About 40 people from Kol HaLev (members and friends) met on Sunday evening, February 21, to attend the first KHL community social action meeting on the warrant forgiveness project. Rabbi Geoff Basik and law professor Doug Colbert presided; Dr. Todd Yeary, Pastor of the Douglas Memorial Church, was the special guest. Several Douglas’ congregants attended.
The Rabbi convened the meeting with guidance on our social action: not to “stand over the blood of our neighbor.” Doug Colbert briefed the group on the scope and importance of the warrant forgiveness project that began in December 2015 with a call by clergy- including Rabbi Geoff and Pastor Todd- to postpone arrest warrants during the Christmas season for non-violent offenders with misdemeanor charges. Unfortunately, Maryland’s district judges opposed this policy. An estimated 40,000 mostly African American men in Baltimore are under the shadow of the warrant/bail system. Reverend Yeary gave an articulate presentation of the need to move forward on this project as faith communities looking to right a social wrong which adds to the difficulties of the lives of the poor in our city.
Questions and answers about next steps indicated the broad support to move forward with a follow up gathering at Douglas Memorial, initiating connections with other Jewish and Christian faith communities to gather support, initiating a petition that could be widely circulated among progressive congregations to seek action by the courts, follow new legislation introduced into the Maryland House of Delegates, and strengthen the personal links between KHL and DMC. All ideas and suggestions are encouraged; please send any that you would like to contribute to the KHL Board’s further discussions to me. Let me know if you wish to participate and volunteer your time.
Bernie Guyer, KHL Board President
