Rev. Deidric Tupper leads the neighborhood church situated mere blocks from where the deadly shooting of Mr. Patrick Lyoya occured. As the pastor of the New Faith Temple Church of God in Christ, and avid community leader, he is understandably hurt and disappointed regarding the fatal shooting death of Mr. Lyoya. Although similar instances have played out before the eyes of everyone in the nation, he asserts that having it in one’s own backyard makes it even more personal. After the shooting death, the released video and the released independent autopsy has been shared for public consumption, he’s provided the community with the following statement.
“There is a question that remains unanswered, and must be dealt with swiftly that only the will of our collective citizens of the United States of America must answer through actions, including policy changes. That simple question is, “How many?”
How many names must we add to a list and cry, “say their name!” How many hashtags must we create in order to shed light on a dilemma that put our collective future at stake. How many times must we chant, “Black Lives Matter!?” How many times must we stand before the media and declare that “the system is broken.” How many times will we “defer hope, instead of embrace it, for it will not be denied.” How many times must we prove with the most precious commodity on earth, “life” that our policies and procedures that are embedded into our systems and institutions bend toward removing the life of minorities instead of advancing, protecting and serving.
These individuals stem from the ancestry of those who sacrifice the most, just to receive the least that built upon the very foundation that created such a great country and democratic system that shines bright around the world. However, why is that same light diminished in our own house.
Even with minor signs of “hope,” there continues to be massive failures. On April 4, 2022 we witnessed the actions of such a massive failure on the part of our society. A duly authorized individual from within one of our institutions saw fit to remove “life,” instead of preserve it. Mr. Patrick Lyoya’s life was extinguished on the morning of April 4, 2022 in the city of Grand Rapids.
“That these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” (U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863)
We must, in good faith, begin the process of embracing throughout our communities, governmental entities, institutions, and business/corporations the challenge to develop an ecological ethic that will help shape a future that share both equality and equity manifesting itself to be both just and sustainable. Policies that formulate a society that is just to all its citizens will create and demonstrate the strength of our collective culture of this nation which is directly connected to the stability and health of individuals, families, communities and our nation.
We are the beacon light of democracy, leveraging the assets of our nation to keep the light burning across the world, however let us not forget to remain diligent within our own backyard. We must not yield another life or expend any more time to experiment, but we must implement the will and voice of the “people,” this has become the “spirit of our time.”
Effective actions are both possible and achievable. The goal of social action must be a continuous formulation of solutions. We must stir the waters of change, hoping and sometimes praying that more good than harm will follow and the process in which we embrace will set goals, and start the movement to actions that will initiate change not only immediately in policies, but the perceptions also of others both related to, but also affected by the change itself.
However, the question that we must first answer is “How many?”
Media Contact
Company Name: The Public Policy Institue for Justice COGIC
Contact Person: Rev. Deidric Tupper
Email: Send Email
Phone: 678-276-7745
Address:1701 Kalamazoo Ave. SE
City: Grand Rapids
State: MI
Country: United States
Website: www.theppij.org