BRICA Statement on George Floyd’s Murder and Racism in America
The Boca Raton Interfaith clergy join in mind, heart and spirit in condemning the heinous murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police officers. The knee to the throat is a dark and disturbing symbol of the slow asphyxiation of life and justice wrought by of the systemic and structural racism in America upon the black community and people of color. Racism is a disease that infects the heart, a disease even more virulent than Covid-19 itself. Racism infects people the world over who often show no outward symptoms until their behavior reveals the disease lying at the core of their being. We are outraged by the persistent patterns of inequality and unequal justice in our society. This is not of God. This must stop. We can’t breathe.
The vaccine for racism is justice, the cure is equality, and the prevention is love. But underpinning all of these things is the dire need for national repentance of that infused our national beginnings with this very disease. Racism will repeat itself, is repeating itself, and it won’t stop until all of us stand up and unequivocally refuse it. As Rabbi Joshua Heschel has written, “In a free society, only some may be guilty but all are responsible.”
We call upon all members of our society, especially the white community, to accept this responsibility, to recognize, acknowledge, and vigorously combat racism that deprives African Americans and people of color justice and equal opportunity to thrive in our society. We specifically emphasize the urgent need for meaningful reform in our policing and criminal justice system. We also humbly take a knee in solidarity with all who are protesting peacefully and demanding lasting change. We also condemn the outbreak of violence in some protests. This, too, is not of God.
We grow weary repeatedly writing statements of support. But we decry hatred in all forms and are committed to engaging in concrete actions as allies with our black and brown sisters and brothers that move our society toward liberty and justice for all.
Finally, our hearts are extended to all whose lives have been personally wounded by all of these killings, this bigotry, hatred, and racism. We believe in a God who comforts the hurting, loves us abundantly, and asks us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Black lives matter because over and over again this country says they don’t. We believe in God of compassion and justice. We believe in a God with the power to transform hearts. And we believe that national repentance of the evil of racism, in all its guises, can get us to the vision Martin Luther King Jr. shared when he cried out in hope, “Thank God Almighty we are free at last.”
The Boca Raton Interfaith Clergy Association
Rabbi David Steinhardt and the Rev. Andrew J. Sherman, Co-Conveners and the members of BRICA
2 June 2020
