Statement RE:
The Grand Jury Decision in the Breonna Taylor Shooting Case
Your Covenant With Death and Agreement With Hell Will Not Stand
The members, servant leaders, and Social Action Commission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church watched intently as the grand jury's findings in the Breonna Taylor shooting case were announced. The decision to bring no charges against two of the three officers is heartbreaking. The decision to charge the third officer with relatively minor legal infractions is "offensive and outrageous." The justice system of the state of Kentucky has made a covenant with death and an agreement with hell. (Isaiah 28: 15)
When Kentucky's Attorney General Daniel Cameron said the state's investigation determined that the use of force was justified, he is covering up the state's historic covenant with death and agreement with hell. For him to infer that Breonna Taylor's death was justifiable homicide makes September 23, 2020, "a day which will live in infamy."
That this insensitive and immoral decision occurred on the same day that the American nation, the United States Supreme Court, the family and friends of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg gathered to celebrate her life and legacy of justice is unconscionable. It is another example of the divisive, destructive, and deadly justice system of white supremacy. It is an example of the covenant with death and the agreement with hell white supremacy made over 400 years ago. The politics of death, poverty, and hell on earth have haunted people of color and women ever since.
In Wednesday's service for Judge Ginsburg, the opening words came from the Jewish tradition, "Blessed is God, the true judge". In her Supreme Court chambers, Judge Ginsburg the following scripture prominently hung: "Justice, justice shall you pursue." (Deuteronomy 16:20). Is President Trump, Senator McConnell, and their Republican colleagues. They took one position about Supreme Court nominations right before the Presidential elections in 2016 and now are taking the opposite place in 2020, pursuing justice or political hypocrisy? Was Attorney General Cameron pursuing justice for Breonna Taylor and the people of Kentucky or was he pursuing a future career in the political party that practices and rewards decisions that strengthen white supremacy? The African Methodist Episcopal Church is grateful that God is still on the throne of justice; therefore we do not lose hope. We prophetically join with those who pursue justice. We join with those who are determined that Black Lives do matter!
This covenant with death and agreement with hell makes lies its refuge and hides behind falsehoods. There is no respect for Black life. There is no respect for the Constitutional rights of American citizens. Trump, Barr, and McConnell think America is an autocracy of the elite few who are rich, white, and powerful. The Republican Party has become the white supremacy party and its handmaidens, white rage, and white violence against people of color. They believe that white supremacist justice allows them to oppress, imprison, and shoot to death people of color with impunity. The Breonna Taylor decision and the hypocritical attempt to stack the Supreme Court with Justices who will uphold the rights of white supremacist plans and policies make a mockery of the legacies of Thurgood Marshall and Ruth Taylor Ginsburg.
In this season, our nation and the world need a prophetic word, a healing story, a liberating and unifying word from God. God gives us that word when people are dying, and families are being destroyed because of lies and injustice: white supremacy, your covenant with death is annulled, and your agreement with hell will not stand.
It is our prayer that our members, ecumenical friends, and people of goodwill will join us in healing our nation and transforming this 21st Century spiritual, political, and economic American nightmare into a Matthew 25 reality where the powerless receive the resources they need to have the abundant life so they can pursue liberty and happiness. Help us heal this nation by:
1. Fasting and praying that God moves in this election.
2. Organizing your family, neighborhood, church, city, and state to get out the vote, mail in your vote, and make sure that every vote is counted.
3. Vote Injustice out and Justice in.
4. Connect with AME V Alert, Black Church PAC, and our other partners to organize your own text-a-thons and phone banks to maximize non-partisan voter participation.
5. Make sure your family, friends, church, and community have a detailed plan for voter registration, voter education, and voter empowerment that and makes sure that your census information is counted,
6. Call or email your US Senator and urge him or her not to go forward with a Supreme Court nomination until after the new newly elected President and Congress are sworn in.
7. Participate in African Methodism's plan to get 1.5 million folks out to vote.
Bishop Michael L. Mitchell, President of the Council of Bishops
Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Senior Bishop
Bishop Wilfred J. Messiah, President of the General Board
Bishop Frank Madison Reid III, Chair of the Commission on Social Action
Mrs. Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker, Director/Consultant of Social Action
