What do you think about what Freddie Gray's pastor said to all Blacks in America?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 19:40:09 -0400

“I don’t know how you can be black in America and be silent,” Bryant said at the funeral.

BALTIMORE — Some of the speakers at the funeral for Freddie Gray — who died in police custody in Baltimore on April 19 — wanted the service to be non-political. But the ceremony quickly evolved into a mix of mourning and call to action, and the crowd didn’t seem to mind.

Mourners poured into New Shiloh Baptist Church on Monday, filling the red-cushioned seats well over capacity. They applauded proclamations about Gray’s life and what he might have made of himself. They shouted their approval when speakers said Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake hadn’t done enough to support the community since Gray died. And churchgoers roared their approval when Dr. Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant ended his eulogy by shouting, “no justice, no peace,” a rallying cry for protesters since Michael Brown was shot in Ferguson last summer

Gray's name has become another hashtag in the ever-growing list of black people and other minority Americans who have been killed by police under apparently dubious circumstances.

Police killings were thrown into the national spotlight in August, when officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Brown. Protesters against police brutality then took to the streets, and similar demonstrations have rolled across America in cities from New York to North Charleston, South Carolina and now to Baltimore.

Gray — who played football, loved sports and had served as a church usher — died a week after police arrested him on April 12. He died with smashed voice box and a spine that was almost completely severed.

Police say they arrested him “without force,” though a video of Gray’s arrest showed him screaming and at least one of his legs appeared completely limp. A bystander said it looked "broken." Police admitted they didn’t put Gray in a seatbelt after they put him into their van.

They did, however, stop the van to shackle his legs before they diverted their route to the shock trauma center at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where Gray underwent surgery because of a "medical emergency."

The Baltimore Police Department has put the six officers involved in Gray’s arrest on suspension with pay, and police officials have said they are trying to figure out how Gray died. But few black residents in Baltimore appear to trust the process.
“You know most of us are not here because we know Freddie Gray,” Billy Murphy, the attorney for the Gray family, said at the funeral. “But we know lots of Freddie Grays. Too many.”

BALTIMORE — Some of the speakers at the funeral for Freddie Gray — who died in police custody in Baltimore on April 19 — wanted the service to be non-political. But the ceremony quickly evolved into a mix of mourning and call to action, and the crowd didn’t seem to mind.

Mourners poured into New Shiloh Baptist Church on Monday, filling the red-cushioned seats well over capacity. They applauded proclamations about Gray’s life and what he might have made of himself. They shouted their approval when speakers said Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake hadn’t done enough to support the community since Gray died. And churchgoers roared their approval when Dr. Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant ended his eulogy by shouting, “no justice, no peace,” a rallying cry for protesters since Michael Brown was shot in Ferguson last summer.

“I don’t know how you can be black in America and be silent,” Bryant said at the funeral. “With everything we’ve been through, ain’t no way we can stand to be silent.”

Gray's name has become another hashtag in the ever-growing list of black people and other minority Americans who have been killed by police under apparently dubious circumstances.

Police killings were thrown into the national spotlight in August, when officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Brown. Protesters against police brutality then took to the streets, and similar demonstrations have rolled across America in cities from New York to North Charleston, South Carolina and now to Baltimore.

Gray — who played football, loved sports and had served as a church usher — died a week after police arrested him on April 12. He died with smashed voice box and a spine that was almost completely severed.

Police say they arrested him “without force,” though a video of Gray’s arrest showed him screaming and at least one of his legs appeared completely limp. A bystander said it looked "broken." Police admitted they didn’t put Gray in a seatbelt after they put him into their van.

They did, however, stop the van to shackle his legs before they diverted their route to the shock trauma center at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where Gray underwent surgery because of a "medical emergency."

The Baltimore Police Department has put the six officers involved in Gray’s arrest on suspension with pay, and police officials have said they are trying to figure out how Gray died.But few black residents in Baltimore appear to trust the process.

“You know most of us are not here because we know Freddie Gray,” Billy Murphy, the attorney for the Gray family, said at the funeral. “But we know lots of Freddie Grays. Too many.”
Nearly everyone in the church applauded when Murphy said the Baltimore Police Department needed to recruit more people from black communities in the city. They applauded when he said police needed body cameras, and that those officers couldn’t decide when to turn the cameras on and off. And the crowd laughed when he said they all needed to stop ducking jury duty.
Though the crowd was hyped up by the calls to action — and there were many — speakers were also somber.

Rep. Elijah Cummings’ voice seemed to shake as he spoke about Gray and the thoughts that may have gone through the young Baltimore resident’s head before he died.

“Family, there are those who will tell you not to cry,” Cummings said. “I’m not going to do that.”
Pastor Walker Scott Thomas spoke directly to Gray’s family, saying, “You had dreams of who he might become.”
And then Bryant took the stage to close the ceremony.

“At 25-years of age, being black in Baltimore, no opportunities to go to Johns Hopkins [University], no doors open at the University of Maryland … he had to have been asking himself, ‘What am I going to do with my life?'”But Bryant asked the family and the rest of Baltimore to do what they could to focus on the future, to eradicate the conditions they feel left Gray without a life to build for himself. He said they should be tired of looking at the stadiums of the Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens and wondering how so much money can be spent on sports, when they feel so little is spent on black communities in their city.

Nearly every speaker talked about agitating for change long after the cameras have gone.
“Protests around his death serve as the defibrillator to start the heartbeat of change around this city,” Pastor Thomas said. Then he again spoke to Gray's family: “All of us who gathered here today are just here to say, ‘we’ve got your back.’”

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Apr 27 at 2015 7:44 PM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 19:44:50 -0400

From what I can tell of this incidence, this was a terrible thing. Problem is the reaction to the police shootings that are seen as bad (not all are) generally brings out more police force of action. What happened to the days of MLK and what happened to teaching your families and children to respect authority (even if the officer is in the wrong at the time)?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2015 7:48 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 19:48:14 -0400

With Speaker, Dr. Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant calling for rebellion against police departments all across our nation, I think we are headed back to the 60's. All of the riots against police killings have come to a head. As a Caucasian American, I don't want this to lead to sniper incidents, like in Detroit, Mich. in 1967. I was there and it wasn't pretty.

Response by 2d Lt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2015 9:39 PM

2d Lt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 21:39:07 -0400

The country is still social divided in certain areas. The gap is a lot closer than the 50's-70's, however, there are still large sentiments within all cultures who do not understand each other. This is my fist post on RallyPoint and rather difficult to type my feelings regarding this topic.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Apr 27 at 2015 9:41 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 21:41:55 -0400

These are the things that are tearing the fabric of America to pieces. One or two unfortunate events and an entire ethnic demographic is up in arms. We can't keep labeling everyone and trying to make the population percentages make sense because it will never work. You can't be an ethnic politician white or otherwise and show direct favoritism to your own ethnic group at the expense of others.

Define justice - a white LEO kills a black man and the white LEO has to be guilty and go to prison - that's not justice that's revenge. Now there are 2 cases that are completely legitimate - the one where the LEO shot the suspect 8 times and the 73 year old reserve deputy who killed a man because he fired his gun instead of his taser. Those were legitimately wrong and they both deserve to do time.

Same with this racial profiling BS. If one ethnic group is committing crimes why do you have to go after another ethnic group to make the percentages look right? it's time people woke up to a strong dose of reality.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 28 at 2015 10:52 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 10:52:37 -0400

“I don’t know how you can be black in America and be silent,” Bryant said at the funeral.

What he didn't say was "I don't know how you can be black in America and not loot and riot." There are MANY WAYS you can practice not being silent.

For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. marching PEACEFULLY to have their voices heard. This is just another HORRIBLE excuse for those thugs to riot and get free stuff. I mean, they called this "The Purge." How can anyone take that seriously? This is not the way you act in order to be heard. This just pushes the REAL ADVOCATES a step behind...

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Apr 28 at 2015 11:07 AM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 11:07:16 -0400

It is just another example of taking a family tragedy, and twisting it for personal gains. I have ZERO respect for a clergyman who uses death as an opportunity to make a political statement. If the pastor wanted to protest, then he should have chosen an appropriate venue, not the funeral of the deceased. Bad form, Bad timing, bad judgement, bad pastor.

I will reiterate that I feel great sorrow for Gloria Darden, the mother of the deceased, who was forced by circumstance to put her grieving aside to address the destruction taking place in the city. Instead of offering words of comfort this assbag pastor just stirred the pot.

The really sad thing is that as long as there are people propogating the us versus them mentality, peace cannot exist.

Response by SrA Randy Brown made Apr 28 at 2015 11:38 AM

SrA Randy Brown — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 11:38:47 -0400

It is sad that people of all ethnic backgrounds in our country can not put aside differences and work out the problems that we have. Hate produces hate and so it grows. I pray it is not too late to turn the tide. It is very sad that so called men of God instigate or promote violence.

Response by SGT Mark Sullivan made Apr 28 at 2015 11:59 AM

SGT Mark Sullivan — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 11:59:43 -0400

What the reverend stated was wrong, he's intent was to incite violence, not call for a peaceful solution. This is the kind of thing I would expect from Rev Wright, you remember him, the jackass from Chicago. You want to have a conversation that takes into account everything, from perceptions to treatment, on down the line. If that takes going all the way back in History past, and recognize all parties involved from the beginning, then so be it. What we're taught in history classes is very biased, and unfair to one culture, and that is where many racists harbor their anger. There has to be conversation, without anyone screaming racism at what is said and walking away. That will solve nothing. People like this reverend, people like the New Black Panther party, Louis Farrakan, Rev Wright, the KKK, the Aryan Nation, etc... do not want this conversation to happen. They are afraid of this conversation, it shakes them to the core because they will lose power, the people will turn against them.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Apr 28 at 2015 12:06 PM

SCPO David Lockwood — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 12:06:09 -0400

Stirring up the pot. All this preacher is doing is pouring fuel over the flame and fanning the flames to see what happens. What a mess.

Response by TSgt Matt Graves made Apr 28 at 2015 12:42 PM

TSgt Matt Graves — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 12:42:17 -0400

Its these so called leaders that are agitating all of the issues to incite violence. America was built off diversity and if anyone thinks that African Americans have it bad then you may want to look at the entire scope. As a veteran with a disability rating and a college degree I lose my preference in job placement to only one person, a black female...This is more preference than anyone could every get serving in the military. To say things are not equal is just insane. Its these so called leaders that add fuel to the fire of people that have such a feeling of entitlement that they have forgotten how to be a model citizen. If you break the law then yes the police will come after you....Its a simple process...Same thing would happen to anyone. No one knows what happened in the police van, no one saw anything, but lets go ahead and make the biggest stink about everything without knowing any FACTS. Same thing happened with Brown in Ferguson...There was at no time Hands Up....and that was proven.

I will tell you what , how about all the police in Baltimore take some paid leave and see how that town ends up....within a few months we will be able to purchase homes for a dollar.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 28 at 2015 12:56 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 12:56:10 -0400

That was a good way for the pastor to rile up and incite violence. Mass violence is often started by society's elite. Although, I assume the rioting would have spontaneously erupts regardless of what he said.

Response by SFC Charles S. made Apr 28 at 2015 5:06 PM

SFC Charles S. — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 17:06:19 -0400

Dr. Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant ended his eulogy by shouting, “no justice, no peace,” This is not a real Pastor's actions, it is more like an Anarchists reaction and response. A true Religious leader would have made pleas for peace and tolerance, NOT Silence by any means, but restraint and respect for the loss of Mr. Gray's life. How does looting and burning the city and the communities help? It doesn't. Where peaceful protests of people could have brought more positive light to their message. There is no doubt people in Baltimore are angered, but just because you are angry doesn't give you the right to loot and damage property.

Response by Maj Mike Sciales made Apr 28 at 2015 10:02 PM

Maj Mike Sciales — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 22:02:46 -0400

Americans should not be silent. We all know the justice system is broken. We all know cops lie sometimes. We all know that too many people are dying in America, being killed by American Police Officers. We know the solutions are better recruitment & selection of a diverse population to be a part of the community, to not be seen as occupying forces. More police education - including more university, more legal and behavioral training. We have to change a lot of cultures, police, black, white, city & rural. We have to adapt new technologies like body cameras to keep everybody honest. We also have to own our own faults and move forward and work to fix it, not stonewall, deny and obfuscate. Rioting doesn't help anybody, just hurts the people in the community.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Apr 29 at 2015 10:22 AM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 10:22:17 -0400

http://thefourthestate.co/2015/04/breaking-freddy-gray-had-spine-surgery-just-one-week-before-arrest/

Why was he outside that day?

[UPDATED] BREAKING: Freddie Gray Allegedly Had Spine Surgery Just One Week Before Arrest -

UPDATE 8/7/2015: Baltimore Sun reports that Gray had a history of “crash for cash” schemes! UPDATE: More information has serviced,

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Apr 29 at 2015 2:43 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 14:43:28 -0400

Our lives are just the end result of all the decisions we've made to this point... We all make our choices, and no one else is responsible for them...