Race, Hate And The Charleston Church Massacre

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Senator Rev. Clementa Pinckney

We have spoken with the National Action Network Chair in Charleston, Elder Johnson, as well as with Reverend Nelson Rivers who heads our religious affairs department of Pastors in North Charleston, who’ve been talking with the Mayor of Charleston and officials in North Charleston.

I also spoke with the Bishop John Bryant who is the National Bishop of the AME Church; he has just arrived in Charleston. He is headed to the vigil of some of the local AME Ministers.  It is our understanding that they have taken into custody, the suspect. The question becomes, now, whether he acted alone, what this involves, and how people are further protected.

This is by far, one of the most horrendous acts that I’ve ever seen. To walk into a church and kill nine people in a place that should be sacred is a new-low in hate and atrocities in this country. And none of us are safe if we cannot go to a Church for bible study. The Representative Rev. Pinckney who pastored this historic church was one of those that had fought for cameras on the police.  He had, in fact, been at the press conference announcing that State Legislature, just a couple of weeks ago with Rev. Rivers.

When I was there in April, he joined a prayer vigil that we did for Walker Scott, who was killed by police there in Charleston, and it was videotaped. We are calling for a national day of prayer for the families involved. And we’re asking that people all over the country of all races and religions, pause and pray for healing of this family.

Rev. Pinckney was a father of two children and married.  There are other families involved. If in fact the right man has been caught, if in fact we’re now dealing with just a lone gunman, we must deal with the grief and the mourning and the healing of the families.   And we must go forward and unite the communities against this kind of hatred.

It is clear that this nation has to deal with hate, and has to deal with race, and to continue to castigate and demonize those who continue to raise the issue is not going to solve the problem.

We, every other day now, are hearing different narratives: this by far, the worst. Earlier this week, a situation in Spokane about race – a woman saying she wasn’t white, but black. Race is still an issue in this country. Hate is an even more deadly issue. We need to start coming to terms with it.

It was our intention to announce a reward, but since he’s [the suspect has] been captured, the National Action Network will make arrangements to distribute that to the families as need be; whatever our financial commitment would be. We will be coordinating a national day of prayer and healing, and we will be advised by those in Charleston on how we can be helpful beyond that. Thank you.

 

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