Dear Peace Circle Members,
Our beloved brother, Michael Brough, shared the below message with our church members in San Antonio, so I got the message and thought I would share it with you.
In addition, I have copied and pasted the letters to elected officials that Michael shared with us. I found them to be so well written and so on target with regard to voicing the issues and the proposed solutions. I hope you will not only find the letters helpful for your own use, but also share them as Michael has invited us to do.
Blessings,
Cris
.....
Hi, sisters and brothers,
Some of us are protesting and attending vigils in person. Others are wearing BLM shirts and sending money to organizations that support social justice. Others are vocal on social media.
I'm sensitive to the idea that Jesus followers can have different political bents and come to different conclusions about government. So a disclaimer: what I say here is NOT an official TBC position! 
But it seems clear to me that many of this nation's race problems are encased in institutions, policies, laws, governing bodies -- which means they're in part political problems, and deserve political engagement.
Voting is another way to make our voices heard. Primaries are going on locally -- you can find Bexar County info here.
I've found the NAACP to be a good resource for ways to get involved -- like this petition.
Grace, peace, and discernment to all of you -- and to our church, community, nation, and world,
Michael
August, all:
Sorry for late reply -- but YES!!!
Let us rise up and ask within our circles how we can bring God's kingdom work about in this world! How can we reach out for love and justice?
I had a wonderful and challenging conversation this morning with Pastor Kan'Dace Brock, of The Message Church. In response, she sent me the attached letter to explain what she's feeling -- and to compel her White sisters and brothers to action.
This weekend, I plan to pen letters to all relevant elected officials. When I do that, I'll send you a draft copy -- for your comment and consideration.
(Our last BTB meeting, I committed to writing a couple of letters of confession/repentance. Sent one off a couple of weeks back. I have one more to write. Sadly, I learned another I'd write can't be sent...since my teacher passed away in 2016. So I'll likely write her husband of 50 years instead.)
In a time of turmoil is when Jesus followers should be active!
Grace and Peace,
Michael
Letter #1:
Dear Rep. Roy,
In recent weeks, this nation has come to grips with the
results of centuries of oppression of some of its people by others. Slavery was
followed by institutions that continued to hold People of Color in an inferior
position.
I know you recently voted against H.R. 7120, the “George
Floyd Justice in Policing Act," but you can redeem this. I ask you to do
what’s in your power to make things right.
People of Color in the US suffer worse rates in so many
national metrics: incarceration, police brutality, educational attainment,
income, home ownership, health outcomes…and, recently, COVID-19 deaths. And
these are only a few.
These are the immediate fixes I ask you to support:
-
Influence and support of deliberate and
intentional Criminal Justice Reform that ensures the protection of Black lives,
the expansion of the Home Confinement Pilot Program under the First Step Act,
and a reduction in sentence for non-offenders.
-
Expansive student loan relief to include a
suspension of student loan payment until the economy gains strength, discharge
of student loans for essential workers, and automatic cancellation of at least
$20,000 in federal student loan debt for all.
-
Expansion of Medicaid as a short-term measure to
cover healthcare for those who are impacted by the pandemic.
-
Federal funding for states to improve election
administration and upgrade voting systems that comply with the CDC standard
regarding COVID-19.
In addition: after those measures, it’s time to take
seriously H.R.40 (Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for
African-Americans Act). Our national conversation on race compels the
accounting this action would explore.
As your constituent, I want you to know this is a voting
issue for me. Voters here will note your active support for these measures and
pay attention to your voting record. And we will hold all office holders
accountable on these crucial issues.
Thank you for your attention to this most pressing issue,
Michael Brough
Letter #2:
Dear Councilman Courage,
In recent weeks, this nation has come to grips with the
results of centuries of oppression of some of its people by others. Slavery was
followed by institutions that continued to hold People of Color in an inferior position.
Here in San Antonio, we’ve lived through demonstrations and
active discussion about policing in our city.
People of Color in the US suffer worse rates in so many
national metrics: incarceration, police brutality, educational attainment,
income, home ownership, health outcomes…and, recently, COVID-19 deaths. And
these are only a few.
These are the immediate fixes I ask you to support:
-
At earliest opportunity, a decrease in the
police budget and increase in the budget for social services, community health,
and other supports in our most-crime-affected areas
-
Policing reform, including
o
Transparency and accountability for abusive
police officers, including a database of use of force incidents and an
aggressive policy to remove those with a history of abuse
o
Robust de-escalation and anti-bias training for
all police officers
o
Inclusion of non-police personnel (including
mental health professionals and social workers) on police patrols – to address
problems that need not become police incidents
-
Investment in communities of color throughout
our city, particularly in education, after-school programs, faith-based
initiatives, and jobs creation
-
Deliberate interdiction of the school-to-prison
pipeline through restorative justice and other measures, so that students avoid
life-changing interactions with the law for minor offenses
-
Support to reintegrate the previously
incarcerated, including job training, employment supports, and counseling
Implementing some of these measures will require sacrifice
in our district for the betterment of other districts. I support that
reallocation of resources.
As your constituent, I want you to know this is a voting
issue for me. Voters here will note your active support for these measures and
pay attention to your voting record. And we will hold all office holders
accountable on these crucial issues.
Thank you for your attention to this most pressing issue,
Michael Brough
