event on February 14, 2018 and how it fueled his activism, including founding March for Our Lives, one of the world’s largest youth-led movements, and working with young progressives to secure legislative positions and change policy. 

“I have to believe that it's going to have to be our generation coming into power that understands the anxiety of what it's like to be told by your government the best it can do to protect you from a weapon of mass destruction like the AR 15 is how to hide under your desk better, or how to hide in a certain quarter, or how to install a different type of door, or how to arm your teachers.”

After March for Our Lives was established, Hogg and fellow advocates joined the efforts to establish a federal office for gun violence prevention. In September 2023, it came to life with the Biden Administration. One opportunity for the office was the often-overlooked issue of states not fully utilizing billions of dollars allocated to fight gun violence. These funds, made available through legislation like the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, are vital for initiatives such as expanding background checks and improving mental health services in schools. However, without a dedicated team at the federal level to guide states through the process, much of the money remains untapped.

One example Hogg shared was Minnesota, where a misunderstanding of state laws initially prevented the state from opting into the expanded background check process. He was able to have a direct role in working with the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Minnesota's leadership, including Minnesota’s Governor and Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz to help resolve the issue. Hogg emphasized how vital it is to have advocates who can navigate the complex bureaucracy surrounding gun safety policies.

This advocacy work led him to an unexpected opportunity: a meeting with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office. Hogg recounted how he found himself advising the President on how to engage young voters, a key demographic often left out of political conversations. His advice to Biden was clear—focus less on age-related criticisms and more on proving the administration's cognitive readiness and policy achievements. The meeting, he shared, felt surreal, noting humorously how unprepared he was for such a high-profile conversation after just moving to Washington, D.C.

From his own experiences, Hogg realized the necessity of electing young leaders who truly understand the issues impacting their generation. This thought is what led him shortly after graduating from college in 2023 to co-found Leaders We Deserve, an organization dedicated to supporting young progressive candidates for state legislatures and Congress. Within its first 72 hours of launching, the organization raised over a million dollars and successfully supported its first candidate, encouraging youth engagement in politics. One of the organization's first victories came in Virginia, where they backed a young candidate, Nadarius Clark, who became the youngest person since Thomas Jefferson to be elected to the Virginia State Legislature.

Much of Hogg’s approach to positive action has been informed by conversations with people who don't agree with him.

“...so much hatred around this issue comes down to a propagandized version of what people want to say that we are so that they can sell more guns by fear-mongering about us constantly. And I've learned to take a lot of that hatred and turn it into hope. Because I realized that you don't need to agree with everybody on everything and convince them fully of everything,” said Hogg, "because there's a lot of progress we can make on things that can reduce gun violence, even if they aren't specifically around the gun law in that most extreme circumstances.”

Throughout his talk, Hogg's message was clear: the biggest threat to democracy is not any one political figure, but the apathy and hopelessness that prevent people from believing change is possible. He urged attendees to continue fighting for progress and having difficult conversations, reminding them that small groups of determined individuals can make a monumental difference, as they already have.

“I realized something that really has kept me up every night since, more than anything, which is that the greatest threat to American democracy…It's not any single person. It's the hopelessness and apathy that so many people have, that tells us that nothing is ever going to get better because the system's so corrupt you shouldn't even bother trying,” said Hogg. “That hopelessness and cynicism is what's really at the core of killing our country, frankly, more than anything. Because I know the power of a small group of determined individuals to help change the world. Because we have”

Hogg followed his remarks with a Q&A session with Richard Madsen, professor emeritus from UC San Diego Department of Sociology, taking questions from the in-person audience.

The event left attendees with a renewed sense of hope and motivation to be actively engaged in shaping the country and world they want to live in. 

"Great generations. They're not born, right? They're made by awful circumstances, because the leaders that are out there rise up in those moments, in the crucible that is those disasters, and they show themselves and lead us out of those moments.”

Keep Engaging with the Burke Lectureship for Religion and Society

As the Burke Lectureship on Religion and Society approaches its 40th anniversary, the current season's programs serve as especially resounding reminders of the lectureship’s origins and relevance for today. The leadership board set out to tackle gun violence, a topic which affects all of us, and to build a path toward meaningful action.

“The sincerity and conviction on display by film producer Susan Margolin and gun violence prevention activist David Miles Hogg, convey such resonance and hope that the audiences couldn’t help being moved deeply,” said Andrew Waltz, Director of Arts Management at UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. “Guests shared heartfelt sentiments after the presentations, revealing their own experiences of gun violence, and of being inspired to action by these Burke Lectureship presenters.”

Waltz concluded, “It’s our goal and hope that people will support the Burke Lectureship on Religion and Society in illuminating society’s most important issues by attending the events in person, watching the UCTV broadcasts, and donating a gift of any size.”

David Hogg’s lecture with the Burke Lectureship for Religion and Society at UC San Diego will be available for viewing on UCTV in November 2024. 

The film, “A Tree of Life: the Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting”, is currently available to stream on Max. 

The Burke Lectureship for Religion and Society presents events throughout the year, including the upcoming Film & Discussion Series at UC San Diego Park & Market’s Digital Gym Cinema, presenting “The Exiles” on November 22, 2024. The evening will include a screening of “Bunker Hill,” a student-made short documentary.

To give a gift to help build the endowment for the future of the Burke Lectureship Series, donate here.