posters on a table with image of George Floyd, text says Do you see us?, Do you feel us?, Do you hear us?

Minneapolis Clergy Statement on the Killing of George Floyd

MUUSJA - Minnesota Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance
May 26, 2020
AN OPEN LETTER FROM MINNEAPOLIS DOWNTOWN INTERFAITH SENIOR CLERGY

We, the below signed members of the Downtown Interfaith Senior Clergy, condemn in the strongest possible terms the May 25th killing by a police officer of an unarmed African American man in Minneapolis. As leaders of faith traditions that include Judaism, Islam, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Humanism, we affirm our common conviction that all life is sacred and that every human being is our neighbor, worthy to be loved. Not killed.  

Our hearts break, going out to the family and to those in our community who continue to bear the historical brunt of racially-motivated oppression that too often leads to violence and even death. In a press conference, Mayor Jacob Frey phrased it well: “Being black in America should not be a death sentence.” We all say amen!

We call for a swift response by city officials and Minneapolis law enforcement leaders, and a deeper addressing of the systemic issues that led to this and similar killings. We say “enough and more than enough!” Law enforcement must interact with all our neighbors in all our neighborhoods fairly and equally. Might we finally learn from this most recent tragic incident? We must. We are all called to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Signed, 
Imam Makram Nu’Man El-Amin, Masjid An-NurRev.
Dr. David Breeden, First Unitarian Society 
Rev. Dr. Dan Collison, First Covenant Church
Rev. Jen Crow, First Universalist Church 
Rev. Dr. Laurie Feille, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Imam Dr. Hamdy El-Sawaf Islamic Community Center of Minnesota/Masjid Al-Amin
Rev. Dr. Tim Hart-Andersen, Westminster Presbyterian Church
The Very Reverend Paul Lebens-Englund, St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral
Rev. Dr. Paula Northwood, Plymouth Congregational Church 
Rev. Peter Nycklemoe, Central Lutheran Church
Rev. Laura Smidzik, Michael Servetus Unitarian Society
Rev. Judy Zabel, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church
Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman, Temple Israel 
 
Some Resources for UU Congregations (added by MUUSJA)
Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism 
Allies for Racial Equity
What White People Can Do For Racial Justice
Anti-Racism Resources for White People
Reclaim the Block 
Minneapolis Police Evaluation Project
Black Lives Matter Minneapolis
Showing Up for Racial Justice – MN  

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