An estimated 10 clergy leaders and activists, including Cornel West, Jim Wallis (Sojourners) and Pastor Michael McBride (PICO) were arrested today after the Moral Monday March and Civil Disobedience action, including a march from a local church to the Ferguson Police Department, calling for an indictment in the killing of Michael Brown, an end to the police abuse that continues to plague communities across the country and repentance from the police officers as faith leaders “created a sacred space to hear confessions.”
“Standing on the steps of the Old Court House in St Louis the night before the funeral of Michael Brown, we stopped protesting and prayed quietly for his family and for the families of so many black men who have died from police and gun violence,” said Rabbi Susan Talve with the Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis. “Today I stand with the faith community to lift up the voices of young leaders who tell us that their lives matter.”
The call for repentance was aimed at moving the community towards healing and comes at the close of a four-day series of public events during the “Ferguson October: Weekend of Resistance” that included convenings, panels and interfaith services across Missouri to build the growing movement against police violence. More than 400 people participated in the march. Faith leaders and organizers on the ground maintain that protestors will continue to peacefully demonstrate their collective moral and spiritual voice. */In response to today’s arrests, Pastor Michael McBride, PICO’s Director of Urban Strategies and LiveFree campaign released the following statement.
“Our actions today are an act of resistance and repentance. This afternoon’s arrests in Ferguson are another example of how activists, including prominent local faith leaders, members of local faith congregations, students and community leaders, are being falsely accused of inciting violence when the truth in plain site is that we are seeking justice.
Repentance is more than an apology; it’s an earnest change in behavior.
Faith leaders are repenting because we have not been there for our children and our faith traditions have let down black youth, but we’re also calling on the Ferguson police department to repent. Repent for the murder of Michael Brown. Humble yourselves. God will forgive you, but you must repent. “It is critical for the whole world to know that protesters in Ferguson are peacefully making their voices heard and showing the best of our democracy.”Dr. King said “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. If peacefully marching and standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ferguson in this fight for social justice, for all of America, is unjust, then it’s something we are willing to endure in order to eliminate racial injustice and lift up the basic human right of dignity for all people. “We will stand, we will march, we will protest until the conditions change. Our commitment and perseverance in this moment is tremendous and we have an opportunity to intentionally remake our democracy to be one that equally serves and protects all of our people.”
