Anti-Racism Taskforce Petition

A Petition Requesting the Louisiana Legislature Enact a Congressional Redistricting Plan that Includes an Additional Majority-Black District
 

WHEREAS, humanity has been reconciled to God through Christ and in turn been given the ministry of reconciliation ; and

WHEREAS, the ministry of reconciliation includes three interrelated dimensions, salvific, social, and civil ; and

WHEREAS, salvific reconciliation refers to the truth that “human beings [are] reconciled to God through Jesus”; and

WHEREAS, social reconciliation “relates to humans being reconciled to one another because of Jesus ”; and

WHEREAS, civil reconciliation “stems from a biblically based theological ethic that is rooted in an equal treatment of others ” that “demands governmental and legal redress ” to remedy systemic inequities and injustices; and

WHEREAS, On June 6, 2022 Shelly D. Dick, Chief District Judge, Middle District of Louisiana issued a ruling in Robison v. Ardoin declaring the congressional redistricting plan adopted by the Louisiana legislature earlier this year unconstitutional and in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 due to racial gerrymandering, by “packing” large numbers of Black voters into a single majority-Black congressional district and “cracking” the remaining Black voters among 19 the other five districts” thus preventing equal participation in the electoral process; and

WHEREAS, the ruling states in part, “The appropriate remedy in this context is a remedial congressional redistricting plan that includes an additional majority-Black congressional district…” ; and

WHEREAS, the adoption of a congressional map that includes an additional majority-Black congressional district would be a Christ inspired act of civil reconciliation.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church petitions the Louisiana Legislature to abide by Judge Dick’s ruling and adopt a congressional redistricting plan that includes a second majority Black congressional district; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that upon adoption of this petition the Conference Secretary communicate the same to Governor John Bel Edwards, Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin, and the members of the Louisiana Legislature. 

SUBMITTED BY Rev. Donnie Wilkinson On behalf of the Louisiana Conference Anti-Racism Team