Black Pastors to Members: Be Aware and Beware Zimmerman Verdict

Afro ^ | 7/14/13 | Courtney Jacobs and Blair Adams

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Rev. John K. Jenkins, Sr. looked out at the congregation of First Baptist Church of Glendarden and sighed.

Less than 12 hours after jurors in Sanford, Fla., found George Zimmerman not guilty in the fatal shooting of unarmed Black teenager Trayvon Martin, he was having “trouble” coming to terms with the verdict and what it meant for justice, and righteousness, or the lack thereof, in this country.

Though the church celebrated its annual Music and Arts Ministry on July 14, Jenkins had a heavy heart. His topic for the day was “Directions for Troubled Times.”

“I was speechless,” Jenkins told his audience about his reaction to the verdict. “It took the breath out of me.”

Jenkins said he found particularly disturbing statements made by one of Zimmerman’s defenders. “I heard the man’s lawyer say he did nothing wrong…I heard the killer’s lawyer say [Trayvon] used the concrete as a weapon.”

At one point, tears began to roll down his cheeks.

Even for men and women accustomed to explaining evil and wrong, the verdict that freed Zimmerman proved difficult. Jenkins and several other pastors from Baltimore to the metropolitan Washington area decried the verdict July 14 and urged their members to understand that the verdict indicated that Black life was not as valuable as White life, despite some race gains over the last 50 years.

While some Americans believe the verdict delivered by the six-woman jury was just, many Blacks found it implausible that the jurors could acquit Zimmerman in the 2012 slaying of Martin, 17.

Rev. Dr. Beryl Whipple, pastor of Asbury United Methodist Church in White Marsh, near Baltimore, said he was not surprised by the jurors’ decision.

“This is a wake-up call not just for America, but for African Americans,” he said.

“This is a call to finally put an end to the senseless violence and be active in their community to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again.”

Whipple, like Jenkins, heard the verdict on television.

“I was watching CNN at home,” he said. “I don’t think he was innocent…Zimmerman killed a minor. In this case, we missed the mark on our opportunity for justice. I can only assume they came to that verdict based on their own life experience….They sided more with the community watch patrol officer than the young man trying to get home.”

Rev. Grady Yeargin, pastor of City Temple Baptist Church of Baltimore, preached in a hoodie, the morning after the verdict, as did Rev. Tony Lee, pastor of Community of Hope AME Church in Temple Hills in Prince George’s County.

Trayvon was wearing a hoodie on the night Zimmerman reported him to police as a suspicious person, then followed, fought with and fatally shot the youth.

"When you have great progress, there is always great pushback,” Lee told his congregation. “We want to act like we're in this post-racial society where everything is ‘Howdy, howdy’ and everything is all good. Just because you found you have a Black woman, Black man, Black baby girls, a Black dog and a Black grandmamma in the White House, you thought it was a post-racial society."

Several pastors said they believe race figured in the verdict, just as it did in the shooting and the investigation by law enforcement officials in Sanford, Fla., where Martin was killed.

Trayvon was “racially profiled from the beginning” to the end of the case, Whipple said.

“With this verdict, it showed that in the 21st century, we haven’t really moved forward as we should have it terms of racism,” he said. “We didn’t have justice in this case.”

Like Jenkins, he took offense at the idea that Trayvon had assaulted Zimmerman during the fight that ensued after Zimmerman refused a police dispatcher’s order to stay inside his car and followed and confronted the youth. Trayvon was returning to his father’s home in the community after going to the store to buy snacks.

“Travon Martin was trying not to get shot, he didn’t use the concrete as a weapon,” Whipple said.

At Turner Memorial AME Church in Hyattsville, the Rev. William H. Lamar IV asked his members to call out the names of the Black men they love—children, brothers, fathers, uncles, cousins, etc.

“I’m very clear that this nation continues to tell us that America does not value Black flesh the way it values the flesh of others,” Lamar told the AFRO after the service. “My whole context was that our ancestors were true freedom fighters, but we are asleep at the wheel. We have confused civil rights victories with the ultimate victory of the freedom struggle. And [Supreme Court Chief] Justice John Roberts told us in the recent decision [on the Voting Rights Act] that they do not even intend to let us keep our civil rights.”

Jenkins, who preached from Psalms 27:1-6, urged his members to continue to praise through the troubled times, as well. The congregation, led by the male chorus and praise and worship team, sang a lengthy rendition of Psalm 3:3 from the Bible.

“For thou, Oh Lord, are a shield for me. A glory and the lifter-up of my head…I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who set themselves against me round about,” they sang.

Be encouraged and continue to pray, Jenkins told his members.

“Although the world is ugly, we serve a beautiful God.”

Teria Rogers contributed to this report.

[Vaquero]

Race Baiters never ‘get’ the truth. They only ‘get’ the need to elect their marxist overlords and to say whatever has to be said to make that happen.

[knarf]

"Even for men and women accustomed to explaining evil and wrong, the verdict that freed Zimmerman proved difficult."

Which makes their explanations of evil and wrong suspect.

[knarf]

"While some Americans believe the verdict delivered by the six-woman jury was just, many Blacks found it implausible that the jurors could acquit Zimmerman in the 2012 slaying of Martin, 17."

Whites found it implausable obama could be re-elected.

[Flintlock]

They could also tell their little kiddie-pooos not to bash in the heads of armed men—OR ANYODY ELSE, FOR THAT MATTER.

[Hardraade]

The Black Man didn’t get to be the killer.

Tears.

These “people” are not even the same species.

[McBuff]

Whites also find it implausible that a 17 year old could shoot a baby in the face.

[From The Deer Stand]

Let’s forget, of course, the white folk who are killed by Black folk. Just keep pushing that racism and keep America divided. The Zimmerman-Martin incident was indeed unfortunate but it happened when odd circumstance came together. Zimmerman wasn’t gunning for a Black man. That happens in Chicago and other inner-cities, but that happens when the gun is held by a Black hand. Blacks who have achieved success have done so with plenty of white support and are admired for their successes. They have failed to listen to Black leaders and Democrats who for years have told them they are inferior and have no opportunity in life, hence the welfare check and government programs. Democrats need Blacks to be subservient and it’s amazing the Black population hasn’t figured that out.

[V_TWIN]

in their mind, if it’s not the outcome THEY want its wrong.................and obviously racist.

[Yosemitest]

From another thread, but it hits this subject dead-center.

"Only black people are expected to never speak against their community.
...
Whites never need to be brave this way.
There's absolutely no pressure on white people to root for their race.
In fact, there's often pressure to root against their race.
Instead of being asked to weep over President Obama's ever having been looked at suspiciously (probably by Jesse Jackson),
could we reflect on the fortitude of ordinary black citizens who resist "racial solidarity" and speak the truth? "

Ann almost always gets my "kudos" for nailing a subject.
She's right when she states "In fact, there's often pressure to root against their race."
This is where VILE liberals fall on their knees, sucking up to the LAME Stream Media, in their sycophantic desire to be liked.

" So then ... because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, ... I will spue thee out ... "

It's NOT about RACE !
It's about IDEOLOGY !

WHO was Anthony Johnson of the 1600s ?

WHO was John Casor ( Caster ) 1655 ?

WHY doesn't the media tell you about WHITE SLAVES owned by Blacks in the the United States ?

Why isn't White Slavery, Maternal Descent, And The Politics Of Slavery In The Antebellum United States, written by Lawrence Tenzer and A.D. Powell, REQUIRED READING in High School ?

Watch these videos:

David Barton - Three-Fifths clause was anti-slavery, not pro


PART 1 Glenn Beck: History of Slavery (08-19-2010).flv


PART 2 Glenn Beck: History of Slavery (08-19-2010).flv


PART 3 Glenn Beck: History of Slavery (08-19-2010).flv


PART 4 Glenn Beck: History of Slavery (08-19-2010).flv


Glenn Beck -6/14/2011- Slavery and the GOP Debate

How much more do you need to prove to yourself that (?) :

DEMOCRATS ARE LIARS !
and DEMOCRATS ARE ENSLAVING YOU !

[knarf]

Before the shot were the words and before the words was the thought process ... and THAT thought process never should have developed in the first place,

Makes me kind'a wonder if black's have an uncanny sense of whom to abort and whom to allow to live.

I think they're killing George Washington Carvers by the aborted drove and allowing Hitlers to roam the world.

[tbpiper]

“This is a call to finally put an end to the senseless violence and be active in their community to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again.”

You can start by having your young men pull their pants up, keep their peckers inside them, learn to speak english, relize making babies is not a sport, understand that being black is not a cause, have them learn to appreciate real music, see that air-humping to music is not 'dancing'..... I could go on.

[MissEdie]

Why doesn’t this pastor preach to his church members to be good parents and to teach their children right and wrong? Or more importantly, why doesn’t he stress the need for people to no commit crimes in the first place?
I’m tired of the race baiters acting like Trayvon was shot in the back while he was innocently walking home from a candy store.

[yldstrk]

“a Black dog”?
Dogs have races? Who knew?

[Yosemitest]

These people are so in denial, and are soooooooooooooo RACISTS, that they need to be locked up in a mental ward forever.

Home schooling is the ONLY way to go.

Start with teaching your children the FACTS that liberals despise.

Its like "Holy Water" against these "life-sucking", "life-destroying" vampires.

First show them that

"Fulton abandoned the kid when he was 3.
His step-mother brought him up.
The father moved on to woman 3.
12 years later she dumped him back on Fulton.

The step-mother said
he didn't use bad language when he was with her
so we can surmise he went wild with Fulton.
She identified his scream in court, but she had no way of knowing.
They pushed the step-mother into the shadows, the only real mother he ever knew."

Then show your children these links:

Trayvon should NOT have told George Zimmerman:
while trying to grab George Zimmerman’s gun ... saying, “tonight you die, ************”’
Trayvon should NOT have gone for George Zimmerman's handgun.

Trayvon should NOT have pinned George Zimmerman down on the ground.

Trayvon should NOT have broken George Zimmerman’s nose.

Trayvon should NOT have given George Zimmerman two black eyes.

Trayvon should NOT have repeatedly slammed George Zimmerman’s head on the pavement.

Trayvon should NOT have gotten suspended from school for possessing traces of marijuana.

Trayvon should NOT have stolen 12 pcs of ladies jewelry, and a man’s watch.

Trayvon should NOT have kept a flat head screwdriver described as “a burglary tool”, in his backpack.

Trayvon should NOT have had a criminal past of theft, hiding and acting suspicious.

Trayvon should NOT have encouraged ... fellow thugs to commit murder with the tweet, “Plzz shoot da #mf dat lied 2 u!”.




Trayvon should NOT have had a police record FOIA Sunlight And More Trayvon Martin Police Records.

Trayvon should NOT have had Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin for parents, who didn't discipline their unruly son, when he needed it.
Then they refused to admit to themselves, at each step along the way toward this disaster, that their son, Trayvon Martin, had a real problem and needed professional help!

Had the situation been handled different by Trayvon Martin, he might still be alive.
For instance, what if it had gone like null and void suggested ?



TRAYVON MARTIN: - Hey, are you following me?

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: - Ummm, yes.

TRAYVON MARTIN: - May I ask why?

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: - Well, uh, we've had a number off robberies in this neighborhood lately, and I don't recognize you...

TRAYVON MARTIN: - Oh, well, I'm Travon Martin, I'm spending the summer at my uncle's in unit 12. I expect you'll see a lot of me this summer.

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: - OK, thanks, good to know. I'm George Zimmerman, by the way.

They shake hands.



TRAYVON MARTIN: - No, thank you for keeping an eye out for your neighbors!


But, NO !
It DID NOT go that way.

That should be a good start , and that should drive those VILE reporters and teachers into insanity.

[maddog55]

As a White-Swedish-Irish-German-English-American I too feel the pain and shame that America has brought upon my people.

[Gay State Conservative]

Secession is the only answer boys and girls.Let CA,NY,MA,MD,IL and a few other states form the “Progressive States of America”.In the “PSA” everyone would have an EBT card,an ObamaPhone and free medical care.Any number of creatures,regardless of gender or species,would be able to marry.And people “of color” could declare open season on crackers with no fear of reprisals...or self defense.

[meatloaf]

Apparently the good reverend has no knowledge of the hate that lives in young men who chose the gangsta life style. When a man of God is deceived by the devil, it’s sad for mankind and most of all for the Black community that hold him in high regard when he reinforces the “we ain’t done nothin wrong” mantra.

[ArrogantBustard]

“I was speechless,” Jenkins told his audience about his reaction to the verdict. “It took the breath out of me.”

Maybe Jenkins should have paid attention to the trial. Maybe Jenkins should acquaint himself with the facts of the case. Maybe Jenkins should remind himself that assault and battery is a crime, and that nobody is obliged to submit to criminal assault.

OTOH, half the population is below average. Maybe Jenkins is in that half.

[pgkdan]

I wish these A-holes would all just grow up! I’m so suck of their constant whining and complaining!!! How about preaching a little self co.truly and personal responsibility to that flock if your “Rev”?