African-American pastors from WNY issue unified statement on protests

African-American pastors from WNY issue unified statement on protests

THE DEADLY ARREST.A GROUP OF AFRICANAMERICAN PASTORSFROM WESTERN NEWYORK SAY THEY ARESTANDING INSOLIDARITY WITH THEPROTESTERS ACROSSTHE NATION.AS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER EDREILLY TELLS US --THESE PASTORSSUPPORT THEPROTESTS.... BUT NOTTHE VIOLENCE.EVEN NOW WE PRAYFOR THE FAMILY OFGEORGE FLOYDSTARTING WITH APRAYER FOR PEACEAND HEALING .

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.MORETHAN THIRTYAFRICAN-AMERICANPASTORS FROMVARIOUS WNYCHURCHES GATHEREDAT CALVARY BAPTISTCHURCH ON GENESEESTREET IN BUFFALO.THE PASTORS ISSUEDA UNIFIED STATEMENTSAYING THEY STAND INSOLIDARITY WITHTHOSE SEEKINGJUSTICE AND POLICINGREFORMS IN THEBLACK COMMUNITY.THE REVOLUTION THATIS TAKING PLACE NOW,WE MUST NOT ALLOWIT TO FADE INTO THEBACKGROUNDWHILE THE PASTORSSUPPORT THEPEACEFULPROTESTORS ANDINCREASED DIALOGUEBETWEEN POLICE ANDTHE COMMUNITY .

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.THEY DO NOTSUPPORT THOSE WHOARE COMMITTINGACTS OF VIOLENCEEVEN HERE, I HEARDSTORIES OF PEOPLEAGITATING THE CROWD.AS THEY LEAVE,DROPPING ROCKSDOWN ANDDISAPPEARING, SOPEOPLE CAN TAKE THEROCKS AND THROWTHEMPASTOR THOMAS HILLIS IN HIS LATER 70'S.HE HAS SEEN A LOT OFCIVIL RIGHTS EFFORTSDURING HIS LIFETIMETHERE WAS A CHANGEFOR A MODEST PERIODOF TIME BUT THEN WECAME RIGHT BACK TOTHE SAME ISSUESAGAINHE BELIEVES WHWE ARE SEEING NOWIS DIFFERENT .

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ANDWILL HAVE A LONG-LASTING EFFECT.WE ARE PRAYING ATTHIS TIME THAT WEWILL TOTALLYERADICATE, TOTALLYELIMINATE THEPROBLEMS THAT WEHAVETHAT SENTIMENT WASECHOED BY OTHERPASTORS WHOTHOUGHT THE LARGENUMBERS OF PEOPLEFROM ALL RACESTAKING PART IN THEPROTESTS .

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IS AVERY HOPEFUL SIGN.WE ARE REMOVINGOURSELVES FROMRACISM AND COLOR,AND UNDERSTANDINGEACH OTHER ASHUMAN BEINGS FIRSTREV.

MARK BLUE ISPRESIDENT OF THENAACP BUFFALOBRANCH.HE BELIEVESLAWMAKERS NEED TOREPEAL A STATE LAWTHAT SHIELDS POLICEDISCIPLINARYRECORDS .

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.BECAUSE THE THEPUBLIC HAS NO WAYOF KNOWING WHOTHE PROBLEMOFFICERS ARE.THE COMMUNITYNEEDS TO KNOW WHOIS PROTECTING ANDSERVING THEMKNOWING MOREPROTESTS AREPLANNED FORNIAGARA FALLS ANDDUNKIRK .

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THEPASTORS HAD THISADVICE FORPARTICIPANTS.LOVE IS AN ACTIONWORD.

YOU HAVE TOSHOW IT AND NOT JUSTSAY IT.STAY FOCUSED.REMEMBER THEPURPOSE OF ITAS FAR AS SPECIFICCHANGES, THEPASTORS SAY THEY AESTILL LISTENING TOTHE PROTESTERS ANDTHEIRCONGREGATIONS .

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.AND PLAN TO COME UPWITH A UNIFIED LIST OFRECOMMENDATIONS INTHE NEAR FUTURE.

INBUFFALO, ED REILLY 7EW