OVER 100 FAITH LEADERS CALL ON NJ’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO CONDEMN TRUMP FOR FAILING TO REPUDIATE HATRED

Supporting Rep. Watson Coleman’s Censure Resolution – HR 496

(New Jersey) – Over 100 New Jersey based Faith Leaders from a broad spectrum of denominations have signed onto a letter in support of House Resolution 496 – a censure resolution condemning President Donald Trump’s failure to forcefully repudiate hatred. The letter urged all members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation to support this important measure.

In response to torch-wielding Neo-Nazis and white supremacists marching and inciting evil and violence through the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia, the formal reprimand was filed by New Jersey Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, New York Congressman Jerald Nadler and Washington Congressman Pramila Jayapal.

This clergy letter was specifically and individually sent to those members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation who have still failed to sign-on, step-up and speak-out against hatred: Congressman Josh Gottheimer, Congressman Frank LoBiondo, Congressman Tom MacArthur, Congressman Chris Smith, Congressman Leonard Lance and Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen. They implore these representatives to not only speak out and condemn the vile actions all Americans witnessed recently, but to also officially censure President Trump for his heinous response to the evil on display in Charlottesville and in the aftermath. Congress has only censured a President three times prior in history – the last instance occurring in 1848.

“There is zero room for equivocation when it comes to condemning the hatred spewed in Charlottesville by Neo-Nazis, White Supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan,” said Imam M. Ali Chaudry, PH.D. “I urge our Congressional delegation to support this resolution against the coddling of evil.”

“The clarion call of ‘Never Again’ must be sounded every time hatred manifests itself,” said Rabbi Marc Kline, Monmouth Reform Temple, Tinton Falls. “This call should especially be voiced – loud and clear – when hatred marches through American streets. We must join together to shine a light on evil whenever and wherever it rears its ugly head.”

“To remain silent after bearing witness to Neo Nazis chanting ‘Jews will not replace us’ and ‘Blood and Soil’ on national television is to be complicit to an attack on humanity,” said Rev. Gregory J. Jackson, Senior Pastor Mount Olive Baptist Church, Hackensack. “Our morality dictates that we speak and speak loudly.”

It is especially fitting that this letter is being released today, on the 54^th anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This morning, over 1,000 religious leaders from various faiths – including Jewish, Muslim and Christian – are rallying in Washington D.C. to highlight how opposition to Trump’s agenda is a moral, as well as political approach.

Below, please find a copy of the letter, along with a list of signees. These members of the cloth represent a wide range of New Jersey spiritual leaders – including Jewish, AME, Baptist, Church of God in Christ, Unitarian Universalist, Lutheran, Methodist and Evangelical. And this letter was sent to each of the New Jersey Congressmen who have failed to sign-on to the censure resolution.

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On Friday, August 11, 2017, Neo Nazis and White Supremacists carrying torches like Ku Klux Klan Nightriders, charged through the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia and then marched upon a church, forcing members of many faiths to escape out the back door.  On Saturday morning, some White Nationalists dressed in fatigues and carrying assault weapons, menaced a Synagogue as people were inside worshipping.  That same morning, hundreds of Nazis rushed members of the Clergy standing witness to the march.  Had it not been for the brave actions to counter-demonstrators getting between the Neo Nazis and the Clergy, those standing witness would have been harmed. 

Later that morning, a member of the racist group drove his car into a group of counter-protesters, murdering Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others.  

In response to this jaw-dropping, horrific, violent, racist, anti-Semitic, KKK and Hitlerian display, President Trump found moral equivalency between the “alt-right” and the counter demonstrators and anti-Nazi protectors, and has “tweeted” out his sadness at the call to remove hateful Confederate monuments. On August 22, at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, President Trump said, “They are trying to take away our history and our heritage.” What more does President Trump need to say before you will act?

New Jersey Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman and Congressman Nadler (NY) and Congresswoman Jayapal (WA) have filed H. Res. 496, seeking a Congressional Censure of President Trump for his heinous response to Charlottesville.  

We, the undersigned members of the New Jersey clergy,  ask that in addition to forcefully speaking out and condemning the actions of White Nationalists and Neo Nazis, that you sign on to this Resolution as Co-Sponsor.  Congress must make it clear that the President does not speak for the American Government with regard to Charlottesville.  Over 110 Members of Congress have already signed on.  Please Act Now. 

Yours Truly, 

Rev. John D. Givens                                                                                    Cantor Joanna Alexander

Paterson United Pastors Council                                                            Temple Rodeph Torah

Paterson, NJ                                                                                                 Marlboro, NJ

Representing 30+ Congregations

Rev. Dr. James Kuykendall                                                                        Rev. Dr. Lanel D. Guyton

Agape Christian Ministries Church                                                            St. Mathew AME Church

Paterson, NJ                                                                                                Orange, NJ

Rev. Robin Tanner                                                                                    Rev. Norwood R. Cuff

Unitarian Church of Summit                                                                        Campbell AME Church

Summit, NJ                                                                                                Woodbury, NJ

Rev. Charles Boyer                                                                                    Rev. Gregory Smith

Bethel AME Church

Woodbury, NJ

M. Ali Chaudry, PhD                                                                                    Rev. George Anne Alston

President                                                                                                Mt. Pisgah AME Church

Islamic Society of Basking Ridge, NJ                                                            Washington, NJ

Co-Founder of NJ Interfaith Coalition

Bishop Tyrone W. McCombs, PhD                                                            Rabbi Marc Kline

Prelate, S. Jersey Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction                                                Monmouth Reform Temple

Church of God In Christ                                                                        Tinton Falls, NJ

Representing 35+ Houses of Worship

Rev. Leslie R. Harrison                                                                                    Rabbi Cy Stanway

Itinerant Elder                                                                                                Temple Beth Miriam

AME Church-NJ                                                                                    Elberon, NJ

Presiding Elder J. Stanley Justice                                                            Rev. Vanessa Perry

Former Senior Pastor of Greater Mount Zion AME Church

Trenton, NJ

Ms. Ann Robinson                                                                                    Rev. David M. Horst

Chair                                                                                                            Central Unitarian Church

Area Women’s Missionary Society of the AME Church                                       Paramus, NJ

Elizabeth, NJ

Ms. Barbara J. Cook                                                                                    Rev. Margaret A. Bailey

President                                                                                                Beverly, NJ

Lay Organization

Mt. Teman AME Church

Elizabeth, NJ

Rev. Bruce H. Davidson                                                                        Rev. Tracy Sprowls

Stockton, NJ                                                                                                Board President                        

                                                                                                            UULMNJ

Rev. Karen G. Johnston

Unitarian Society of East Brunswick, NJ

Rev. Kimberly Wildszewski                                                                        Rabbi Donald A. Weber

Unitarian Universalist Church                                                                        Temple Rodeph Torah

Washington Crossing, NJ                                                                        Marlboro, NJ

Rev. Dr. Lanel D. Guyton                                                                        Pastor David Ford, Sr.

St. Mathew AME                                                                                    St. Mathews Baptist Church            

Orange, NJ                                                                                                Roselle, NJ            

Rev. Ann Marie Alderman                                                                        Dr. Ronald L. Owens

First Unitarian Society of Plainfield                                                            New Hope Baptist Church

Plainfield, NJ                                                                                                Metuchen, NJ            

Rabbi David Z. Vaisberg                                                                        Dr. Michael Granzen

Temple Emanu-El                                                                                    Second Presbyterian Church

Edison, NJ                                                                                                Elizabeth, NJ

Rev. Carol S. Haag                                                                                    Dr. Therman E. Evans

Unitarian Universalist, Retired-NJ                                                            Morning Community Center

                                                                                                            Linden, NJ

Rev. Ramon Collazo                                                                                    Rev. Fred Sharp

Santa Isabel Lutheran Church                                                                        Concord Missionary Baptist 

Elizabeth, NJ                                                                                                Perth Amboy, NJ

Rev. Archie Cummings, Jr.                                                                        Rev. Iley Bright

Retired AME Pastor                                                                                    First Baptist Church

Plainfield, NJ                                                                                                Bound Brook, NJ

Rev. Carmine Pernini                                                                                    Dr. Clifford Wright

Evangelical Lutheran Church                                                                        Hope Church

Rahway, NJ                                                                                                Bound Brook, NJ

Rev. Howard A. Bryant                                                                                       Rev. Jerquintin Sutton

Retired Pastor                                                                                                Lebanon Baptist Church

Presbyterian Church                                                                                    Westwood, NJ

Irvington, NJ

Rev. Jack Martin                                                                                    Rev. Mark McCreary

Kelly House for Retired Priest                                                                        Second Baptist Church

Caldwell, NJ                                                                                                Metuchen, NJ

Rev. Kathryn Irwin                                                                                                 Bishop Wayne L. Johnson

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church                                                                             Bibleway Deliverance Center

Nutley, NJ                                                                                                                   Roselle, NJ

Rev. James Moore                                                                                                   Rev. William Ingram

Second Baptist Church                                                                                          Shiloh Baptist Church

Roselle, NJ                                                                                                                 Elizabeth, NJ

Rev. Jennifer A. Kelleher                                                                                       Rabbi Paul Jacobson                         

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Somerset Hills                              Temple Avodat Shalom

Somerville, NJ                                                                                                           River Edge, NJ

Rev. Gregory J. Jackson

Mount Olive Baptist Church

Hackensack, NJ