Junction City Mayor Pat Landes said Tuesday evening that there is a lot of sadness in our country right now. Referring to the recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio last weekend, he stated that it has hit home with a lot of people thinking that this could happen where they live.

“I think the people of this country need to realize how lucky we all are and remember the phrase love thy neighbor. I don’t think there’s enough of that, I don’t think there’s enough patience in this country or the world for each other. We need to work on that,” said Landes.

The mayor told a city commission meeting audience, “We need to work on working together and not assuming that someone’s garbage because they’re not from here. We need to work together and use the talents that we have and make this country better, be more constructive. Work harder in your community, volunteer, do things for others and we’ll be in a better place.”

Landes said avoid letting “hate fill your heart just because you feel so passionately, and wrongly about things. Don’t judge someone by the color of their skin or what they believe in. As long as it’s lawful do things that are positive in this world. ” Landes added,  “It’s been so sad and all these bad things that are happening have such a common theme that it’s all about hate. We have to move past that. If anybody sees anything or knows anything, that they see a tendency by people or a group, let the authorities know so we can head these things off. These horrible things are becoming all too commonplace in this world.”