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Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”

Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President

Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary

601 – 50th

Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019

Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org

2013 ANNUAL SESSION RESOLUTIONS

Detroit, Michigan

ANNIVERSARIES

_________________________________________________

THE 50TH

ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON

WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. was

established to give a voice and a platform to social, political and civil rights of all people and

especially those of African ancestry;

WHEREAS, the historic anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington will take place on

Wednesday, August 28, 2013, in Washington, DC with coordinating events happening in cities

around the country;

BE IT RESOLVED that the members, officers and supporters of the PROGRESSIVE

NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. join with local, state and national civil and

human rights leaders and organizations to commemorate the anniversary and its impact on their

respective communities celebrating the lives and contributions of those men and women who

were there to give their lives for dignity and justice; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the members, officers and supporters of the PROGRESSIVE

NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. document anniversary events and those lives,

as well as other post anniversary date activities to share with the national staff for placement on

the national website to inspire current and future generations of the imperative to remain visible,

vocal, diligent in words and action for the right to vote and the right to “life, liberty and the

pursuit of happiness” for all persons naturalized and born in the United States of America.

EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the Emancipation Proclamation was proclaimed broadly in 1863 by President

Abraham Lincoln to abolish slavery in the Confederate States of America; AND

WHEREAS, President Lincoln specifically proclaimed “on the first day of January in the year of

our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State,

or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United

States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the executive government of the United

States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the

freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in

any efforts they may make for their actual freedom”; AND

WHEREAS, January 1, 2013 marked the 150th

anniversary; AND

WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. was

established to give a voice and a platform to social, political and civil rights of all people and

especially those of African ancestry;




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BE IT RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC.

urge its members to join with local, state and national civil and human rights leaders and

organizations to educate their respective communities about the anniversary, the meaning of

“Freedom Watch Night” and the men and women of African descent who gave their lives for

dignity and justice; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the members of the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. create and promote at least 1 opportunity by next annual meeting to

inspire youth to connect the Emancipation Proclamation, the Reconstruction Amendments (13th

,

14th

, 15th

) to the right to vote and the importance of advocating for that right as citizens of the

United States with reports coming to and through the regional caucuses.

DEMOCRACY

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SUPPORT FOR AMENDING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION TO RESTORE THE

PEOPLE’S POWER TO LIMIT CORPORATE SPENDING IN ELECTIONS

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court’s January 21, 2010, decision in Citizens United v. Federal

Election Commission (FEC) aggressively deviated from long-settled law limiting corporate

spending in our elections; AND

WHEREAS, due to the dangerously overreaching Supreme Court decision in Citizens United vs.

Federal Election Commission (FEC), federal, state, and local governments must now take the

necessary steps to restore the authority of the American people to restrict the undue influence of

corporations on our elections; AND

WHEREAS, the American people, through their federal, state, and local governments, are

reclaiming their constitutional right to protect the electoral process from corporate domination

even though self-identified conservative Super PAC’s in the 2012 election spent an estimated

$1.41 billion in disclosed outside spending and an unknown amount of undisclosed "dark

money" was spent to sway a relatively small number of undecided voters ; AND

WHEREAS, we are a body of men and women of faith who believe in the values of justice and

fairness committed to ministering “to the social, spiritual, and physical development of all

people,” and thus find it our responsibility to advocate the restoration of authority and electoral

power to the citizens of the United States of America;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. continue its support for “Amending the U.S. Constitution to Restore the

People’s Power to Limit Corporate Spending in Elections” by standing in agreement with others

that believe that corporations should not have the same first amendment rights as people and by

urging our local and state legislatures to adopt and send to the United States Congress a

resolution in support of amending the Constitution to restore the ability of the American people

to limit corporate spending in our elections; AND

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. support “Amending the U.S. Constitution to Restore the People’s Power

http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/cycle_tots.php?cycle=2012&view=Y&chart=N#viewpt




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to Limit Corporate Spending in Elections” by (1) further educating its members of political

influence by entities such as the Koch Brothers, the Chamber of Commerce, and the American

Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC); (2) presenting this resolution for adoption at our various

state and regional gatherings; and (3) that an executed copy of this Resolution, inscribed with the

leadership signature, be presented to each member of Congress representing our districts.

ECONOMICS

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THE DEBT CEILING MEASURE AND BUDGET PRIORITIES

WHEREAS, the budget of the United States is a moral document and should reflect the nation’s

commitment to take care of the least of its citizens – that is to protect the poor and the middle-

class, defend commitments to seniors, and make wise investments to create good jobs and

strengthen our economy; AND

WHEREAS, the nation needs to substantially reduce future deficits, but not at the expense of

hungry and poor people and the broken promise/obligation to protect and improve poverty-

focused development and humanitarian assistance to promote a better, safer world; AND

WHEREAS, a fundamental task of government is to help create jobs and spur economic growth

to include decent jobs at a livable wage are the best path out of poverty and restoring growth is a

powerful way to reduce deficits; AND

WHEREAS, the Congress must review and consider tax revenues, military spending, and

entitlements in the search for ways to share sacrifice and come up with the additional savings;

AND WHEREAS, cuts to safety net programs known as entitlements and domestic discretionary

spending will be devastating to those who can least afford it;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL

BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. recommit to: (1) turn to God with prayer and fasting, to ask

for guidance as our nation makes decisions about our budget priorities as a people; (2) urge their

congressional leaders to form a Circle of Protection around programs that meet the essential

needs of hungry and poor people at home and abroad; and (3) plan to advocate throughout the

year but especially on Friday, April 4, PNBC National Day of Advocacy to protect programs for

vulnerable populations under attack by conservatives including Social Security, Medicare,

Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income and some veterans benefit programs.

JOBS, POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT

WHEREAS, jobs is the number 1 issue facing our nation today, trumping the deficit and the debt

ceiling; AND

WHEREAS unemployment rates for African Americans remain at double the rate for those of

white Americans; AND




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WHEREAS, poverty in this country is actually worse than it was when President Lyndon Baines

Johnson launched the war on poverty in the 1960's; AND

WHEREAS, the impact of unemployment and the absence of jobs can be seen in the economic

downfall of Detroit, Michigan which in July 2013 became the largest city in the history of the

country to file for bankruptcy;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. strongly urge the Obama administration and the Congress to "lay aside

every weight and the sin that so easily beset us" and focus on 3 things: (1) jobs; (2) jobs and (3)

jobs.

EDUCATION

________________________________________________________

INCREASING LITERACY

WHEREAS, many adults and children alike are caught up in this wave of the technology of the

Information Age (social and video based media); AND

WHEREAS, because of the wave of the technology of the Information Age, many adults and

children alike are not spending a sufficient amount of time reading (Example: According to

Child Trends Databank “Among twelfth-graders in 2008, 40 percent of black students watched

four or more hours of television, compared with 14 percent of white students.); AND

WHEREAS, this deficiency of reading is taking its toll on persons (According to 2010 data by

the National Kids Count Program 85 percent of Black fourth graders scored below proficient

reading levels in 2009 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress [NAEP]), families,

and on society as a whole in countless and/or unimaginable ways; AND

WHEREAS, because many of our children and youth alike do not spend sufficient time reading,

many of our children and adults alike are clueless to issues that plague our society to the point

where they lack sufficient knowledge to challenge those issues that plague our society;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. request its member churches to actively encourage its member families

to spend at least one hour a day reading to and/or with their respective children; AND

BE IT MOREOVER RESOLVED, that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. request its member churches to open its doors at least one hour per week

for reading to and/or with the children of the respective church and community; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. request its Board of Christian Education and Publication to create a




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class, course, seminar, workshop, or otherwise on the "Fundamentals of Reading" and/or "The

Joy of Reading" and offer that class, course, lecture, seminar, symposium, workshop, or

otherwise at our Annual Session; AND

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. request the Congress of Christian on all levels (district/local, state,

region, national, and international) offer said class, course, lecture, seminar, symposium,

workshop, or otherwise and to encourage its participants to take said class, course, lecture,

seminar, symposium, workshop, or otherwise when offered.

INCREASED AWARENESS OF EFFORTS TO PRIVITIZE PUBLIC

EDUCATIONWHEREAS, public school re-segregation (apartheid education) is understood to

mean moving public schools toward segregation reminiscent of pre-Brown vs. Topeka Kansas

with the dividing of classrooms along racial lines; AND

WHEREAS, school re-segregation has the potential to harm minority students by condemning

them to separate, and unequal, education; AND

WHEREAS, the NAACP filed complaints in 2009 against the Pittsburg and North Carolina

school systems where one district had a 90% white student population and another a 100% black

student population calling it “apartheid education”; AND

WHEREAS, the National Education Association (NEA) in February 2011 noted school re-

segregation as “one of the most troubling trends on the education scene”.


CONVENTION, INC. support efforts to expose school districts, school board members and

their financial supporters who attempt to defund public education and undermine the educational

opportunities and widen the achievement gaps of African American students as well as educate

parents and communities of this form of race and class warfare.

ELECTED OFFICIALS

_____________________________________________________

THE MORAL DEFAULT

WHEREAS, the recent debate in DC over the national debt ceiling has shown Washington, D.C.

to be not just broken, but corrupt; AND




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WHEREAS, the American people are disgusted watching politicians playing political chicken

with the nation’s economy and future; AND

WHEREAS, politicians demonstrated their continued narrow self-interests over compromise and

shared sacrifice by allowing harmful automatic budget cuts – known as sequestration – to take

effect on March 1, 2013;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that as we reflect, pray, educate each other and seek

direction for action on the current state of our nation and its politics as we encourage our national

leaders to heed the words of Dr. King and seek to take the love and care of Jesus to a higher

level; AND

BE IT RESOLVED that the members of PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. use every opportunity, starting with the summer recess, to write, meet,

speak with congressional members to act, compromise, and work together to do what is best on

behalf of the whole nation by putting aside political party biases and to legislate in the spirit of

comity and compromise on behalf of all the nation’s citizens for economic security.

ELECTIONS/ELECTORAL

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SUPPORT FOR VESSELS 2014 NON-PARTISAN CIVIC ENGAGMENT INITIATIVE

WHEREAS, in 2012 the African American vote was reported to have exceeded the white vote

for the first time in history; AND

WHEREAS, the Word of God says “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence

of the power maybe of God and not of us.” AND

WHEREAS, non-partisan civic participation through voter education, voter registration and

voter turnout is a part of the rich history of the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC.; AND

WHEREAS, members of the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC.

were represented in the African American Minister’s Leadership Council’s VESSELS 2012

where over 7,000 faith leaders were trained, 1,100 plus churches in 25 states implemented

VESSELS programs, 2,500 volunteers received enhanced training, and facilitated through

independent and coalition efforts the registration of an estimated 400,000 voters, with VESSELS

pastors ensuring over 25,000 rides to the poll on election day;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL

BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. recommit along with the Christian Methodist Episcopal

Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Church full participation in all areas (registration,

education, get out the vote) for mid-term elections starting Sunday, November 3, 2013 through

Tuesday, November 4, 2014 with the “I Am A VESSEL and I Vote” initiatives because every

election (local, state, federal, special) is important to securing our future and the future of the

next generation through civic engagement that includes advocacy, civic participation through

various social justice and civil rights memberships and alliances, and electoral engagement.




601 – 50th



ENVIRONMENT

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______

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

WHEREAS, the summer of 2012 was one of the hottest summers in the world’s history; AND

WHEREAS, God is not a distant bystander with respect to human affairs, but judges all people

and holds them accountable for their thoughts and actions (Psalm 24:1; Isaiah 45:5-8; Hebrews

4:12-13); AND

WHEREAS, Christians are called by God to exercise caring stewardship and dominion over the

earth and environment (Genesis 1:28; Psalm 8) and we share God’s concern that the poor should

not be abused, taken advantage of, nor overburdened (Psalm 140:12; Proverbs 14:31; 29:7;

Isaiah 25:4; Ezekiel 22:29, 31; Matthew 25:40; John 14:15); AND

WHEREAS, the impacts of climate change disproportionately impacts the communities of color;

AND

WHEREAS, globally, climate change is likely to cause damage in excess of $600 billion per

year, with particularly negative effects in Africa; AND

WHEREAS, about 160,000 people die every year worldwide from side-effects of global

warming ranging from malaria to malnutrition and reduction of agricultural output in many

poorer countries; AND

WHEREAS, an additional 80-90 million poor people could be at risk of hunger and malnutrition

later in the 21st century and poorer countries are much less able to withstand the devastation

caused by extreme weather events, and climate change is likely to increase such events; AND

WHEREAS, over 70 percent of African Americans live in counties in violation of federal air

pollution standards; AND

WHEREAS, in every one of the 44 major metropolitan areas in the U.S., African Americans are

more likely than whites to be exposed to higher air toxic concentrations. As a result, African

Americans are nearly three times as likely to be hospitalized or killed by asthma; AND

WHEREAS, solving the climate crisis can create 5 million ‘green’ jobs that will be in places

where they are needed most; AND




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WHEREAS, a new energy policy can reduce the burden of low- and moderate-income

households spending a larger share of their budgets on energy and other basic costs of living than

better-off households; AND

WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that the average surface

temperature of the earth increased nearly 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the 20th century, due

primarily to human caused climate change and scientists project an increase of 3.2-7.2 degrees

Fahrenheit in the 21st century; AND

WHEREAS, we have an opportunity to end energy policies that drain jobs from our economy,

put our communities at risk of heat waves and flooding, and drag America into conflicts over

energy resources overseas; AND

WHEREAS, meaningful climate change policy can create real public benefits including millions

of good green-collar jobs and build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out

of poverty; AND

WHEREAS, the strength of the United States’ position in the international climate negotiations

will largely depend on two factors: the level of emissions reductions we commit to make and the

level of financial support we offer for international adaptation and clean energy technology;

AND

WHEREAS, Environmental Justice is defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency as

“the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national

origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of

environmental laws, regulations, and policies”;


CONVENTION, INC. supports environmental justice and “Climate Change” by: (1) calling on

our nation’s elected leaders to support climate change legislation that helps provide immediate

assistance to the poor and most vulnerable people around the world, including access to clean

drinking water and electricity, and efforts to deal with the impacts of global warming already

being felt; (2) supporting climate change policy that will build a new generation of good jobs,

rebuild urban areas and support rural areas, and protect families, communities and public health,

and help elevate our nation as a world leader; and (3) urging the US Senate to approve a climate

bill that ensures investments in international climate adaptation at least 2% above the levels in

the House-passed bill and dedicate at least 1% above the house bill for clean energy technology

over the House-passed level.

HEALTH

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__________

THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (“OBAMACARE’)




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WHEREAS, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law by

President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010 representing the greatest overhaul in health care

since the 1965 passage of Medicaid and Medicare; AND

WHEREAS, on June 28, 2012, the US Supreme Court ruled states could not be forced to expand

Medicaid under ACA and be penalized with the loss of current Medicaid funding; AND

WHEREAS, 7.3 million African Americans in general and 4.5 African American seniors with

insurance now have expanded preventive services with no cost sharing and 500,000 African

American youth ages 19-25 now have coverage on their parents health plans, and African

American seniors according to the US Department of Health and Human Services

(www.HHS.gov/healthcare/factsheets); AND

WHEREAS, October 1, 2013 is the start of enrollment for citizens in ACA health plans so that

beginning January 2014, 6.8 million uninsured African Americans, 56% male, will have

coverage (www.HEALTHCARE.gov);

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, members, officers and supporters of the PROGRESSIVE

NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. participate in educational, awareness and

advocacy activities utilizing Outreach/Evangelism/Discipleship, Youth and Young Adult,

Senior’s and Health Ministries starting Sunday, September 22, 2013 through Sunday, March 23,

2014 to facilitate information, enrollment and health for all persons in their family and

congregation and report at regional meetings and caucuses.

ST. JUDE SUNDAY OF HOPE

WHEREAS, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has provided at no cost to families quality

health care and cures for those with challenging childhood diseases since 1962; AND

WHEREAS, through its Sunday of Hope program, where President Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr.,

serves on the Advisory Council, has created an opportunity for African American faith leaders

and churches to raise awareness and funds to support the children at St. Jude which in 1983

through a successfully performed Bone marrow (or stem cell) transplantation on Kimberlin

Wilson-George made her the first person ever to be cured of the Sickle Cell disease;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, member churches of the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL

BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. sign up on the PNBC website between September and

November and schedule their 2014 Sunday of Hope for all the children, families, doctors, staff

and volunteers of this very unique pediatric and research facility.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING




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WHEREAS, according to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) and its 2003,

2005, 2008, 2013 reauthorizations, human trafficking has occurred if a person was induced to

perform labor or a commercial sex act through force, fraud, or coercion. Any person under age

18 who performs a commercial sex act is considered a victim of human trafficking, regardless of

whether force, fraud, or coercion was present; AND

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Justice Confirmed sex trafficking victims were more likely to be

white (26%) or black (40%), compared to labor trafficking victims, who were more likely to be

Hispanic (63%) or Asian (17%); AND

WHEREAS, Human Trafficking is being called the “New Slavery” and statistics from the US

Department of State suggest the United States is the second largest region for trafficking of

women and children; AND

WHEREAS, trafficking, essentially pimping, can occur in various forms to include family and

strangers with motivations being economic and have health implications that are but not limited

to emotional, mental (post -traumatic stress), physical and spiritual;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. agrees with the United Nations that humans are not “commodities”, joins

with the US Office of Homeland Security and international efforts to raise education and

awareness of the need to eradicate all forms of human trafficking, and seeks to develop an action

tool kit with the assistance of Health and Women’s Departments for member churches in time

for October 2013 National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION,

INC. and member churches will write to the US President and members of Congress to ratify the

UN Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), support

UN documents and reports on Preventing and Combatting Human Trafficking, and partner with

domestic NGO’s to provide at least 1 education and training forum at each regional meeting in

2014.

JUSTICE

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______

ADDRESSING “THE NEW JIM CROW”: MASS INCARCERATION AND ITS IMPACT




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WHEREAS, according to the Center for Center for Law and Justice in a summary of the book by

author Michelle Alexander, notes that “more African Americans are under the control of the

criminal justice system today – in prison or jail, on probation or parole – than were enslaved in

1850”; AND

WHEREAS, it is widely known that formerly incarcerated persons face discrimination, prejudice

and stigma in housing, education, employment, and voting rights because of the “felon” label;

AND

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Justice Statistics notes 1 in 15 African American men are

incarcerated, 1 in 3 African American men are expected to go to prison; AND

WHEREAS, the Department of Education further notes African American students are arrested

more often than other racial groups and that 58% of African American youth are sent to adult

prisons; AND

WHEREAS, the Center for American Progress further notes African American women are 3

times more likely than white women to be incarcerated, that 11 states deny the right to vote of

more than 10% of their African American population;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that member churches of the PROGRESSIVE

NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. encourage written personal testimonies of

persons, from the pulpit to the pew, on the quality of life impact of incarceration on individuals

and families and the role of faith in their journey for posting on the PNBC website to speak to

the heart and spirit of others and thereby removing stigma, shame and isolation; AND

BE IT MOREOVER RESOLVED, that the member churches of PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL

BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. evaluate their prison/re-entry/re-integration

programs/ministries to include information for empowerment from sources such as the

Sentencing Project and the Brennan Law Center as it relates to discriminatory practices that can

create obstacles to citizenship and civic responsibility while contributing to recidivism; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that members, officers and supporters of the PROGRESSIVE

NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. join in cities, and/or initiate efforts in their city

to “ban the box” (are you, or have you ever been convicted of a felony?) on employment

applications which serve as a hindrance and provides a unnecessary dilemma for persons

attempting to become contributing residents/citizens post incarceration and report “what man

meant for harm, God meant for good” to the regional Vice-Presidents and/or at the regional

meetings; AND

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. actively participate in the revived call to end racial disparities in criminal

justice policies and practices, documenting efforts of its member churches and including a report




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at the annual session all that is being done to address and end mass incarceration and the

negative impact on families and communities.

THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH GUN CONTROL COALITION

WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. convened

meetings in Washington, DC and Los Angeles with other faith and denominational leaders,

organizations and public officials on April 24, 2013 to launch the African American Church Gun

Control Coalition; AND

WHEREAS, the President of PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION,

INC., Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore stated, “As people of God and as faithful members we have the

obligation to stir the world’s conscience and to call on our nation’s decision makers to do what is

just and right.”; AND

WHEREAS, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports gun violence as the leading

cause of death for African American males ages 15-19; AND

WHEREAS, according to the Children’s Defense Fund we are losing eight children a day to gun-

related deaths of which half are African American and there are approximately 268 gun related

deaths per day leaving far too many children, families and communities thrown into desperate

grief and trauma; AND

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that members, officers and supporters of PROGRESSIVE

NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. join in Covenant with parents, educators,

community leaders, one another and other communities to aggressively raise awareness of gun

violence as a spiritual and moral crisis and to work with greater intentionality toward a peaceable

society where all God’s children have the opportunity to grow and prosper, and where everyone,

especially our youth can live without fear of gun violence; AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, members, officers and supporters of PROGRESSIVE

NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. commit to 3 years, with regional reporting at

the annual conference, of increased:

Advocacy with other local community-based prevention organizations and other faith

communities across geographic, religious, economic and racial lines to show the impact

of gun related deaths and violence on diverse communities and promote awareness for

legislatives strategies that incorporates this reality;

Congregational and community dialogue and education on gun safety and gun violence

prevention strategies;

Tension reduction education between legal and illegal ownership and use of guns for

protection and for preservation while working with local gun shops to adopt a “Code of

Conduct” to eliminate legal purchases of guns for illegal resale (straw purchases);




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Inclusion of parents and guardians as peace keepers as the first line of defense to address

and reduce gun violence by being vocal and visible collaborators with local gun violence

prevention organizations and efforts in our local communities;

Ongoing communication and advocacy strategies with legislators at all levels to ensure

values-based harm reduction policies such as enhanced back ground checks that increase

gun safety and security for all families and communities; and,

Normalizing efforts for non-stop voter registration, voter education and voter

mobilization because elections happen all the time in this county.

Note: Implementation of these Covenant principles as a part of the African American Church

Gun Control Coalition will be different but commonly directed with the aim to have impact, a

significant reduction of gun related violence in our communities, congressional districts, voting

precinct and/or zip code area by 2016.

EDUCATION AND AWARENESS OF “STAND YOUR GROUND/SHOOT TO KILL”

STATE LAWS

WHEREAS, on July 24, 2013, the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) reported

that “Some state self-defense laws include provisions that address duty to retreat from an intruder

in one’s home or from an attacker in other places; AND

WHEREAS, NCSL further notes, “The common law principle of ‘castle doctrine’ says that

individuals have the right to use reasonable force, including deadly force, to protect themselves

against an intruder in their home.” AND

WHEREAS, state laws (nicknamed “make my day” laws) addressed immunity from prosecution

in use of deadly force against another who unlawfully and forcibly enters a person’s residence

ground and meet force with force, including deadly force, if he or she reasonably believes it is

necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to

prevent the commission of a forcible felony”; AND

WHEREAS, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence laws in at least 22 states

allow that there is no duty to retreat an attacker in any place in which one is lawfully present

(Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan,

Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,

South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia- also see

www.FINDLAW.com); AND

WHEREAS, according to Right Wing Watch of People For the American Way, Stand Your

Ground, also known as “Castle Law” or “Defense of Habitation Law” is recently ratified (2005)

model legislation endorsed and promoted nationally by the American Legislative Exchange




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Council (ALEC), a non-profit entity funded by major corporations such as Walmart and interest

groups including Koch Industries and the National Rifle Association (NRA); AND

WHEREAS, in July 2013 President Barack Obama called for a review of these state laws and

US Attorney General Eric Holder criticized these laws which are evoked by both African

American and white defendants requiring greater scrutiny of the law, its intent and reporting of

statistical outcomes; AND

WHEREAS, the legacy of Trayvon Martin which tragically ended on February 26, 2012, and

other Black youth calls for a renewed appeal for education and advocacy of these state laws

where the Center for Disease Control reports from 2001-2010, 75% of gun death victims were

African American;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the members, officers and supporters of

PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. participate in gun violence

prevention education and advocacy to review and/or repeal Stand Your Ground like laws

throughout the year but particularly on February 26 and on or near April 4 which is the annual

national PNBC Day of Advocacy commemorating the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King,

Jr. and report events and activities through regional meetings and caucuses.

IN SUPPORT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S STRUGGLE FOR SELF-

DETERMINATION AND STATEHOOD (DC VOTING RIGHTS)

WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. as one of

the nation’s largest and most prominent African-American institutions is a recognized

institutional leader in the struggle for civil rights; AND

WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. with more

than 2 million members and 2,000 local congregations across the United States continue to

believe in the organization’s legacy of progressive advocacy; AND

WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. recognizes

that it must uphold its duty to remain an organizational voice opposed to injustice and lifted in

solidarity with those who support equality; AND

WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC.

acknowledges that the residents of the District of Columbia are disenfranchised because of

Congress’ steadfast refusal to permit the District of Columbia a representative vote in the United

States Congress; AND

WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. realizes

Congress continues to impinge upon the collective will of residents of the District of Columbia

by attaching social riders to the District of Columbia’s budget.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. officially endorse, join and support the District of Columbia’s struggle

for self-determination and statehood.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Koch_Industries

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Rifle_Association




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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. urge the Congress of the United States to grant the District of Columbia

budget and legislative autonomy and permit the residents of the District of Columbia to have

voting representation in both houses of the United States Congress.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. urge the Congress of the United States to introduce and pass an act

granting admission to the District of Columbia as the 51st State of the United States.

BAN THE BOX

WHEREAS, the national “Ban the Box” campaign calls for removing the question and check

box, “Have you been convicted by a court?” from applications for employment, housing, public

benefits, insurance, loans and other services. These questions mean lifelong discrimination and

exclusion because of a past arrest or conviction record; AND

WHEREAS, “All of Us or None” is recognized nationwide as the core of a Ban the Box

movement that is sweeping the country resulting in 50 cities or counties, and 9 states have

removing the questions about conviction history from their public employment applications as of

May 2013 according to the Sentencing Project; AND

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that member churches, officers and supporters of

PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. identify if this obstacle that

increases recidivism is in place in their city, county, state and work with formerly incarcerated

people, neighborhood legal services agencies, City Council members, Mayors, other elected

officials and business and housing providers to win the effort to fairness and end the perception

that certain debts to society cannot be paid.

PROTECTING THE COURTS

* Forthcoming by close of business, August 7, 2013

NATIONAL SECURITY

___________________________________________________

ENDING US WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN




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WHEREAS, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that racism, poverty and militarism

were three of the principal evils in our society; AND

WHEREAS, Dr. King astutely linked increased US military spending to the nation’s inability to

tackle pressing domestic priorities like health care and poverty; AND

WHEREAS, thousands of US military personnel are wounded or killed each year we remain on

foreign soil engaged in combat;


CONVENTION, INC. recommit its support for “Ending the War in Iraq and Afghanistan” by

monthly communicating with members of Congress, emphasizing those who serve on the Armed

Forces Committee to withdraw troops, seek diplomacy and end current wars in Iraq and

Afghanistan while also avoiding conflict and use of military force with other nations.

INTERNATIONAL/HUMANITARIAN

____________________________________________________________

FAMINE IN SOMALIA

WHEREAS, the United Nations has declared Somalia's food crisis a famine with millions of

people on the brink of starvation and aid deliveries complicated by Islamic militants aligned with

Al Qaeda control famine zones; AND

WHEREAS, the combination of one of East Africa’s worst droughts in 60 years and Somalia’s

relentless conflict has depleted the country’s food supplies, and tens of thousands of Somalis

have died of malnutrition-related causes in the past few months; AND

WHEREAS, if action is not undertaken soon, the famine will spread to other regions of East

Africa and every day of delay in assistance is a matter of life or death; AND

WHEREAS, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that nearly half of Somalia’s

population — 3.7 million people— was now in crisis and a total of $1.6 billion was needed to

help; AND

WHEREAS, Somalia has lurched from crisis to crisis since 1991, when the central government

imploded, and in 1992, the same elements of drought and war set off a famine that killed

hundreds of thousands of people and started a cycle of international intervention that, despite

billions of dollars and more than a dozen transitional governments, has yet to stabilize the

country; AND

WHEREAS, pastures have dried up, and the animals that Somali nomads survive off of are

dying in droves and food prices are escalating, and after 20 years of anarchy, coping mechanisms

are collapsing, with many families driven from their land and many breadwinners cut down in

Somalia’s endless iterations of civil war; AND




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WHEREAS, many of those who can are fleeing the country, using what little money they have to

pay for buses or simply walking, often hundreds of miles through the desert with children slung

across their backs.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. recommit and urge the Obama Administration, the State Department and

the US Congress to take immediate actions to avert the food famine including providing

immediate financial and food assistance and suspending US rules that prohibit material support

to Somali militants, who often demand “taxes” for allowing aid deliveries to pass through.

SUPPORT FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

WHEREAS, we support comprehensive immigration reform out of our Christian commitment to

caring and loving the “stranger” in our midst (Leviticus 19:33-34); AND

WHEREAS, our faith calls us to seek fairness and equality for all people and we believe that

immigration reform is one of the major civil and human rights issues impacting our nation; AND

WHEREAS, most Americans agree that our current system is broken and in need of urgent

attention to address punitive and discriminatory practices occurring in states; AND

WHEREAS, the answer is an immigration policy that will result in the protection of the US

borders, the establishment of just labor practices, the enhancement of family reunification, and

the provision of a fair and balanced pathway to citizenship for all; AND

WHEREAS, we further believe in fair and balanced policies that keep families together and

provide for humane and dignified solution for students (DREAMERS) and adults seeking

citizenship:


CONVENTION, INC. continue its support for “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” by

joining with African American Ministers Leadership Council, the Black Immigration Network,

the Interfaith Immigration Coalition and others in urging our US Representatives to pass

legislation in line with the US Senate action and address a broken federal immigration system;

AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC. support Comprehensive Immigration Reform by: (1) standing in

agreement that this is a nation of laws noting as St. Augustine declared, “An unjust law is no law

at all,” and PNBC members will raise awareness and education on this issue so that, as the

political process takes place, any outcome will not bring forth what is antithetical to the preamble

of our Constitution; and (2) standing in agreement therefore with many voices for RESPECT

and immigration dialogue and reform that will inspire hope, unite families, secure borders,

ensure dignity and provide a legal avenue for all of God’s children working and desiring to

reside in this country to drink from the well of justice and equal protection under the law.




601 – 50th



RESOLUTION ON INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND SUPPORT

FOR AMBASSADOR SUSAN JOHNSON COOK

WHEREAS, the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief, which protects the

individual’s core right to believe or not to believe and to exercise and share that belief in

community with others, is among the founding principles of our country; AND

WHEREAS, the United States has long been a strong voice for freedom of religion or belief,

advocating on behalf of religious minorities and others who suffer persecution because of their

religious beliefs; AND

WHEREAS, recent studies show that the majority of people on the planet live in countries with

serious restrictions on freedom of religion or belief, that these restrictions are rising worldwide

and that this is taking place alongside an increase in societal hostility and instability; AND

WHEREAS, freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental right, inextricably linked to other

freedoms, including those of expression, association and assembly; AND

WHEREAS, in 1998, President Clinton, signed the International Religious Freedom Act, which

include a number of provisions to ensure that the promotion of international religious freedom

remains one of the highest policy objectives of our government; AND

WHEREAS, Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook has worked diligently to promote international

religious freedom despite being barred entry to some countries in her capacity as Ambassador-at-

Large for International Religious Freedom; AND

WHEREAS, the State Department has failed to designate Countries of Particular Concern since

August 2011, despite the fact that is legally mandated to do so and that after two years all CPC

designations expire along with linked sanctions if they are not renewed;


CONVENTION, INC.: 1)Calls upon President Obama to ensure that Ambassador Johnson

Cook is provided with the official support needed to do an increasingly difficult, complex and

vitally important job; 2)Calls upon President Obama to implement the policy recommendations

included in the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)’s

annual report and recommendations; 3)Calls upon Secretary of State Kerry to designate

Countries of Particular Concern immediately, following USCIRF’s recommendations, as

required under IRFA.

RESOLUTION ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF IN VIETNAM




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WHEREAS, there continue to be reports of restrictions on and violations against the right to

freedom of religion or belief for various religious minorities in Vietnam, including Christians;

AND

WHEREAS, in 2013 a young Christian leader died in police custody shortly after his brother

heard him being violently beaten by police; AND

WHEREAS, throughout 2012 Catholic and Protestant communities throughout the country

reported cases of discrimination, forced eviction, destruction of property, physical attacks and

other human rights abuses by both state and non-state actors; AND

WHEREAS, there have been improvements in some areas, nevertheless, much more could and

should be done to ensure the complete protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief for

all religious minorities in the country:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST

CONVENTION, INC.: (1) prayerfully support Vietnamese churches in the US seeking to raise

awareness of religious freedom violations in Vietnam; and (2) call on President Obama and

Secretary of State Kerry to raise religious freedom as a priority with the Vietnamese government,

and to raise specific cases when necessary.

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE IN BURMA

WHEREAS, the Progressive National Baptist Convention recognizes with appreciation the

political reforms introduced by President Thein Sein in Burma over the past two years; AND

WHEREAS, the release of most political prisoners, the engagement with and election to

Parliament of democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for

Democracy, increased space for civil society, media and political actors, and preliminary

ceasefires with most ethnic armed resistance organizations are welcome steps towards a

transition to peace and democracy in Burma; AND

WHEREAS, several hundred political prisoners in Burma remain in jail; AND

WHEREAS, preliminary ceasefires agreed with ethnic armed resistance organizations remain

fragile and have been violated by the Burma Army; AND

WHEREAS, since the Burma Army broke the ceasefire with the Kachin Independence

Organisation (KIO) in June 2011 and launched a major new military offensive against the

Kachin people, over 100,000 civilians have been displaced, more than 200 villages burnt and

over 66 churches destroyed or looted in Kachin State; AND




601 – 50th



WHEREAS, reports of killing of civilians, arrest of activists, rape, forced labour and torture in

Kachin State continue; AND

WHEREAS, in violence in Rakhine State in June and October 2012, over 13,000 Muslim

Rohingya people were displaced and thousands killed; AND

WHEREAS, the Rohingya people are a stateless and severely persecuted people, denied

citizenship in Burma under the 1982 Citizenship Law despite living in Burma for generations;

AND

WHEREAS, a serious humanitarian crisis is developing for the internally displaced people in

Rakhine State and Kachin State; AND

WHEREAS, anti-Muslim violence in other parts of Burma broke out in 2013, in locations

including Meikhtila, Oakkan and Lashio; AND

WHEREAS, security forces did not act to prevent acts of violence against Muslims, including

killings, and looting and destruction of Muslim property; AND

WHEREAS, the religious hatred spread by the prominent militant Buddhist monk U Wirathu and

the “969” militant Buddhist movement continues; AND

WHEREAS, religious discrimination and persecution of the predominantly Christian Chin

people continues, as reported by the Chin Human Rights Organisation, including reports of Chin

Christian children forcibly converted to Buddhism in military-run monastic schools;


CONVENTION, INC: (1) calls upon President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry to ensure

that measureable progress in the area of human rights is key to any continuing improvement in

the United States’ relations with Burma; (2) calls upon President Obama and the United States

Congress to make any military aid or training to the Burma military contingent upon the

protection and promotion of human rights; (3) calls upon President Obama and Secretary of State

Kerry to urge the Government of Burma to implement the following; (4) urges the President and

the Government of Burma to release all remaining political prisoners; (5) urges the President and

Government of Burma to establish a nationwide peace process with the ethnic nationalities,

involving a political dialogue in pursuit of a political solution to end decades of civil war; (6)

urges the President and Government of Burma to allow unhindered access for international

humanitarian and human rights organizations to all parts of Burma, including to displaced

peoples in Kachin and Rakhine States; (7) urges the President and Government of Burma to

ensure that security forces provide protection to vulnerable communities and take effective

action to ensure no further violence against religious minorities; (8) calls for inter-faith dialogue

and efforts to bring reconciliation and peace among the different religious communities in

Burma; (9) urges the President and Government of Burma to amend or repeal the 1982




601 – 50th



Citizenship Law to ensure that Burma’s citizenship rules are in accordance with international

human rights norms; (10) urges the President and Government of Burma to condemn the

propaganda of U Wirathu and “969”; 11) urges the President and Government of Burma to

protect and promote freedom of religion or belief for all.

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE IN INDONESIA

WHEREAS, the Progressive National Baptist Convention recognizes with appreciation the long

tradition of religious pluralism, freedom of religion or belief and inter-religious harmony in

Indonesia, enshrined in the country’s guiding philosophy, the ‘Pancasila’; AND

WHEREAS, the efforts of a significant number of religious organizations in Indonesia,

particularly the two largest Islamic organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, to

defend and promote pluralism are welcomed and encouraged; AND

WHEREAS, a significant number of civil society organizations in Indonesia, including Muslim

institutions such as the Wahid Institute, the Maarif Institute and the Liberal Islam Network, as

well as secular organizations such as the Setara Institute, and networks such as the Indonesian

Committee for Religions for Peace, are engaged in excellent work to counter intolerance and

extremism and promote freedom of religion or belief and other human rights; AND

WHEREAS, numerous reports indicate that religious intolerance in Indonesia is rising, with a

serious impact on all communities; AND

WHEREAS, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Indonesia is coming under increasing

persecution, with violent attacks such as the incidents in Lombok between 2005 and 2010,

Cikeusik in 2011, Tasikmalaya in 2013 and many other similar acts of violence, the closure of

many Ahmadi mosques including the sealing of the mosque in Bekasi in 2013, the

implementation of the 2008 Joint Ministerial Decree prohibiting the propagation of Ahmadi

teachings, similar regional and local laws restricting Ahmadi activities; AND

WHEREAS, Shia Muslim community in Indonesia is facing increasing persecution, notably the

displacement of Shia from their village in Sampang, Madura Island, East Jave after a violent

attack in 2012; AND

WHEREAS, a Shia cleric, Tajul Muluk, is in prison on charges of blasphemy; AND

WHEREAS, an atheist, Alexander Aaan, is in prison for declaring himself an atheist; AND

WHEREAS, an increasing number of Christian churches are facing threats of forced closure, or

violent attack, including churches which are legally registered and licensed; AND




601 – 50th



WHEREAS, the cases of GKI Yasmin church in Bogor, West Java, and HKBP Filadelfia church

in Bekasi, West Java, in which the courts ruled that the churches should be permitted to open but

the local Mayor in both cases refuses to allow them to open, in defiance of court rulings,

illustrate that there is now a concern over the implementation of the rule of law; AND

WHEREAS, the President and the Government of Indonesia have not taken action to protect

vulnerable communities from violence, harassment, intimidation or discrimination, and several

national, regional and local laws and regulations, such as the Blasphemy Law and the 2008 Joint

Ministerial Decree regarding the Ahmadiyya, violate international principles of freedom of

religion or belief.


CONVENTION, INC: (1) urges President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry to prioritize the

promotion of freedom of religion or belief and religious tolerance in the United States’ relations

with Indonesia and to actively support the following recommendations; (2) urges the President

and the Government of Indonesia to repeal all discriminatory legislation, particularly the

Blasphemy Law and the 2008 Joint Ministerial Decree regarding the Ahmadiyya; (3) urges the

President and Government of Indonesia to ensure that the perpetrators of violence against

religious minorities are brought to justice; (4) urges the President and Government of Indonesia

to ensure that vulnerable communities are protected from violent attacks; (5) urges the President

and Government of Indonesia to ensure that places of worship which are already licensed should

be permitted to open and function; (6) urges the President and Government of Indonesia to

protect and promote freedom of religion or belief for all.

VOTING RIGHTS

______________________________________________________

SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION AND DEFEAT OF ALL EFFORTS OF VOTER

SUPRESSION

WHEREAS, Voter Suppression is a strategy to influence the outcome of an election by

discouraging or preventing people from exercising their right to vote; AND

WHEREAS, voter suppression tactics include impediments to voter registration,

disenfranchisement of formerly incarcerated persons, misinformation, purging of voter rolls, and

photo identification laws such as those passed in 2011 and 2012 that extend beyond the Help

America Vote Act (HAVA);


CONVENTION, INC. participate in local, state and national efforts to expose to voters those

persons and entities engaged in morally bankrupt efforts such as this and support the Brennan

Center for Justice and US Senator Ben Cardin (Maryland) for voter registration modernization.




601 – 50th



PROTECTING THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WHEREAS, on March 7, 1965 men, women and children endured severe and inhumane

treatment in places like Selma, Alabama (which came to be known as “Bloody Sunday”)

prompting President Lyndon B. Johnson ten days later to send the Voting Rights Act to Congress

where it passed and was signed into law on August 6, in the presence of Dr. Martin Luther King,

Jr., and Rosa Parks; AND

WHEREAS, in 2006 Congress reauthorized the Voting Rights Act with overwhelming bipartisan

support; AND

WHEREAS, in the fall of 2012, 30 state had legislation introduced or enacted laws to hinder

voter access to voting according to the Fair Elections Legal Network with one state, Alabama,

passing restrictions that had not been precleared by the Department of Justice as stated in Section

5 of the Voting Rights Act, requiring photo ID and proof of citizenship to take into effect in 2014

which would significantly impact African American voters according to the Brennan Law

Center; AND

WHEREAS, on June 25, 2013, the Supreme Court ruled (5-4) in the case of Shelby County vs.

Holder said that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which list the states that must obtain

preclearance was unconstitutional thereby “turning back the hand of time” and rendering the 48

year old legislation ineffective and again placing the right to vote in this country under assault;

AND

WHEREAS, by rendering the “formula that determines jurisdictions are subject to preclearance

provisions of the Act and sending the issue back to Congress” the Court ignored the reality of

deceptive practices and voter intimidation still taking place in the 21st century; AND

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that members, officers and supporters of the

PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. join the Leadership Council

on Civil and Human Rights, the NAACP, the African American Ministers Leadership Council

and many others to write, call and visit members of Congress and their staff to demand an

immediate remedy to discouraging states, with emphasis on those in the south, from drafting and

adopting assaults on the right to vote using discriminatory tactics, save the Voting Rights Act

through a dignity based formula that restores a sense of confidence and fix what has left millions

of Americans, especially African Americans vulnerable.

ELECTORAL VOTE RIGGING

WHEREAS, instead of focusing on the economy and jobs, conservative lawmakers in various

states are more concerned with rigging our elections to prevent the American people – the voters

– from having a say in who represents them; AND




601 – 50th



WHEREAS, these lawmakers, such as those in Pennsylvania for example, want the system to

allow politicians, and not the people, to choose the highest office holder of the country – the

President; AND

WHEREAS, past and current aims at our democracy to suppress the vote, pouring in huge

amounts of money into elections, and now rigging the Electoral College that while not perfect

has been the process since 1787 used to officially elect the President and Vice President of the

United States with a majority of the 270 electoral votes


CONVENTION, INC. go on record in every state opposing any and all attempts to undermine

the majority rule American system for choosing the President and Vice President, oppose all

increases in incentives for partisan gamesmanship, and oppose all efforts to create inequalities

where some people’s votes count more than others.

RESTORING VOTING RIGHTS TO FORMERLY INCARCERATED PERSONS

WHEREAS, the ACLU reports that 5.8 million Americans are affected by laws that bar formerly

incarcerated persons from registering and voting in elections; AND

WHEREAS, the Sentencing Project reports that 1 in 15 African Americans are unable to vote

because of these laws 45% (2.6 million people) have fully completed their sentences and reside

in states that disenfranchise post-sentencing, and 1 in every 10 males in prison currently are

African American in their 30s as a result of the “war on drugs”; AND

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that member churches, officers and supporters of

PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. join with The Sentencing

Project and other voting reform organizations to inform, raise awareness and advocate for re-

enfranchisement that increases citizen participation, facilitates a decrease in recidivism, informs

of places where persons can still register and vote (in jail and not formerly charged for example)

and provide reports, especially from those states with laws that make formerly incarcerated

person 2nd

class citizens, at regional meetings of activities and results.

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