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PAGE 6 | SEPTEMBER 14 – 20, 2017
One of the Nation’s Foremost Weekly Newspapers, Serving N. Virginia
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Vol. XXVII, No. 30 September 14 – 20, 2017 • City of Falls Church ‘Business of the Year’ 1991 & 2001 • • Certified by the Commonwealth of Virginia to Publish Official Legal Notices • • Member, Virginia Press Association •
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F.C. Ministers Stand Together Vs. Racism
An unprecedented coming together of pastors and ministry leaders in the Falls Church area has coalesced behind a strongly-worded statement expressing, it says, “with a unified voice, our sorrow over the tragic events in Charlottesville,” underscoring “the broken state of our commonwealth, our country and the world.” The group joins with similar leaders in Richmond, Virginia, standing in solidarity to express the sentiment. The statement resolves “to preach, teach and advocate against the sins of racism,” adding, “We resolve to lead in the way of love, and to seek ways to heal the divisions that separate races and cultures in our city. We resolve to listen to those who have been wounded and dehumanized by racism. We resolve to pray fervently for God’s healing and reconciliation. We resolve to help our churches become more hospitable and welcoming communities to diverse people.” The initial signators to the statement include Dr. James Baucom Jr. of the Columbia Baptist Church, The Rev. Jeanne Brenneis, chaplain of the Capital Caring Hospice of North Arlington’s Rock Springs United Church of Christ, the Rev. Michael Hinson for the St. Stephens and St. Agnes School and the Falls Church Episcopal, the Rev. Dr. M. Davies Kirkland of the Dulin United Methodist Church, the Rev. John Ohmer of the Falls Church Episcopal, James Sledge, pastor of the Falls Church Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Dr. Denise Wilson of the Rock Christian Center of Falls Church and the Rev. Dr. John Yates II of the Falls Church Anglican. Those initiating this joint statement, according to Rev. Ohmer, include Baucom, Kirkland, Yates and himself. They’ve formed a website to invite others to sign on, as well. This kind of thing is quite new to Falls Church. “We affirm that every human being is created in the image of God, and therefore carries the inherent value and dignity of God’s design,” the statement reads. “We affirm that the variety of human cultures on earth is a beautiful expression of God’s love for diversity.” It then states, “We reject the ideology of white supremacy, including anti-semitism, as an unqualified evil, a denunciation of the gospel and a heresy which wars against God’s design for human culture and creation. We reject the notion that white people, or any collection of humans of any culture, are superior to any other. We reject any ideology that seeks to erect or maintain divisions that God has torn down.” Finally, it added that “We repent because the church has been complicit in the sins of racism, either through the defense of slavery, segregation, and discrimination, or through passive silence and inactivity...We repent of our own racism, fear and hatred, both conscious and unconscious. We repent of our reluctance to be agents of healing and reconciliation in our churches, in our cilty and in our nation.” This is a good start. We concur with it and hope the list of those who do also grows.
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School Should be Renamed For Barbara Rose Johns Editor, It would be great if the Falls Church News-Press would endorse a “Barbara Rose Johns High School” for our community. At the community meeting Saturday, the great majority of participants, and all of the students and younger speakers, clearly favored a “Barbara Rose Johns High School.” If the vote had taken place on Saturday, I am confident that “Johns” would have
been first choice. People said they supported a “Johns High School” because Johns was a transformational figure in Virginia history. They also wanted to honor her because she was young, female and a person of color. They emphasized that a school named after Johns would inform and inspire other young people. Not a single speaker expressed any misgivings about a “Johns High School.”
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The other contending names included “Marshall,” “Stuart,” “Peace Valley,” “Crossroads,” “Munson Hill” and “Mendez.” All of these names have serious drawbacks, however. In an effort to circumvent the School Board regulation governing duplicative and confusing names, a few advocates for a “Thurgood Marshall High School” campaigned for a “Justice High School, “ to be known informally as “Justice Marshall High School.” Some revanchist advocates for “J.E.B. Stuart High School,” the “Keepers,” hope to circumvent the School Board decision to rename our high school by voting for a “Stuart High School,” a
distinction without a difference. Several “Stuart “supporters” said they would not vote for a person of color and that they will vote for a place name instead, such as “Munson Hill” or “Peace Valley.” On this coming Saturday, households in the Stuart Attendance Area will be allowed to propose first, second and third choice names. Some of the supporters for a “Johns High School” did not seem to realize that second and third choice votes for place names, combined with the place name votes of the “Keepers,” could eliminate Johns as the frontrunner. (I will vote for “Johns” only.)
Letters Continued on Page 8