ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 109

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 20, 1996

 

 

By Assemblymen STEELE, T. SMITH, DiGaetano and Doria

 

 

An Assembly Resolution condemning the recent burnings of churches in the South and calling for Congressional hearings.

 

Whereas, Since January of 1995, more than 30 church fires, in seven southern states, have been under active investigation by federal officials; and

Whereas, Many of these churches are small, with predominantly African-American congregations, often located in poor, rural areas; and

Whereas, These churches are irreplaceable buildings, some more than a century old, thought of as shared heirlooms, built by hand; and

Whereas, The burnings of these churches, which represent hope, dreams, and beliefs, are particularly heinous because the fires summon nightmares of past terrorism against persons of African-American descent; and

Whereas, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement, as well as the Justice Department's civil rights division, are searching for evidence to determine whether these acts of arson are a conspiracy of hate or random acts of malice; and

Whereas, There has been a wave of vandalism, burning and firebombing, reminiscent of the abominable attacks during the height of the anti-integration era more than 30 years ago, resulting in more than 40 cases of arson or vandalism at churches since 1990 under investigation; and

Whereas, Federal and local investigators report that they lack evidence of any centralized or organized campaign of racial terrorism; and

Whereas, The failure of the federal government to make headway in determining the cause of these acts of arson is outrageous and unacceptable; and

Whereas, The members of the congregations of these churches, perhaps targets of religious or racial hatred, should not become victims of a national passivity possibly attributable to a preference by many Americans not to believe that religious or racial bigotry exists; now, therefore,

    Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. This House condemns the action of those individuals responsible for the atrocious burnings of the more than 30 churches in our southern states.

 

    2. This House calls upon the United States Congress to hold hearings to review the federal government's investigations into these acts of arson to determine whether they are being conducted with appropriate vigor and diligence.

 

    3. A duly authenticated copy of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and every member of Congress of the United States elected from the State of New Jersey.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This resolution condemns the action of those individuals responsible for the recent burnings of the more than 30 churches with predominantly African-American congregations in our southern states and calls upon the United States Congress to hold hearings to review the federal government's investigations into these acts of arson to determine whether they are being conducted with appropriate vigor and diligence.

 

 

                             

 

Condemns recent church burnings; calls for Congressional hearings.