This open letter was sent to City Attorney Sandra Johnson and MOA administration on Dec. 24, 2014 and was put together by a group of concerned faith leaders and clergy that came together to support the Black Lives Matter Minneapolis movement. Faith Community stands up for #BlackLivesMatter with #Chargeustoo Dear Sandra Johnson and Mall of America administration, We are clergy members of many faiths who attended the peaceful gathering at the Mall of America on December 20, 2014 with #Blacklivesmatter. We attended this event with hundreds of members of our respective religious organizations and congregations. We attended with our children, our spouses, and our friends. We went, in this busy holiday season, because we felt a religious and moral imperative to do so. The lives and deaths of black people matter to us. God calls us to stand with those who are dismissed, denigrated, and destroyed. We gathered in this season of peace and hope to lift our voices and pray for a day when people of color are not targeted by the police because of the color of their skin. We were promised a safe, family-friendly, non-violent action and that is precisely what we experienced. While the gathered crowd sang, grieved, and remembered the dead, we prayed for safety for all, including the police, and we prayed for a day when the killing of unarmed black men and boys would end. We were shocked and dismayed to see that the Mall of America did not believe the peaceful intentions of the peaceful gathering. We were stunned to see police in riot gear and extra law enforcement including state troopers present. Many of us had made a day of it at the Mall, shopping and eating lunch and planning for more of the same after the witness event, but this was not possible with the Mall locked down. It is unfortunate that the Mall of America chose to spend so much money on additional security and law enforcement officials. It appears that you presumed that because we care about violence against unarmed black people, the event itself was going to be violent. This was not the case. In early December, over 7000 people filled the same Rotunda in memory of one who died too soon to cancer, to raise awareness and money for cancer research. Apparently there was no strong police presence, they were not met with police in riot gear, and no extra law enforcement officials called in. We, too, gathered to remember untimely deaths of unarmed black men and boys and to raise awareness of police brutality. For reasons that are unclear to us, the Mall chose to respond to this second gathering in a completely different fashion, apparently presuming the worst of those who attended. As far as we know, no physical damage was done to person or property at either event held at Mall of America. Likewise, as far as we know, no charges were brought against the planners of the cancer awareness-raising event. We are disappointed they would single out 3 or 4 young organizers of this peaceful demonstration. We find that to be disturbing and patently unfair given that thousands played a role in ensuring the success and safety in this nonviolent peaceful protest. If your office plans to charge young organizers of this incredible peaceful protest then we demand that you charge us too because we all played a role in the success of this peaceful event. Here are the names below and we demand to be charged right along with the young organizers of Black Lives Matter. We also conspired to make this peaceful demonstration a success. We encourage you to stop this attack on courageous young leaders. And refrain from using public money to pursue any case or file charges against the perceived organizers of this peaceful gathering, which was meant to make our community a better place for all people. In faith, #chargeustoo Rev. Myron Andes Pastor Todd Bratulich, Community Mission and Engagement Pamela Cook Pastor Danny Givens, Jr. Rev. Rob Eller-Isaacs Rev. Janne Eller-Isaacs Lisa Friedman Lena K. Gardner Rev. Karen Hering Rev. KP Hong Rev. Michael A. Hotz, Associate Pastor of Care and Outreach Rabbi Michael Adam Latz Rev. Ruth MacKenzie Nekima Levy-Pounds, Esq. Elizabeth A. Oppenheimer Rev. Meg Riley Rev. Victoria Safford Rev. Kent Hemmen Saleska Rev. Justin Schroeder Pastor Grant Stevensen Rev. Luke Stevens-Royer Pastor Steve Sylvester Rev. Elaine Aron Tenbrink Rev. Kate Tucker Rev. Dr. Rebecca Voelkel attended in spirit, #chargeustoo Rev. Jen Crow Rev. Javen Swanson Rev. Bonnie Wilcox Eric S. Fought ###
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 21:25:21 +0000
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