Area Religious Leaders Draft Anti-Racism Statement

Area Religious Leaders Draft Anti-Racism Statement
Area

OCEAN CITY — Resort area clergy leaders from nearly every faith gathered in solidarity this week against the racist undertones playing out in the community, particularly on social media, in the wake of a Boardwalk incident in late July.

What began on the evening of July 23 with an unusually large crowd of African-American young people roaming the Boardwalk amid the rest of the big crowd on a hot summer night in late July reached a crescendo with several incidents breaking out in different locations. Twelve young African-American young people were arrested on various charges all with a common theme from second-degree assault and resisting arrest to obstructing and hindering, failure to obey a lawful order and reckless endangerment, for example. Publicly, little was made of the race and ethnicity of the arrestees, but as so often happens these days, reports on the incident on various social media outlets elicited hundreds of comments with serious racist and prejudiced undertones.

While important to note many of the commenters were not from this community and came from those following the events in Ocean City from afar, the comments are out there and threaten to divide a community generally devoid of overt racism and prejudice. There’s no denying it certainly exists in certain circles, but at no time in recent memory has it been so publicly on display.

To that end, ecumenical and interfaith leaders from various faiths in the community have joined together in an effort to stem the underlying racial tensions in the community and take a message of tolerance and hope back to their respective congregations. The interfaith leaders drafted an official statement on the issue and gathered Wednesday at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Ocean City to formally sign the document.

Rev. Gregg Knepp, pastor at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, led the proceedings on Wednesday. Knepp said the fallout from the July incidents on the Boardwalk prompted the effort by the allied clergy to address the issue in the community and hopefully stem the underlying racist and prejudiced undertones.

Seven clergy members stood together this week to sign a statement in opposition to hate and racism.

Seven clergy members stood together this week to sign a statement in opposition to hate and racism.

“What developed from the disruptive disturbance on the Boardwalk has been quite discouraging,” he said. “Twelve African-American students were arrested and the Ocean City police handled the situation well. Unfortunately, since that event there has been much conversation on social media that has been degrading and racially charged from the community.”

Knepp read a considerable number of sample comments posted on social media in what was for some obviously uncomfortable but necessary.

“As people of God, we have a responsibility to stand up against hate and racism,” he said. “We have a responsibility to say, ‘that’s not okay,’ and do what is right. What we intend to do is take this message back to each of our congregations. The statement outlines how we will seek to lead our congregations to racial reconciliation.”

Rabbi Susan Warshaw of Temple Bat Yam agreed the congregations of all faiths needed to address the underlying racial undertones that appear to be spreading in some circles in the community.

“I’m very happy to be invited to participate in this,” she said. “It’s so important that we all work together on this important issue.”

Rev. Patty Frick from Atlantic United Methodist Church said the incident and the ensuing fallout represents an opportunity for change in the community.

“We speak against hate and we speak against violence,” she said. “This is an opportunity,” she said. “This is an opportunity for all of us in the community to work together so we can grow as a community.”

Father Stanislao Esposito, pastor of St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, said the general feeling in the community was that racism and hatred barely existed in most segments of the community, but the comments posted in the wake of the July incidents indicate they still exist in some circles.

“It’s important to examine why this is happening,” he said. “We feel like we are moving ahead, but these comments are evidence that’s not the case. The world likes to put labels on people and put them in opposition against each other. We have to battle to stop that and it starts right now here today.”

Father Matthew D’Amario evoked a famous quote from Dr. Martin Luther King to illustrate his point about the current situation.

“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference,” he said. “We can’t be indifferent at times like these.”

Rev. Allen LaMontagne of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit in Ocean City said the racism and hatred on display in some circles following the Boardwalk incidents could not be ignored.

“Unfortunately, this is in response to a very challenging situation,” he said. “We don’t deny that, but our gathering here today is so encouraging.”

The Rev. Dr. Roxie Dennis, vice president of the Worc,ester County chapter of the NAACP said despite being 2016, the message needed to be continually hammered home for young people in the community.

“Knowledge is power,” she said. “We have to start at a very young age and if it doesn’t start at home, we have to teach it at our schools. We need to be able to get along. I feel what we’re doing here today is a start. We have got to spread the word.”

With that said, the interfaith clergy paused for a brief prayer and the singing of “We Shall Overcome” before individually signing the document on which they collaborated. The document is a credo of sorts which the clergy will take back to their respective congregations.

“We believe racism is a sin, a violation of God’s intention for humanity, resulting in racial, ethnic and cultural barriers which deny the truth that all people are created in the image of God and, therefore, persons of dignity,” the mutual statement reads. “Racism infects and affects everyone. It deforms relationships between and within racial, ethnic or cultural groups and undermines the promise of human community.”

Through the document, the interfaith and ecumenical clergy vowed to spread the word to their congregations.

“As faith leaders in the Ocean City community, we pledge to publicly name the sin of racism and lead our congregations in repentance of racial prejudice and racial injustice,” the statement reads. “We pledge to take responsibility for our participation in racially-biased systems and acknowledge our complicity in racial injustice and pray God will guide us to paths of reconciliation.”

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.