Statement Regarding Trayvon Martin Call For Justice

This statement was released Saturday July 20th in response to the 100 City Rally called for by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network concerning Justice for the family of Trayvon Martin

7/20/2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

STATEMENT REGARDING THE COMMUNITY AND CITIZEN RALLIES REGARDING THE TRAYVON MARTIN CASE RECENTLY DECIDED IN FLORIDA

CONTENT: 

As pastors and citizens of our community we stand in solidarity with countless millions across the country asking that the government undertake a renewed investigation into the possible racial motivations of George Zimmerman in stalking and eventually killing the 17 year old and unarmed Trayvon Martin. 

Although the courts and the predominately White female jury has interpreted the evidence in favor of Mr. Zimmerman, it is more than obvious to millions of Black Americans that the interpretation of Trayvon's efforts in his own self defense were viewed through a racial interpretive and not an interpretive lending itself to either individual or community justice. We feel that his actions are due a much greater level of scrutiny, and as it has historically been in civil rights, if scrutiny is not called for, justice will not be served. 

We also feel that a local conversation is vitally important to our community, in part, because a version of "stand your ground" and "self defense" will be adopted in relationship to new laws associated with concealed carry in Illinois. Since it is abundantly clear that such laws are rarely interpreted in favor of Black men and woman, it is in the citizens best interest to stand with a strong voice demanding the full attention of our elected representatives as they move forward to forge and implement such legislation. 

Finally, we must seek to challenge local authority to create and implement law enforcement policy acceptable to ALL of the citizens of Peoria which includes the Black community. 

Although national statistics affirm that the rate of usage and sales of drugs are shared in sheer numbers by both Black and White individuals, incarceration rates of Blacks in Peoria for such crimes hold steady to national norms, lending to the negative sterotypes and discouraging outcomes for Peoria's Black citizens, families and youth in particular. We feel that we must continue to address these stereotypical attitudes that result from this negative attention and set forth agenda that will address issues of ALL as we seek to build a better, stronger and more vibrant community. 

In short, we encourage and stand with those who stand for the rights of free speech, peaceful assembly, and the message of accountability directed towards those who have been charged to govern us. In a post civil rights America, we should be reminded that this call to accountability is a duty to all citizens and not just some citizens. 

Thank you. 

Pastor Harvey Burnett 

Peoria Assn. Of Pastors 

New Bethel COGIC

What Do Concealed Carry & Voter ID Have In Common?

ALEC Is Getting Out Of The Business Of Both.

The group "American Legislative Exchange Council" (ALEC), which has promoted and sponsored Voter ID laws and the laws subsequently attached to concealed carry, known as "Stand Your Ground Laws" has retreated from "non economic" issues associated with both, and will now focus more on economic issues and getting people back to work.

From their website, here is their complete statement:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kaitlyn Buss
Phone: 202-742-8526
Email: kbuss@alec.org

ALEC Sharpens Focus on Jobs, Free Markets and Growth — Announces the End of the Task Force that Dealt with Non-Economic Issues

(Washington, D.C.) April 17, 2012—David Frizzell, Indiana State Representative and 2012 National Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), issued the following statement today on behalf of ALEC’s Legislative Board of Directors:
“Today we are redoubling our efforts on the economic front, a priority that has been the hallmark of our organization for decades. Fostering the exchange of pro-growth, solutions-oriented ideas is precisely why ALEC exists.
“To that end, our legislative board last week unanimously agreed to further our work on policies that will help spur innovation and competitiveness across the country.
“We are refocusing our commitment to free-market, limited government and pro-growth principles, and have made changes internally to reflect this renewed focus.
“We are eliminating the ALEC Public Safety and Elections task force that dealt with non-economic issues, and reinvesting these resources in the task forces that focus on the economy. The remaining budgetary and economic issues will be reassigned.
“While we recognize there are other critical, non-economic issues that are vitally important to millions of Americans, we believe we must concentrate on initiatives that spur competitiveness and innovation and put more Americans back to work.
“Our free-market, limited government, pro-growth policies are the reason ALEC enjoys the support of legislators on both sides of the aisle and in all 50 states. ALEC members are interested in solutions that put the American economy back on track. This is our mission, and it is what distinguishes us.”

###

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is the nation’s largest nonpartisan individual membership association of state legislators, with over 2,000 state legislators across the nation and more than 100 alumni members in Congress. ALEC’s mission is to promote free markets, limited government, and federalism throughout the states.

Recently, ALEC has taken much heat and received negative attention as it pertained to their support and lobbying efforts geared toward Voter ID. Voter ID, in essence, has been considered to be both an effort to screen out and keep the poor, primarily minorities, away from the polls during election time, and also considered to be a covert "poll tax" which, according to many, is also illegal. 

ALEC is also under pressure for the implementation of many of the nations "Stand Your Ground" Laws especially those in Florida which may have fueled the attitudes that led to the shooting and subsequent death  of Trayvon Martin, by off duty Neighborhood Watch leader George Zimmerman. In the Trayvon Martin case, many have stated that if the laws were not as liberally constructed as they were, Trayvon may not have been killed. While that is arguable, because others say that once he was identified as "black" and "threatening" he was destined to die, the fact is that ALEC has been one of the primary proponents of both issues along with the NRA in favor of concealed carry.

According to The Huffington Post Black Voices, ALEC has felt the pressure economically as  Coca-Cola, Pepsi, McDonald's, Kraft and Intuit has distanced themselves from them as the Trayvon Martin case has gained significant public awareness. 

What will they do next?

I don't know, but we'll keep watching.  

Is This What Concealed Carry Leads To?

Trayvon Martin

This story is in regards to what can only be described as the murder of an unarmed 17 year old citizen Trayvon Martin.  This is about an effort by a neighborhood vigilante, determined to send a message that crime doesn't exist in his neighborhood. The only problem is that in sending this message, Neighborhood Watch leader, George Zimmerman became the police, judge, jury and executioner all at the same time, committing  crimes and  violating every constitutional right that a fellow citizen, Trayvon Martin, shared. What has been little known is that the natural part of the law that makes "concealed carry" effective in most venues, is some form of what is called the "Stand Your Ground Law". The "Stand Your Ground Law" allows a person to act in lieu of the police if they "feel" threatened using their weapon to kill if they deem it necessary to do so. In almost every case where there is concealed carry, there is a version of "stand your ground", which is the little secret not mentioned much by those in Peoria who advocate for concealed carry. The murderer, in this case, George Zimmerman, claims that he had a right to "stand his ground", "protecting" his neighborhood, and ultimately killing an unarmed boy simply because the boy refused to answer his questions.

This is what I have stated on my Facebook regarding this horrible event:

One of the worst things I have heard in a long time. A word to Peoria, Ill who has a Mayor that is advocating concealed carry....this is the result of concealed carry and neighborhood vigilante-ism. If you give law abiding citizens a gun and they "feel" threatened, you can expect the death rate to increase because everyone will make them feel threatened. Is this the blood you want on your hands?

Quick note on the 5th Amendment of the United States Constitution...

NO ONE has to answer anyone as to why they are in a certain place in a public area. Every citizen has the RIGHT to remain silent and as long as they are peaceful and not breaking the law go about their own business. not even the police have a right to harass you if you're abiding by the law and neither can they demand that you leave. This is still America and EVERY CITIZEN still has rights of freedom that the state CANNOT and DID NOT grant and can't take away.

Contrary to the observation of some, I like our Mayor, but we need to ask him and others that support concealed carry this question: 

Mayor Ardis, is this the blood you want on your hands?

Community Service~YES! Concealed Carry-NO!

In recent times Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis has openly spoken that he believed "concealed carry" would be a desirable and viable option to help make the Peoria community a better and safer one. he has further stated that he would like to see the Peoria community become a "test area" for the concealed carry concept as legislators in Springfield review and debate the issue.

Although we acknowledge the difficulties with crime due to the seeming moral decline that our nation in general has experienced, we also believe that the only way to fix and appropriately address the problem, as has been proven in Peoria, is through ego effacing governmental collaboration with the community and consistent support to groups who are engaged in effective community service.

This Issue Is Not To Be Confused With The Constitutional Right To Bear Arms

Concealed carry should not be confused with the rights of citizens to bear arms, however, we do not believe under any interpretation of the Constitution that there is a citizens right to vigilantism or the execution of justice outside of the rule of law. Placing weapons in the hands of the citizens with the express purpose of deterring crime is nothing short of posturing (which may get someone killed) and encouragement of the citizens to use subjective interpretations of events or threats in public which may result in even greater tragedies and loss of life.

Using One Statistic For Example:

The Murder Rate for example: According to Peoria Police Department Statistics, the murder rate in 2006 was 17. The murder rate in 2007 was 16. In June of 2007 the Peoria Association Of Pastors For Community & Spiritual Renewal sponsored a community rally and prayer event, asking God for intervention and calling individuals and organizations to higher levels of community service. Shortly thereafter we also sponsored the first gun exchange event addressing the issue of crime and illegal gun use. Before the June event and rally, there were 12 murders in Peoria. From that time until June of 2009 there have only been 15 total murders in the city. In other words, the murder rate over the last 2 years since June 2007 has been LESS than the murder rate that was experienced in both 2006 and 2007.

What Do These Simple Facts Say?

During this same period of time that the murder rate was decreasing and crime was low, there was a notable amount of community service that was taking place not only through our organization but through other grass roots organizations in the city. There was community engagement from the Police and City to organizations that wanted change and were willing to stand for change. The numbers reflect, except for certain statistics in 2009, that community engagement worked and deterred crime in greater percentages than "concealed carry" does anywhere that "concealed carry" is currently allowed.

Forms Of Community Engagement

Over the last 2 year period, community engagement has taken place in the form of prayer, assistance within the Peoria Public Schools, the development of ELITE under Mr. Carl Cannon and other events that placed people in front of other people asking them to become involved in the concerns of others and holding everyone to higher standards of accountability. Results have been achieved without asking any individuals to carry guns, or weapons of any kind, and without asking individuals to take the posture outside of the rule of law in the mode of self-defense. Because we know there is a more effective way to address the issues that Peoria must address we view concealed carry as simply an unnecessary and sensational "wild-west" citizen's policing initiative that will only make things worse for all citizens and especially for the least among us.

And What Of Our Top Cops?

What is especially surprising is that the top law enforcement officials in Peoria and Peoria County, Peoria Police Chief Settingsgaard and Peoria County Sheriff McCoy, are also in favor of concealed carry under the guise that criminals knowing that others have guns will be deterred from committing crime. I would address this issue by saying that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that a criminal very seldom acts rationally and knowing that they they will be caught is usually a risk that the serious offender is willing to take in effort to get what he/she wants.

In fact, it is reported by the Peoria Police Department Statistics that the repeat offender commits crime at greater rates than the new offender (someone who commits crime for the first time or who hasn't previously been caught) Example: In 2008, there were 1,985 new offenders entering the system, while there were 7,408 repeat offenders that got caught AGAIN for committing a crime. Knowing these statistics, that criminals who've been caught are NOT afraid to be caught again, we are at serious odds with Police leaders who suggest that the only way to deal with community crime is to "quasi-deputize" its citizens and symbolically pour gasoline on top of an already burning fire. In addition to this, the fine officers that worked with our association during the Peoria Gun Exchange, expressed the difficulty of engaging the community when concealed weapons are involved.

Why does our City Government and Police force not recognize and support the goal of reducing crime by dealing more effectively with known criminals and by assisting and promoting decreased recidivism rates? Why, are the citizens asked to respond to predictable problems that the City is not effectively addressing? The suggestions from our law enforcement officials promotes is antiquated and creates an environment of contention that Peoria does not need to see in the 21st Century.

What Has Been Said

It has been said that Peoria has a Cease Fire "look-alike" program, but where is it at and what has it done? The cease Fire program was designed originally to deal with youth crime and violence and work in conjunction with the city and community groups in addressing and solving issues of crime. We know that a program was ceded to the Community Action Agency, but where is it now, and what is it doing? The City has seemingly casually waived its hand at the distress of the citizens posturing but delivering no results.

The true results by numbers have come from organizations and individuals that have labored to address issues of crime, liquor and drug proliferation, which is a background for many of the problems we experience, and facilitators to the decline of social and moral values that we all witness within the community. Thank God For the ELITE youth. Heritage Days was assisted and made a peaceful event AGAIN not by guns or "concealed carry "but by community workers and people willing to engage the problems head on.

Conclusion:

We find no justification for concealed carry in the least bit in Peoria. We do find however that there is much room for the City, and law enforcement, to engage with the citizenry of Peoria in establishing lasting bonds of community involvement and open dialogue and ACTIONS pursuant to requests. We also clearly see the need for organizations and people to be actively involved in bringing and supporting change. Involvement and concern has been proven to be the best thing that the community can do to deal with crime in the area. Concealed carry is an inhibitor to peace for ALL individuals within the community.

I guess in the Mayor has his way, the new saying in attracting events and businesses to the community will be "Peoria City Beautiful, BYOG (Bring Your Own Gun !). God forbid!

Pastor Harvey Burnett ~ Exec. Director