wfn.org | NCCCUSA Hails Race Initiative, Now A Year Old

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the 
U.S.A.
Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2252
Email: news@ncccusa.org; website www.ncccusa.org

61NCC6/12/98     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 1998
The Honorable William Jefferson Clinton
The White House
Washington, DC  20005
Dear President Clinton:
The National Council of the Churches of Christ in 
the USA today wishes to recognize your leadership in 
the area of racial justice and reconciliation.  Your 
initiative on race taken a year ago has been an 
important beacon to a nation still divided and still 
pained by incidents fueled by bigotry.  Your clear 
commitment to justice and reconciliation signals to 
all who believe otherwise that this nation will not 
bless a divided America.  Lest we think our race 
problems are part of a past era, we are reminded 
otherwise by the burning of Black churches and more 
recently by the sickening incident in Texas where a 
black man was abused and killed for no reason other 
than the color of his skin.
Mr. President, your initiative on race stands in 
stark contrast to such dismaying behavior.  
America's moral legacy to future generations must 
include a serious challenge to racial intolerance 
and injustice.  Racism is a form of violence and as 
such tears the delicately woven fabric of the 
society.  Violence begets violence, and unless we 
move quickly and courageously to make violence 
unacceptable, we will reap the whirlwind.  Schools, 
churches, synagogues and mosques must teach children 
a non-violent, more loving way of being.
American churches and synagogues have long 
recognized racism as a faith issue and not one to be 
adequately understood or addressed in purely 
sociological terms.  If we are all God's children 
called to love one another, then bigotry and 
intolerance have no place.  We, like you have 
struggled to give this theological truth life in our 
congregations and in our nation.  We pledge 
ourselves - this day - to work with you and your 
administration to carry forward the goal of this 
very important initiative.
With renewed prayers for your courage and strength 
for the struggle, we remain,
The Right Rev. Craig B. Anderson, President
The Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, General Secretary
Bishop Melvin G. Talbert, Immediate Past President
Dr. Sylvia M. Faulk, Vice President-at-Large
Dr. Will L. Herzfeld, Vice President, Church World 
Service
The Rev. Dr. Elenora Giddings Ivory, Vice President, 
National Ministries Unit
The Rev. Dr. Margaret J. Thomas, Treasurer
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