Pastor wants peaceful protests, end to anger
The Rev. Clifford A. Jones Sr., longtime minister of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., said protesters need to continue to demand justice, but control the anger and violence.
Jones, a graduate of the Boston School of Theology, is one of many appealing for peaceful marches. He spoke with the Herald’s Lindsay Kalter last night just as protesters took to the streets for a fourth night:
“I think there is a way to protest, and when there is anger and rage, you have to recognize and be honest with it. But it’s how you channel it. Peaceful demonstrations are always in order, but rioting and vandalism is not acceptable.
We’re encouraging persons to channel that anger and rage in a way that’s constructive, in the sense of registering, voting, helping the community stay focused on issues that separate us. And that major issue now relates to our law enforcement and the shooting of African-American men.
There are a whole plethora of emotions here. Disappointment. Grief. Certainly anger. Looking for direction, for hope as we deal with this horrific challenge. The fiber that runs through it is dealing with race.
Persons are hearing and saying and doing things now that don’t promote peace and/or unity among people.
I would say to the people that are rioting, there are a couple of things. The demonstrations started out peaceful. There are some leaders of this that are not residents of Charlotte. It makes it look like the people of Charlotte are doing this. I would say to them, that there is a way to express your anger and rage, and the way you’re doing it is not a positive and wholesome way that will create long-term change. The way they’re doing it is creating more schisms and division than unity and harmony within the local community.
There should be peaceful demonstrations, prayer vigils, participating in the process that changes systems. Until systems change, we’ll be confronting some of the same issues we were during the civil rights era. It’s important for people to register and vote.
Personally, I’m disappointed. Saddened. We have to be very careful this demonstration doesn’t feed into a stereotype of African-Americans, and we’re already hearing some of that stuff. I’m the first one to say you have a right to be angry.
Every time something like this happens, we all bleed. And we need to find ways to stop the bleeding.”