Churches Move to Combat Hate

Seeking to build a unified front, a coalition of Oxnard religious leaders this week urged the community to speak out against racial and religious hatred locally and across the nation.

Seven pastors and a rabbi issued a statement denouncing hate crimes and racism.

The declaration was made in response to recent high-profile hate crimes, including a shooting spree earlier this month by a white supremacist in Chicago.

In that incident, a 21-year-old man is believed to have killed two and wounded nine during a shooting spree targeting Jews, Asians and African Americans during the July 4 holiday weekend.

The Rev. Broderick Huggins, pastor at St. Paul Baptist Church in Oxnard, said the declaration is also designed to draw attention to racism closer to home.

“I do know there is widespread racism, which has nothing to do with hate groups, but it’s very subtle and very sinister,” said Huggins, who signed the statement.

“I am thankful that there are other pastors in the city who understand that there is a problem and we aren’t sticking our heads in the sand and pretending nothing is going on,” he said.

The Rev. Al Gorsline of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Oxnard said something had to be done to show that these acts are unacceptable.

Gorsline, who wrote the declaration, said he hopes it will encourage the community to denounce acts of crime and violence.

Research shows racist groups are growing nationwide, Gorsline said.

“My feeling was that we have to make a statement that this isn’t what church is about, this isn’t what God is about,” he said. “The word is love not hate. Unless the good people speak up, even though it isn’t affecting them, there may be no one left to speak up.”

The Rev. Gary Dusek of Home Fellowship and the Ministerial Assn. in Oxnard said the community has to realize hate crimes can happen anywhere.

Although there are no major problems locally, he said it is still important to take a stand.

“Protection against hate crimes is not going to happen passively,” Dusek said. “Saying nothing can give the impression this is not an issue. It’s the idea to affirm the need to say that it’s important to be positive instead of negative.”

Huggins said his church, which is predominately African American, has been working with a predominately white church in Oxnard for a couple of years to help alleviate racism.

‘It’s all in an effort with some pastors here to communicate and bridge the gap between the races in the city,” he said. “Racial reconciliation is at the forefront of the church’s agenda.”

Gorsline said his church--which he calls a “rainbow church” because of its diversity--has ethnic celebrations each year in an effort to bridge that gap.

“If we can do it, others can do it,” he said.