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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Forwarded by Janice Ulangca</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=rabbilerner.tikkun@gmail.com
href="mailto:rabbilerner.tikkun@gmail.com">Rabbi Michael Lerner</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=aulangca@stny.rr.com
href="mailto:aulangca@stny.rr.com">aulangca@stny.rr.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, July 19, 2013 2:31 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [How to Stand in Solidarity with African Americans this
weekend After Trayvon Martin</DIV></DIV>
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<TD bgColor=#990000><FONT color=#ffffff size=2
face=verdana,arial,sans-serif><B>A note from Rabbi Michael
Lerner</B></FONT><B> </B></TD>
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<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">Janice, I just go off the phone
with J. Alfred Smith, Sr. the senior pastor emeritus of the largest
African American church in Oakland. He told me how this (Friday)
morning, on a walk in a wooded area near his home and walking with a
cane, he saw a white woman with a dog coming toward him, and
momentarily he was filled with fear that the dog might attack him
and if he lifted the cane to protect himself who knew if she might
be carrying a gun or in some way put him in danger--a result of the
Trayvon Martin murder.Finally, she smiled at him and he felt a
relief of tensions.</SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">He told me he was crying when he
heard from another pastor at his church that I had approached
his church yesterday to ask if it would be o.k. for Jews and other
spiritual progressives (of every ethnic, racial, religious or
secular identity) to come to his church this Sunday so that we could
show solidarity with the African American community. </SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">He said that he was so overjoyed
with this gesture at a time when fears are so profound that he
cried, and was still, at the moment he was talking to me, on the
verge of tears. Yes, he said, do come, and do spread the word to
others, "though just your presence, Rabbi Lerner, will speak volumes
to Oakland's African American community about the solidarity of the
Jewish community with our Black community." </SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">So that is why I'm writing to YOU
to urge you to either come with me on Sunday or go to a nearer
African American church this Sunday and let the African American
community in your neighborhood or town know that they are not alone,
that we understand their fear and stand in solidarity with them. No
matter where you came out on the Zimmerman trial, you can still
stand in solidarity with African Americans, support them in their
grief, and signal to them that they are not alone. </SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">This weekend there will be at
least a hundred demonstrations calling for justice in the murder of
Trayvon Martin. You can call your local NAACP or go on line to find
the one closest to you. We hope you will attend one.</SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"> But I'm also
asking you to try this other way to express solidarity with ordinary
African Americans who are once again reminded of how pervasive and
frightening the racism is that surrounds and for many defines the
lives of African Americans in this country. </SPAN></P>
<P></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">We at Tikkun and the interfaith
and secular-humanist-welcoming (i.e. you dont have to believe in God
to join us) <A
href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=8oufopGtD5LAigoGCoWLxaRyIPlWGOMr">Network
of Spiritual Progressives</A> urge you to show up at your local
African American churches in your town, and just be with people as
they grieve and express their fears. You will encounter there a
different section of the African American community than you'll find
at the demonstrations. And those church-goers are actually likely to
be very appreciative if you are coming. If you have time, you could
draw up a short leaflet explaining why you are there.Or contact your
local AfricanAmerican church and ask the pastor for his/her advice
about the best way you can show solidarity. But J Alfred Smith Sr.
made clear to me that people would welcome your presence even
without alerting the pastors in advance.(Of course, if you are
already part of an integrated church community and you believe that
this issue is going to be discussed there this Sunday, then you
don't need to go elsewhere to find solidarity with Africna
Americans--just go to that community) </SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">If you are going to be in the
S.F. Bay Area this weekend, how about coming with me to the
Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 International Blvd, Oakland, Ca.?
It would be great to be there with some other spiritual
progressives. Lets meet there at 10:45 a.m. and try to sit together?
Give yourself time to find parking in the area.</SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"> Love and Blessings to you!
</SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">Michael</SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium"> </SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">Rabbi Michael Lerner
RabbiLerner.Tikkun@gmail.com</SPAN></P>
<P>******************************</P>
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<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium">Below is an example of the way
the murder of Trayvon Martin has been received by many African
Americans. </SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: small"><EM
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px">My
heart and head ache this evening. My son Israel turned 15 last
week and he's having a belated birthday party tonight. He asked me
if he and his friends could go outside this evening and play "Cops
and Robbers" with his Nerf guns. </EM><BR
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px"><BR
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px"><EM
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px">My
stomach lurched and cold fingers of fear grasped at my throat when I
imagined my dark son, dressed in a sweatshirt, running through the
streets of our neighborhood. With a dry mouth and wet eyes, I
angrily told him that he could not go outside and play a simple
childhood game. </EM><BR
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px"><BR
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px"><EM
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px">I
hope he knows that I am not angry with him, but I'm infuriated with
the world we're raising him in. I'm angry at myself for limiting my
son and denying him his youth because I'm petrified of what may
happen to him for LWB (living while brown). I'm angry that black and
brown boys are always seen as a threat, and never the joyful kids I
know them to be. </EM><BR
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px"><BR
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px"><EM
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px">The
verdict in the Trayvon Martin case has caused so much pain for so
many, and our family grieves tonight. We mourn not just Trayvon and
his family, but for the loss of innocence and freedom every brown
and black kid endures with this verdict.</EM><BR
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px"><BR
style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; COLOR: rgb(34,34,34); FONT-SIZE: 16px"></SPAN></P>
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