Adding to the growing number of faith leaders expressing outrage at the killing of Trayvon Martin, the leaders of the National Council of Churches have said they are “profoundly disturbed” by the incident. As media attention and public pressure mounts, the NCC leaders are praying that a “thorough investigation of the incident will be a ‘first step toward discarding historic structural patterns that have caused us to dehumanize one another, and that have placed millions of our sisters and brothers, persons of color, at risk in our society — in their homes, their neighborhoods and in public places.’”
Noting the pernicious role of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground Law,” the NCC went on to say:
In this case, the police have said Florida law makes it unnecessary for police to investigate the shooting of Trayvon, resulting in unprecedented demonstrations of anger in the U.S. and around the world. Clearly, this tragedy has been compounded by unexamined stereotypes on both sides, and especially by the systemic racism that is pervasive throughout the very fabric of our society infecting our institutions and individuals alike.
Read the full statement here.
