Black Lives Matter To Hold Rally In Lincroft

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By John Burton
MIDDLETOWN – The founding member of the Asbury Park chapter of the controversial Black Lives Matter movement believes the group has been misrepresented and hopes Sunday’s scheduled rally/program will dispel those misconceptions.
“We had a lot of bad press on and off, depending on what’s going on,” said Jennifer Lewinski, who is affiliated with the group’s state chapter. “And I think it’s important for people to understand what the real message is.”
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County, 1475 West Front St., in the township’s Lincroft section, has invited the group, area clergy members and others to speak at a rally and discussion about the group, to be held in front of the congregation’s meeting house on Sunday, Sept. 25, beginning at 1:30 p.m.
When asked what the Black Lives Matter message is, Lewinski responded by saying “It may be better to say what it’s not. It’s not about hating cops. It’s not about hating white people.” Lewinski went on to explain, “It’s really about empowering the black community and educating ourselves about our plight and working on obtainable goals to make our future better.”
The Rev. Virginia Jarocha-Ernst with the Unitarian Congregation said the intent of the rally is to have a diversity of voices to “speak to why this is an important time to be stepping up and working on racial justice.”
The idea for the rally, Jarocha-Ernst said, was an outgrowth from some comments from the congregation who’ve been looking to have programs promoting racial harmony and understanding. “It’s about people of faith working together, not to be anti-police, but to work together to make our community safer for everyone,” she said. Black Lives Matter started after Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black youth, was shot and killed by a white neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida in February 2012. “Back then it was just a hashtag, not even an organization,” Jarocha-Ernst said. Since then the organization has gained traction with an increase in incidents where white police officers have come into conflict with African-American men that erupted in violence, leading to the black suspects’ deaths at the hands of police.
Bringing awareness to the incidents, Lewinski said has been the influence of “Twitter, Facebook, and videos and cellphones and all those wonderful media tools out there now.”
But the group has been controversial, with some candidates, current elected officials and some in law enforcement criticizing the group for encouraging violence against police. Gov. Chris Christie, while competing for the Republican presidential nomination, condemned the group for allegedly calling for the killing of police officers.
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani this summer called Black Lives Matter “inherently racist,” following the shooting and killing of police officers providing security during a Black Lives Matter rally in Dallas, Texas, in July.
Jarocha-Ernst said she’s reached out to law enforcement, in hopes of including them in the program.
Middletown Police Chief R. Craig Weber will be speaking at the gathering, according to his department.
Red Bank Police Chief Darren McConnell said he wasn’t invited but was encouraged by the program’s intention of continuing a dialogue. “Talking is always a good thing,” he said.