Baltimore, Md., Sep 30, 2017 / 03:43 am
As racial tensions continue across the United States, Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore announced a statewide task force to combat racism and promote unity within local communities.
"The dreadful spectacle of violence and racism displayed in Charlottesville by various white supremacist groups is a shocking reminder of how much work still needs to be done to eradicate the sin of racism in our country, our state, and local communities," stated Archbishop Lori in a Sept. 27 press release.
"This effort will require the courage to take an honest look at our past, the humility to repent of the ways we have actively caused pain or turned a deaf ear to those who suffer from the evil of racism, and a firm faith in the power of God's love as we begin the path of reconciliation," Lori continued.
Last month, a planned "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Va., to protest the city's removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee drew white supremacists including neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members. A counter-protest, including a diverse coalition of religious leaders and members of the Antifa and Black Lives Matter movements, was formed. On Aug. 12, a man drove a car into the counter-protest, injuring 19 and killing one.