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National Council of Churches 'profoundly
disturbed'
President Kathryn M. Lohre and Interim General Secretary Clare J. Chapman also expressed concern about the racial stereotyping and endemic racism that sparks confrontations of the kind that led to Martin's death, allegedly at the hands of a neighborhood watch volunteer.
In a joint statement during the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days gathering in the Washington area, Lohre and Chapman said they prayed a thorough investigation of the incident will be a "first step toward discarding historic structural patterns that have caused us to dehumanize one another, and that have placed millions of our sisters and brothers, persons of color, at risk in our society -- in their homes, their neighborhoods and in public places."
The full text of the statement follows:
The National Council of
Churches is profoundly disturbed by the tragic events surrounding the
killing on February 26 of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin in We send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends
of Trayvon. We sadly acknowledge the tragic reality that exists for young
men of color and their families who, because of their appearance, fear they
will be victims of violence at the hands of police and others. The
stereotypes held by police against persons of color, and held by persons of
color against police in response - have engendered a dangerous - if not
deadly - reality throughout our country. In this
case, the police have said We do not have all the facts about this terrible incident
and it is impossible to know what was going on in the mind of the alleged
shooter. But all of us – especially those who are white – must engage in
urgent self-examination about the ways we react to persons we regard as
“other.” And beyond our personal responses, we must recommit ourselves to
root out the endemic institutional racism, both in society and in the church
that threatens our ability to live in safety and in community. We welcome signs that systems of justice are moving to
fully investigate the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin. We pray these
efforts will be a first step toward discarding historic structural patterns
that have caused us to dehumanize one another, and that have placed millions
of our sisters and brothers, persons of color, at risk in our society -- in
their homes, their neighborhoods and in public places. We pray for God’s help as we seek to bridge the divisions that separate us from one another. May God forgive us and open all our hearts to one another.
See also the statement by the Florida Council of Churches.
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