(ThyBlackMan.com) Your Holiness,
My name is Stanley G. Buford, Executive Director and Founder of the From Boys to Men Network Foundation, Inc., a registered nonprofit, which seeks to improve the quality of life for young men in the Urban Centers of America. I respectfully request that you become involved within the Black Lives Matter campaign. I am also the president of Terkat Consultants Inc. which is a small business enterprise. I believe in creating a better society for everyone to live. My organization, FBTM, seeks to improve the lives of its black members by offering tutoring, role playing, and counseling to try to integrate underserved African-American males into society and help thwart violence and disruptive behavior. Currently, in America, the rate of police brutality towards black males has reached epidemic proportions and is trending upwards. This severely damages the Black diaspora in America, and could have much larger negative implications as well.
As you well know, Sodom and Gomorrah, were two cities destroyed by God in the Bible for wickedness, the text of the scriptures offers some important information bearing on the situation today. In Ezekiel 16: 59-60, the Prophet declares, “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me…” This reveals an ulterior motive for the cleansing of the two cities- it wasn’t just sexual sin, but a lack of compassion and assistance towards the needy.
These same attributes could be applied to the modern scenario America faces currently. African-American males comprise just 6%
of the population, and yet more than 60% of prison spaces are occupied by them. A young black male is four times more likely to be shot to death than die in a car crash, the central cause of death for all other races. There were more than 6000 black homicide victims last year in the United States alone, and they are ten times more likely to be shot to death than their white counterparts. And yet, the same sin the Bible describes is occurring throughout the world- ignorance.
According to a new study published by Pew, 47% of white people in America believe that racism is wholly exaggerated and therefore a non-issue. Supposed Catholic and Christian prosecutors, district attorneys, politicians, and even clergy within the United States pretend the problem doesn’t exist, ignore the structural violence that goes on around them, and even in some cases deny that the suffering is even existent. This is the precise lack of compassion and basic human sympathy that lead God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and there is no reason history won’t repeat itself if it continues. Mankind is inherently selfish, but sin and wickedness is taking over the hearts of even devout Christian believers.
As a Black male Christian I feel optimistically that all is not lost. With the title of Pontiff, you carry out the will of God and have tremendous influence over the Church. If you were to issue a public statement against this failure to act towards racist violence in America, many clergy and religious leaders who are currently ignoring the violence will be motivated to take action. We must end the oppression and tyranny Black males face at the hands of unscrupulous police in America.
I was taught as a Sunday-School student that God despises hatred and bigotry, because it goes against everything that His agape love is about- being kind to strangers, tithing, and compassion towards neighbors. The Good Samaritan within the Bible didn’t have to stop and help the wounded man; he could’ve just walked by and no one would have blamed him. But he chose to take the burden, chose to love his neighbor, and consequently saved him. The countless branches of the Church are right now most similar to the priest who walked by the wounded man without responding. They know that unarmed black men are needlessly suffering in America via police brutality and violence, and they know that they can shout out to stop it, but they choose not to. In God’s eyes, that is one of the biggest sins; omission, failure to respond to the needs of the poor; and not loving your neighbor as yourself. I firmly believe that with your guidance and God’s Providence, the Church’s responsiveness can change this scenario. The Christian world can revolt and speak out against this wanton violence.
How many more protests must we endure in America, such as Ferguson Missouri, Charleston South Carolina and Baltimore Maryland? How many more times must Freddy Gray occur before we open our eyes? How many more of God’s children must needlessly die before God decides that enough is enough? You, as Pope, have both the power and the utmost responsibility to speak out against this injustice and atrocities. As head of the Catholic Church, your words carry enormous weight and, therefore, will spill out to the hearts of millions of Christians worldwide, prompting a global movement to end this form of racism, targeted to one group: African American males.
I would like to request that when you arrive here in the United States later this year, that we meet to discuss this issue. Many powerful and concerned people have responded to this and other issues I have raised including Pope John Paul II. If we meet, which I strongly hope you consider, I would like to discuss potential actions you could take as head of the Church to end this inaction and lack of empathy immediately. I personally believe a “Black Lives Matter” summit, convened by the church, should be structured immediately. There are men and women working for this change such as Father Michael Plefger in Chicago, Illinois, right now, but they need the support of your respected and valued office, bestowed from Heaven, to carry out His will on Earth.
Thank you so very much for reading and responding to this letter. I sincerely hope that God will give you compassion and wisdom in dealing with one of the greatest threats in the world today and allow for peace and love to reign. Else, as in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, he may decide that the world is incapable of responding in kind to the threat. Judgment is nearing and your support is essential to prevent the needless suffering of a multitude of black males and avoid invoking the wrath of our Lord.
Thank you and I hope to hear back from you soon. May God’s blessing be continuously upon you.
Sincerely,
Stanley G Buford
Staff Writer; Stanley G. Buford
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