Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie Issues Call to Action in Support of Black Lives Matter
Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, presiding bishop of the 10th Episcopal District (Texas) of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, recently held a news conference to announce the district’s participation in National Black Solidarity Sunday, because Black Lives Matter! The event was held in the District Headquarters’ chapel in Richard Allen Plaza in Dallas, Texas.
Joining her in ecumenical unity was Senior Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick III, presiding bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church; Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, pastor of Friendship West Baptist Church; the Rev. Barbara LaToison, pastor of St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church; and the Rev. Dr. Vanessee J. Burns, pastor of Christian Chapel Temple of Faith CME Church and others representing the four denominations. The audience of more than 50, holding signs of protest slogans filled the chapel to overflowing.
Bishop McKenzie cited James Weldon Johnson’s poem written in 1900, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” as a metaphor for the road towards justice and equality for African Americans. “Today, we say stony the road we trod to remind us that we will continue to lift every voice and make every effort to confront the brutal biased Grinch’s of our time.”
“This stony road has been marred by a lot of potholes that have damaged the undercarriage of justice,”she said. “Biases, including the stereotyping of black men and women, have now created a toxic environment where a child in a hoody walking home, a teenager in the back of a car with too loud music, or walking in the middle of the street or a child playing with a pellet gun is somehow an evil menace that must be shot and put down like a rogue horse.”
Bishop McKenzie said the African Methodist Episcopal Church is issuing a national call to action. “We cannot be silent while the lives of too many men and women are being hijacked by a biased criminal justice system, social and cultural fears and phobias. We insist on the training of law enforcement persons, including prosecutors, in diversity and racial cultures not just to sensitize them, but to change their minds and ways of thinking. Whether that person works behind a desk or on the streets, regardless of race creed or color, we want them to understand the rich heritage and diversity that makes up this community and our country.”
“We want better communication and community outreach between law enforcement and our young people, creating programs that don’t just talk at them, but rather help law enforcement to see how to participate in our community in a positive and productive manner. We must encourage parents and guardians to have honest dialogue with young people about how to protect themselves against those who are charged to protect and to serve them,” she said.
“We need to continue our steady beat working for voter’s rights, fair voter registration legislation, justice and equality. We’re not just here to say we’re going to wear black and pray on Sunday, but we’re calling for a boycott of corporations who demonstrate overt and covert prejudicial policies. We are going to continue to apply the pressure necessary to demonstrate that Black Lives Matter and that we will not be silent!” declared Bishop McKenzie.
“In our solidarity for this effort,” said Senior Bishop Reddick III, “we have been honored to be joined by so many other parts of the ecumenical world: the National Baptist Convention of America Inc., the Church of God in Christ, the Full Gospel Baptist Church, The Joint College of Pentecostal Bishops, the National Council of Churches, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, the National Hispanic Evangelical Caucus, the United Church of Jesus Christ and Christian churches together.
“They have joined us in making sure this is a day we are all in solidarity,” continued Senior Bishop Reddick III. “So we are not alone. We thank our ecumenical brothers and sisters for joining with us.”
Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, pastor of Friendship West Baptist Church, said, “I cannot help but recall the brilliance of our ancestors who declared through a proverb that when spider webs unite they can tie up a lion. Of course, we recognize there’s a lion of injustice who continues to rear its ugly head in this nation.”
Dr. Haynes lifted up names from Eric Garner and Michael Brown, going all the way back to 1955 with Emmett Till, saying, “The lion of injustice continues to say to us, even in 2014 that Black life is devalued; that Black life does not count. Yet, here we are from our various faith traditions, coming together uniting our anointed webs to tie up the lion of injustice…we are declaring it on this second Sunday in December 2014, in this season of Advent where another baby was born in the context of lives being snuffed out in genocide by Herod and yet His parents said, ‘This life matters.’”
“So we are standing in solidarity. As a Baptist pastor here in this AME building led by this AME Bishop next to my CME brother with all of my wonderful Black Christians in this house, we are saying to our people and this nation that Black Life Matters and we shall overcome,” concluded Haynes.
AME churches and many other denominations across the nation wore black on National Black Solidarity Sunday and spoke in support of Black Lives Matter. The ecumenical dialogue will continue when the African Methodist Episcopal Church hosts a public session, “What shall we say to these things?: Dred Scott Decision and Justice for People of Color in 21st Century North America,” January 7-9, 2015, in Little Rock, Arkansas.
This site was chosen because of its role as a cradle of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. The goal is to dissect the systemic issues and create effective strategies for change. The seminar is open to the public and presented by the AMEC Church Growth and Development Department. To register, visit http://www.ame-church.com/news/.
