By Max “The Prodigy” Haberman

One of our biggest days on this journey started at 7:15 AM in Denver. After being woken up by Jonah we boarded the bus to make our way to Kaiser Permanente, a health insurance company. During the meeting an interesting question was asked, is health insurance a right or a privilege? The woman’s answer is that it is a right, but it wasn’t an affordable right. However, I was not satisfied with the answer. If it is a right, then everyone should have access to it. After we concluded our meeting, they gave us water bottles and we got on the bus.

discussing health insurance at Kaiser Permanente

We then went to a park where we played football, threw the frisbee and just chilled. About a half hour later we met a man named Tom Mauser, whose son was killed during the Columbine massacre. He has devoted his life to being a gun control advocate. He has battled the NRA for ten years and has been arrested twice due to his protests. Mr. Mauser told us his ideas about gun control. I found it interesting that he didn’t want the banning of guns but, rather, he just wants restrictions. All he wants is to make sure that before someone is given a gun that there is a background check to make sure they are mentally stable. Thanks to him and others, you can’t buy a gun at a gun show without a background check in Colorado anymore. Tom also told us stories about young children who were able to get their parents guns and kill either other kids or their parents. Tom Mauser wants guns locked away from minors. The thing that was so meaningful to me during the meeting was that Tom was wearing his son’s shoes…the same ones that he was wearing the day he was killed. He said it was his way of having his son at these discussions and “walking in his shoes.” Mr. Mauser’s opinions had very good reasoning and I agreed with everything that he said. Meeting him was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.

Tom Mauser talking about Columbine and gun control

After we spoke to Tom, we got back on the bus and went to lunch at a burger place called “The Counter.” At the restaurant, we got to customize our own meals. After a delicious grilled chicken sandwich we got back on the bus and headed down to Colorado Springs where an interesting meeting was going to take place.

We arrived at a park in Colorado Springs which was the setting of our most heated debate. We met with Jim Pfaff who has worked with a group called Focus on the Family and is a right wing religious Conservative. The meeting started off with him giving some history of how the religious right started and where its ideas come from. He then told us his opinions on abortion, gay marriage and even global exchange. Jim thought that homosexuals should not be able to get married or adopt children. Even though I didn’t agree with him, he had stats to back him up. One of the surprising things that Jim said was that he is able to have friends who are gay, even his brother is, and still have his opinions. Being on opposite ends of the political spectrum, I am surprised that Jim and his brother can put their differences aside and still be close. Although some people in our group had issues with what he was saying and even how he was saying it, I thought he was being passionate and I thought he was one of our best speakers thus far.

learning about the religious right from Jim Pfaff

continuing the discussion with Mr. Pfaff

After our meeting with Mr. Pfaff we went to a red rock formation called Garden of the Gods, where we were able to hike and climb on the rocks. The sights from being on the rocks were amazing. After taking some pictures we noted that the beautiful scenery sometimes didn’t even seem real. Before we started our wrap up of the day, one of my fellow journeyers suggested that we just sit in silence for a few moments and just take it all in. After that we spoke about our most meaningful parts of the day. Going to Garden of the Gods was a great way to relax after powerful day.

After going back to the bus we went to dinner where we had a choice of Panda Express, Schlotskys Deli or Chipotle. We ended the day with bowling and everyone had a great time. After two games we got on the bus and went back to the hotel for some free time. As I write this, I can see the snowcapped Rocky Mountains. This city is truly unbelievable.