From Michael Riggs, senior minister of FCC Tulsa “Whats going on with the Hoodie Bill and Hoodie Sunday protest?” “Hoodie Sunday” isnt really about hoodies – its about sticking up for each other; empowering our communities to come together in love, reconciliation, and understanding; equipping our police to serve and protect us all as fairly and best as possible rather than be dragged down into unclear profiling and suspicion; focusing our legislative efforts of things that matter such as better education for our children and funding for our schools, more job opportunities and economic growth for all peoples, and establishing community forums by which we can talk peaceably and constructively about issues that matter to our common life instead of wasteful legislation that would only further divide us such as Oklahoma State Senate Bill 13 (SB 13). SB 13 would make the wearing of a hood or mask for the purposes of concealing ones identity and/or committing a crime in public a misdemeanor, something that already exists in current Oklahoma legislation. It makes multiple exemptions, from religious observances to minstrel troupes, and goes on to declare a state of emergency to exist in Oklahoma and brings the measure into full legal force immediately upon its adoption. Why does this matter? Because of its vague language, the enforcement of this bill, should it become law, would make the job of our police even more difficult in direct encounters with persons wearing hoodies, forcing our officers into ambiguous, subjective profiling based on suspicion of criminal intent without clear guidelines. Police would now have to enforce a law that assumes any person wearing a hoodie that in full or in part conceals ones identity may intend to commit a crime and must therefore be stopped and questioned, criminalizing innocents and preventing them from doing meaningful police work. Why the fuss over hoodies? In truth, this isnt about hoodies at all. Hooded garments have been used throughout human history for multiple purposes and can be seen today at most any sporting event or simply when the weather turns cool. At times, they have also been associated in popular culture with gangs and criminal behavior (problems which deserve their own attention, surely enough). Most recently, they have been used by movements such “Black Lives Matter” to demonstrate the unfair association of wearing a hoodie with having criminal intent. Just because one is a racial minority and wears a hoodie does not mean one is about to commit a crime. Beyond the murky waters of profiling, however, nowhere in this bills length list of exemptions are free assembly and public protest – things on which our free country was founded. Recent movements such as “Occupy” and “Black Lives Matter” have used the hoodie as a symbol of protest, but this bill would make any such demonstrations a possible misdemeanor, even if conducted peacefully and non-violently and in otherwise full accordance with the law. This bill puts in jeopardy First Amendment rights and threatens to silence voices and communities who would ask that their government hear them. What does this have to do with the Christian faith? Some would say this issue has nothing to do with the Christian faith and that the Church shouldnt get involved. Others would cite that Christ Jesus sought to bring good news to the poor and oppressed and that he championed the least of these because of Gods love for all of Gods children, and therefore a faithful Church must in fact get involved. From Roman gladiatorial games to American civil rights, the Church has played the role of social advocate throughout history on issues that relate to the common good of all people, irrespective of politics. Christians are called to proclaim and work for Gods love and justice to and for our communities and seek peace and harmony here on earth for all of Gods people. This bill threatens our common good by further estranging and straining the relationship between police and the people they protect and serve by mandating suspicion of hooded encounters as well as silencing the right to peacefully assemble and protest. We understand that not all persons and pastors feel this way. Those who do feel similarly are invited to wear a hoodie with us in a silent but visible protest on Sunday, January 18, 2015 if appropriate for your place and practice of worship, in public or in private. If you dont feel the same, we completely respect and honor your convictions and do not ask you to wear a hoodie. Its a free country, after all, and we have always held a diversity of opinions and interpretations and understandings and yet have still come together in unity. If you have any questions about this protest, please share them here in a peaceful, constructive manner that does not demean of belittle others. Peace be with you.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 23:48:29 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015