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Statement of Covenant Presbyterian Church on the Murder of George Floyd
When I hear the statement, “Black Lives Matter” my response is of course, absolutely! Overwhelmingly over our nation’s history that has not been the case. Black lives have been denied, discriminate against, killed, segregated, defiled, and been devalued. We have seen time and time again when Black individuals have been enslaved, counted as “3/5 of a man,” denied education, access to healthcare, been subject to redlining, have been killed at double the rate of white persons, and continually have a higher unemployment rate. Black lives overwhelmingly have not mattered in our history and today.
It’s a tragedy that fifty-five years after the Civil Rights legislation of the 1960’s significant disparities continue to exist and in many ways are getting worse. So saying “Black Lives Matter” is essential and necessary because far too often they don’t matter to far too many people.
And yes all lives do matter, but it’s important to focus on the lives who have been in peril, and focus on changing the reality to ensure, yes, that Black lives do matter in terms of policy, policing, voting access, economic justice, education, housing and medical care. So when you hear “Black Lives Matter” our response is of course and let’s continue to work to make this a reality.
It’s a tragedy that fifty-five years after the Civil Rights legislation of the 1960’s significant disparities continue to exist and in many ways are getting worse. So saying “Black Lives Matter” is essential and necessary because far too often they don’t matter to far too many people.
And yes all lives do matter, but it’s important to focus on the lives who have been in peril, and focus on changing the reality to ensure, yes, that Black lives do matter in terms of policy, policing, voting access, economic justice, education, housing and medical care. So when you hear “Black Lives Matter” our response is of course and let’s continue to work to make this a reality.