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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release August 16, 1994

STATEMENT BY AFRICAN-AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS

The White House today released the following statement by African-American religious leaders supporting the crime bill.

"In the words of an African proverb 'It takes an entire village to raise a child.' We believe there is no more important responsibility of society than to raise its children to become upstanding adults. Parents and families must shoulder the burden of this duty, but all of society -- including government --must pitch in. That is why we support the President's crime bill.

While we do not agree with every provision in the crime bill, we do believe and emphatically support the bill's goal to save our communities, and most importantly, our children.

We believe and support the $8 billion in the bill to fund prevention programs such as grants for recreation, employment, anti-gang and comprehensive programs to steer our young people away from crime.

We believe in drug treatment to help get federal and state inmates out of the cycle of dependency.

We believe in programs to fight violence against women.

We believe in banning assault weapons, and preventing these deadly devices from falling into the hands of criminals and drug dealers.

We believe in putting 100,000 well-trained police officers on the streets of our most violence-plagued communities and urban areas.

We believe that 9-year-olds like James Darby of New Orleans, who was killed by a stray bullet only days after writing a plea to President Clinton to stop the violence, must have the opportunity to live and learn and grow in safe, decent communities.

For all these reasons, we support the crime bill and we urge others to join us in this crusade."

A list of the leaders releasing the statement is attached.

30-30-30- Charles Adams
National Progressive Baptist Convention, President Detroit, Michigan

Bishop H.H. Brookins,
AME Denomination
Los Angeles, California

Rev. Dr. Amos Brown
Third Baptist Church
San Francisco, CA

Bishop E. Lynn Brown
Christian Methodist Episcopal
Los Angeles, California

Rev. John A. Cherry
Full Gospel AME Zion Church
Temple Hill, MD

Rev Howard Chubbs
Providence Baptist Church
Greensboro, N.C.

Father George Clements
The Alliance for Rights and Responsibilities Washington, D.C.

Bishop J. Clinton Hoggard
AME ZION Church
Washington, DC

Rev. John Doggett, Superintendent
United Methodist Church
St. Louis, MO

Rev Jerry Drayton
New Bethel
Baptist Church
Winston-Salem, N.C.

Rev. Walter Fauntroy
New Bethel Baptist Church
Washington, D.C.

Bishop Louis Ford
Church of God in Christ
Chicago, Illinois

Bishop William Graves
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Memphis, Tennessee
Rev. Joe Hardwick
Praises of ZION Baptist Church
Los Angeles, CA

Rev Calvin A. Harper
Morning Star Baptist Church
Cincinnati, OH

Bishop Fred James
AME Denomination
Washington, DC

Dr. T.J. Jemison, President
National Baptist Convention USA
Baton Rouge, LA

Rev E. Edward Jones
Galilee Baptist Church
Shreveport, LA

Rev. Odell Jones
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church
Detroit, Michigan

Rev. William A. Jones Jr.
Bethany Baptist Church
Brooklyn, NY

Rev W. B. Lewis
President North Carolina General State Baptist Convention
Raleigh, NC

Bishop S.C. Madison
United House of Prayer
Washington, D.C.

Bishop Haskell Mayo
African Methodist Episcopal
Fourth Episcopal District
Chicago, Illinois

Rev. Randall McCaskell
Concerned Black Clergy of Philadelphia, President Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Dr. John Miles
Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church
Kansas City, Missouri

Rev. James E. Milton
Southern Baptist Church
Cincinnati, OH

Rev Dr. Frank Pinkard
Evergreen Baptist Church
Oakland, CA

Bishop Norman Quick
Church of God in Christ
New York, New York

Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, General Secretary National Baptist Convention USA
Mt. Vernon, NY

Joseph L. Roberts Jr.
Ebenezer Baptist Church
Atlanta, GA

Bishop J.H. Sherman
Church of God in Christ
Charlotte, North Carolina

Rev. Dr. E.E. Stafford
Mt. Tabor Baptist Church
Los Angeles, CA

Rev. Charles Stith
Union United Methodist Church
Boston, Massachusetts

Bishop Frederick Talbot
African Methodist Episcopal
Arkansas/Oklahoma

Dr. M.T. Thompson
Berkeley Mount ZION Baptist
Berkeley, CA

Wyatt T. Walker
Canaan Baptist Church
New York, NY

Bishop L.T. Walker
Church of God in Christ
Little Rock, Arkansas

Bishop George W. Walker Sr.
AME Zion Denomination
New York, NY

Dr. Kenneth Whalum
Olivet Baptist Church
Memphis, Tennessee

Rev. Frederick Williams
Episcopal Church of the Intercession
New York, NY

Bishop Milton Williams
AME Zion Church
Washington, DC