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Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
2013 ANNUAL SESSION RESOLUTIONS
Detroit, Michigan
ANNIVERSARIES
_________________________________________________
THE 50TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON
WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. was
established to give a voice and a platform to social, political and civil rights of all people and
especially those of African ancestry;
WHEREAS, the historic anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington will take place on
Wednesday, August 28, 2013, in Washington, DC with coordinating events happening in cities
around the country;
BE IT RESOLVED that the members, officers and supporters of the PROGRESSIVE
NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. join with local, state and national civil and
human rights leaders and organizations to commemorate the anniversary and its impact on their
respective communities celebrating the lives and contributions of those men and women who
were there to give their lives for dignity and justice; AND
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the members, officers and supporters of the PROGRESSIVE
NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. document anniversary events and those lives,
as well as other post anniversary date activities to share with the national staff for placement on
the national website to inspire current and future generations of the imperative to remain visible,
vocal, diligent in words and action for the right to vote and the right to “life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness” for all persons naturalized and born in the United States of America.
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the Emancipation Proclamation was proclaimed broadly in 1863 by President
Abraham Lincoln to abolish slavery in the Confederate States of America; AND
WHEREAS, President Lincoln specifically proclaimed “on the first day of January in the year of
our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State,
or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United
States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the executive government of the United
States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the
freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in
any efforts they may make for their actual freedom”; AND
WHEREAS, January 1, 2013 marked the 150th
anniversary; AND
WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. was
established to give a voice and a platform to social, political and civil rights of all people and
especially those of African ancestry;
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
BE IT RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC.
urge its members to join with local, state and national civil and human rights leaders and
organizations to educate their respective communities about the anniversary, the meaning of
“Freedom Watch Night” and the men and women of African descent who gave their lives for
dignity and justice; AND
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the members of the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. create and promote at least 1 opportunity by next annual meeting to
inspire youth to connect the Emancipation Proclamation, the Reconstruction Amendments (13th
,
14th
, 15th
) to the right to vote and the importance of advocating for that right as citizens of the
United States with reports coming to and through the regional caucuses.
DEMOCRACY
_______________________________________________________
SUPPORT FOR AMENDING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION TO RESTORE THE
PEOPLE’S POWER TO LIMIT CORPORATE SPENDING IN ELECTIONS
WHEREAS, the Supreme Court’s January 21, 2010, decision in Citizens United v. Federal
Election Commission (FEC) aggressively deviated from long-settled law limiting corporate
spending in our elections; AND
WHEREAS, due to the dangerously overreaching Supreme Court decision in Citizens United vs.
Federal Election Commission (FEC), federal, state, and local governments must now take the
necessary steps to restore the authority of the American people to restrict the undue influence of
corporations on our elections; AND
WHEREAS, the American people, through their federal, state, and local governments, are
reclaiming their constitutional right to protect the electoral process from corporate domination
even though self-identified conservative Super PAC’s in the 2012 election spent an estimated
$1.41 billion in disclosed outside spending and an unknown amount of undisclosed "dark
money" was spent to sway a relatively small number of undecided voters ; AND
WHEREAS, we are a body of men and women of faith who believe in the values of justice and
fairness committed to ministering “to the social, spiritual, and physical development of all
people,” and thus find it our responsibility to advocate the restoration of authority and electoral
power to the citizens of the United States of America;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. continue its support for “Amending the U.S. Constitution to Restore the
People’s Power to Limit Corporate Spending in Elections” by standing in agreement with others
that believe that corporations should not have the same first amendment rights as people and by
urging our local and state legislatures to adopt and send to the United States Congress a
resolution in support of amending the Constitution to restore the ability of the American people
to limit corporate spending in our elections; AND
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. support “Amending the U.S. Constitution to Restore the People’s Power
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
to Limit Corporate Spending in Elections” by (1) further educating its members of political
influence by entities such as the Koch Brothers, the Chamber of Commerce, and the American
Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC); (2) presenting this resolution for adoption at our various
state and regional gatherings; and (3) that an executed copy of this Resolution, inscribed with the
leadership signature, be presented to each member of Congress representing our districts.
ECONOMICS
________________________________________________________
THE DEBT CEILING MEASURE AND BUDGET PRIORITIES
WHEREAS, the budget of the United States is a moral document and should reflect the nation’s
commitment to take care of the least of its citizens – that is to protect the poor and the middle-
class, defend commitments to seniors, and make wise investments to create good jobs and
strengthen our economy; AND
WHEREAS, the nation needs to substantially reduce future deficits, but not at the expense of
hungry and poor people and the broken promise/obligation to protect and improve poverty-
focused development and humanitarian assistance to promote a better, safer world; AND
WHEREAS, a fundamental task of government is to help create jobs and spur economic growth
to include decent jobs at a livable wage are the best path out of poverty and restoring growth is a
powerful way to reduce deficits; AND
WHEREAS, the Congress must review and consider tax revenues, military spending, and
entitlements in the search for ways to share sacrifice and come up with the additional savings;
AND WHEREAS, cuts to safety net programs known as entitlements and domestic discretionary
spending will be devastating to those who can least afford it;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL
BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. recommit to: (1) turn to God with prayer and fasting, to ask
for guidance as our nation makes decisions about our budget priorities as a people; (2) urge their
congressional leaders to form a Circle of Protection around programs that meet the essential
needs of hungry and poor people at home and abroad; and (3) plan to advocate throughout the
year but especially on Friday, April 4, PNBC National Day of Advocacy to protect programs for
vulnerable populations under attack by conservatives including Social Security, Medicare,
Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income and some veterans benefit programs.
JOBS, POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT
WHEREAS, jobs is the number 1 issue facing our nation today, trumping the deficit and the debt
ceiling; AND
WHEREAS unemployment rates for African Americans remain at double the rate for those of
white Americans; AND
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, poverty in this country is actually worse than it was when President Lyndon Baines
Johnson launched the war on poverty in the 1960's; AND
WHEREAS, the impact of unemployment and the absence of jobs can be seen in the economic
downfall of Detroit, Michigan which in July 2013 became the largest city in the history of the
country to file for bankruptcy;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. strongly urge the Obama administration and the Congress to "lay aside
every weight and the sin that so easily beset us" and focus on 3 things: (1) jobs; (2) jobs and (3)
jobs.
EDUCATION
________________________________________________________
INCREASING LITERACY
WHEREAS, many adults and children alike are caught up in this wave of the technology of the
Information Age (social and video based media); AND
WHEREAS, because of the wave of the technology of the Information Age, many adults and
children alike are not spending a sufficient amount of time reading (Example: According to
Child Trends Databank “Among twelfth-graders in 2008, 40 percent of black students watched
four or more hours of television, compared with 14 percent of white students.); AND
WHEREAS, this deficiency of reading is taking its toll on persons (According to 2010 data by
the National Kids Count Program 85 percent of Black fourth graders scored below proficient
reading levels in 2009 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress [NAEP]), families,
and on society as a whole in countless and/or unimaginable ways; AND
WHEREAS, because many of our children and youth alike do not spend sufficient time reading,
many of our children and adults alike are clueless to issues that plague our society to the point
where they lack sufficient knowledge to challenge those issues that plague our society;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. request its member churches to actively encourage its member families
to spend at least one hour a day reading to and/or with their respective children; AND
BE IT MOREOVER RESOLVED, that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. request its member churches to open its doors at least one hour per week
for reading to and/or with the children of the respective church and community; AND
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. request its Board of Christian Education and Publication to create a
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
class, course, seminar, workshop, or otherwise on the "Fundamentals of Reading" and/or "The
Joy of Reading" and offer that class, course, lecture, seminar, symposium, workshop, or
otherwise at our Annual Session; AND
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. request the Congress of Christian on all levels (district/local, state,
region, national, and international) offer said class, course, lecture, seminar, symposium,
workshop, or otherwise and to encourage its participants to take said class, course, lecture,
seminar, symposium, workshop, or otherwise when offered.
INCREASED AWARENESS OF EFFORTS TO PRIVITIZE PUBLIC
EDUCATIONWHEREAS, public school re-segregation (apartheid education) is understood to
mean moving public schools toward segregation reminiscent of pre-Brown vs. Topeka Kansas
with the dividing of classrooms along racial lines; AND
WHEREAS, school re-segregation has the potential to harm minority students by condemning
them to separate, and unequal, education; AND
WHEREAS, the NAACP filed complaints in 2009 against the Pittsburg and North Carolina
school systems where one district had a 90% white student population and another a 100% black
student population calling it “apartheid education”; AND
WHEREAS, the National Education Association (NEA) in February 2011 noted school re-
segregation as “one of the most troubling trends on the education scene”.
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. support efforts to expose school districts, school board members and
their financial supporters who attempt to defund public education and undermine the educational
opportunities and widen the achievement gaps of African American students as well as educate
parents and communities of this form of race and class warfare.
ELECTED OFFICIALS
_____________________________________________________
THE MORAL DEFAULT
WHEREAS, the recent debate in DC over the national debt ceiling has shown Washington, D.C.
to be not just broken, but corrupt; AND
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, the American people are disgusted watching politicians playing political chicken
with the nation’s economy and future; AND
WHEREAS, politicians demonstrated their continued narrow self-interests over compromise and
shared sacrifice by allowing harmful automatic budget cuts – known as sequestration – to take
effect on March 1, 2013;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that as we reflect, pray, educate each other and seek
direction for action on the current state of our nation and its politics as we encourage our national
leaders to heed the words of Dr. King and seek to take the love and care of Jesus to a higher
level; AND
BE IT RESOLVED that the members of PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. use every opportunity, starting with the summer recess, to write, meet,
speak with congressional members to act, compromise, and work together to do what is best on
behalf of the whole nation by putting aside political party biases and to legislate in the spirit of
comity and compromise on behalf of all the nation’s citizens for economic security.
ELECTIONS/ELECTORAL
______________________________________________________
SUPPORT FOR VESSELS 2014 NON-PARTISAN CIVIC ENGAGMENT INITIATIVE
WHEREAS, in 2012 the African American vote was reported to have exceeded the white vote
for the first time in history; AND
WHEREAS, the Word of God says “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence
of the power maybe of God and not of us.” AND
WHEREAS, non-partisan civic participation through voter education, voter registration and
voter turnout is a part of the rich history of the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC.; AND
WHEREAS, members of the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC.
were represented in the African American Minister’s Leadership Council’s VESSELS 2012
where over 7,000 faith leaders were trained, 1,100 plus churches in 25 states implemented
VESSELS programs, 2,500 volunteers received enhanced training, and facilitated through
independent and coalition efforts the registration of an estimated 400,000 voters, with VESSELS
pastors ensuring over 25,000 rides to the poll on election day;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL
BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. recommit along with the Christian Methodist Episcopal
Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Church full participation in all areas (registration,
education, get out the vote) for mid-term elections starting Sunday, November 3, 2013 through
Tuesday, November 4, 2014 with the “I Am A VESSEL and I Vote” initiatives because every
election (local, state, federal, special) is important to securing our future and the future of the
next generation through civic engagement that includes advocacy, civic participation through
various social justice and civil rights memberships and alliances, and electoral engagement.
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
ENVIRONMENT
______________________________________________________________________________
______
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
WHEREAS, the summer of 2012 was one of the hottest summers in the world’s history; AND
WHEREAS, God is not a distant bystander with respect to human affairs, but judges all people
and holds them accountable for their thoughts and actions (Psalm 24:1; Isaiah 45:5-8; Hebrews
4:12-13); AND
WHEREAS, Christians are called by God to exercise caring stewardship and dominion over the
earth and environment (Genesis 1:28; Psalm 8) and we share God’s concern that the poor should
not be abused, taken advantage of, nor overburdened (Psalm 140:12; Proverbs 14:31; 29:7;
Isaiah 25:4; Ezekiel 22:29, 31; Matthew 25:40; John 14:15); AND
WHEREAS, the impacts of climate change disproportionately impacts the communities of color;
AND
WHEREAS, globally, climate change is likely to cause damage in excess of $600 billion per
year, with particularly negative effects in Africa; AND
WHEREAS, about 160,000 people die every year worldwide from side-effects of global
warming ranging from malaria to malnutrition and reduction of agricultural output in many
poorer countries; AND
WHEREAS, an additional 80-90 million poor people could be at risk of hunger and malnutrition
later in the 21st century and poorer countries are much less able to withstand the devastation
caused by extreme weather events, and climate change is likely to increase such events; AND
WHEREAS, over 70 percent of African Americans live in counties in violation of federal air
pollution standards; AND
WHEREAS, in every one of the 44 major metropolitan areas in the U.S., African Americans are
more likely than whites to be exposed to higher air toxic concentrations. As a result, African
Americans are nearly three times as likely to be hospitalized or killed by asthma; AND
WHEREAS, solving the climate crisis can create 5 million ‘green’ jobs that will be in places
where they are needed most; AND
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, a new energy policy can reduce the burden of low- and moderate-income
households spending a larger share of their budgets on energy and other basic costs of living than
better-off households; AND
WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that the average surface
temperature of the earth increased nearly 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the 20th century, due
primarily to human caused climate change and scientists project an increase of 3.2-7.2 degrees
Fahrenheit in the 21st century; AND
WHEREAS, we have an opportunity to end energy policies that drain jobs from our economy,
put our communities at risk of heat waves and flooding, and drag America into conflicts over
energy resources overseas; AND
WHEREAS, meaningful climate change policy can create real public benefits including millions
of good green-collar jobs and build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out
of poverty; AND
WHEREAS, the strength of the United States’ position in the international climate negotiations
will largely depend on two factors: the level of emissions reductions we commit to make and the
level of financial support we offer for international adaptation and clean energy technology;
AND
WHEREAS, Environmental Justice is defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency as
“the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national
origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and policies”;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. supports environmental justice and “Climate Change” by: (1) calling on
our nation’s elected leaders to support climate change legislation that helps provide immediate
assistance to the poor and most vulnerable people around the world, including access to clean
drinking water and electricity, and efforts to deal with the impacts of global warming already
being felt; (2) supporting climate change policy that will build a new generation of good jobs,
rebuild urban areas and support rural areas, and protect families, communities and public health,
and help elevate our nation as a world leader; and (3) urging the US Senate to approve a climate
bill that ensures investments in international climate adaptation at least 2% above the levels in
the House-passed bill and dedicate at least 1% above the house bill for clean energy technology
over the House-passed level.
HEALTH
______________________________________________________________________________
__________
THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (“OBAMACARE’)
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law by
President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010 representing the greatest overhaul in health care
since the 1965 passage of Medicaid and Medicare; AND
WHEREAS, on June 28, 2012, the US Supreme Court ruled states could not be forced to expand
Medicaid under ACA and be penalized with the loss of current Medicaid funding; AND
WHEREAS, 7.3 million African Americans in general and 4.5 African American seniors with
insurance now have expanded preventive services with no cost sharing and 500,000 African
American youth ages 19-25 now have coverage on their parents health plans, and African
American seniors according to the US Department of Health and Human Services
(www.HHS.gov/healthcare/factsheets); AND
WHEREAS, October 1, 2013 is the start of enrollment for citizens in ACA health plans so that
beginning January 2014, 6.8 million uninsured African Americans, 56% male, will have
coverage (www.HEALTHCARE.gov);
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, members, officers and supporters of the PROGRESSIVE
NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. participate in educational, awareness and
advocacy activities utilizing Outreach/Evangelism/Discipleship, Youth and Young Adult,
Senior’s and Health Ministries starting Sunday, September 22, 2013 through Sunday, March 23,
2014 to facilitate information, enrollment and health for all persons in their family and
congregation and report at regional meetings and caucuses.
ST. JUDE SUNDAY OF HOPE
WHEREAS, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has provided at no cost to families quality
health care and cures for those with challenging childhood diseases since 1962; AND
WHEREAS, through its Sunday of Hope program, where President Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr.,
serves on the Advisory Council, has created an opportunity for African American faith leaders
and churches to raise awareness and funds to support the children at St. Jude which in 1983
through a successfully performed Bone marrow (or stem cell) transplantation on Kimberlin
Wilson-George made her the first person ever to be cured of the Sickle Cell disease;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, member churches of the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL
BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. sign up on the PNBC website between September and
November and schedule their 2014 Sunday of Hope for all the children, families, doctors, staff
and volunteers of this very unique pediatric and research facility.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, according to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) and its 2003,
2005, 2008, 2013 reauthorizations, human trafficking has occurred if a person was induced to
perform labor or a commercial sex act through force, fraud, or coercion. Any person under age
18 who performs a commercial sex act is considered a victim of human trafficking, regardless of
whether force, fraud, or coercion was present; AND
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Justice Confirmed sex trafficking victims were more likely to be
white (26%) or black (40%), compared to labor trafficking victims, who were more likely to be
Hispanic (63%) or Asian (17%); AND
WHEREAS, Human Trafficking is being called the “New Slavery” and statistics from the US
Department of State suggest the United States is the second largest region for trafficking of
women and children; AND
WHEREAS, trafficking, essentially pimping, can occur in various forms to include family and
strangers with motivations being economic and have health implications that are but not limited
to emotional, mental (post -traumatic stress), physical and spiritual;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. agrees with the United Nations that humans are not “commodities”, joins
with the US Office of Homeland Security and international efforts to raise education and
awareness of the need to eradicate all forms of human trafficking, and seeks to develop an action
tool kit with the assistance of Health and Women’s Departments for member churches in time
for October 2013 National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION,
INC. and member churches will write to the US President and members of Congress to ratify the
UN Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), support
UN documents and reports on Preventing and Combatting Human Trafficking, and partner with
domestic NGO’s to provide at least 1 education and training forum at each regional meeting in
2014.
JUSTICE
______________________________________________________________________________
______
ADDRESSING “THE NEW JIM CROW”: MASS INCARCERATION AND ITS IMPACT
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, according to the Center for Center for Law and Justice in a summary of the book by
author Michelle Alexander, notes that “more African Americans are under the control of the
criminal justice system today – in prison or jail, on probation or parole – than were enslaved in
1850”; AND
WHEREAS, it is widely known that formerly incarcerated persons face discrimination, prejudice
and stigma in housing, education, employment, and voting rights because of the “felon” label;
AND
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Justice Statistics notes 1 in 15 African American men are
incarcerated, 1 in 3 African American men are expected to go to prison; AND
WHEREAS, the Department of Education further notes African American students are arrested
more often than other racial groups and that 58% of African American youth are sent to adult
prisons; AND
WHEREAS, the Center for American Progress further notes African American women are 3
times more likely than white women to be incarcerated, that 11 states deny the right to vote of
more than 10% of their African American population;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that member churches of the PROGRESSIVE
NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. encourage written personal testimonies of
persons, from the pulpit to the pew, on the quality of life impact of incarceration on individuals
and families and the role of faith in their journey for posting on the PNBC website to speak to
the heart and spirit of others and thereby removing stigma, shame and isolation; AND
BE IT MOREOVER RESOLVED, that the member churches of PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL
BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. evaluate their prison/re-entry/re-integration
programs/ministries to include information for empowerment from sources such as the
Sentencing Project and the Brennan Law Center as it relates to discriminatory practices that can
create obstacles to citizenship and civic responsibility while contributing to recidivism; AND
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that members, officers and supporters of the PROGRESSIVE
NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. join in cities, and/or initiate efforts in their city
to “ban the box” (are you, or have you ever been convicted of a felony?) on employment
applications which serve as a hindrance and provides a unnecessary dilemma for persons
attempting to become contributing residents/citizens post incarceration and report “what man
meant for harm, God meant for good” to the regional Vice-Presidents and/or at the regional
meetings; AND
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. actively participate in the revived call to end racial disparities in criminal
justice policies and practices, documenting efforts of its member churches and including a report
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
at the annual session all that is being done to address and end mass incarceration and the
negative impact on families and communities.
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH GUN CONTROL COALITION
WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. convened
meetings in Washington, DC and Los Angeles with other faith and denominational leaders,
organizations and public officials on April 24, 2013 to launch the African American Church Gun
Control Coalition; AND
WHEREAS, the President of PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION,
INC., Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore stated, “As people of God and as faithful members we have the
obligation to stir the world’s conscience and to call on our nation’s decision makers to do what is
just and right.”; AND
WHEREAS, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports gun violence as the leading
cause of death for African American males ages 15-19; AND
WHEREAS, according to the Children’s Defense Fund we are losing eight children a day to gun-
related deaths of which half are African American and there are approximately 268 gun related
deaths per day leaving far too many children, families and communities thrown into desperate
grief and trauma; AND
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that members, officers and supporters of PROGRESSIVE
NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. join in Covenant with parents, educators,
community leaders, one another and other communities to aggressively raise awareness of gun
violence as a spiritual and moral crisis and to work with greater intentionality toward a peaceable
society where all God’s children have the opportunity to grow and prosper, and where everyone,
especially our youth can live without fear of gun violence; AND
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, members, officers and supporters of PROGRESSIVE
NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. commit to 3 years, with regional reporting at
the annual conference, of increased:
Advocacy with other local community-based prevention organizations and other faith
communities across geographic, religious, economic and racial lines to show the impact
of gun related deaths and violence on diverse communities and promote awareness for
legislatives strategies that incorporates this reality;
Congregational and community dialogue and education on gun safety and gun violence
prevention strategies;
Tension reduction education between legal and illegal ownership and use of guns for
protection and for preservation while working with local gun shops to adopt a “Code of
Conduct” to eliminate legal purchases of guns for illegal resale (straw purchases);
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
Inclusion of parents and guardians as peace keepers as the first line of defense to address
and reduce gun violence by being vocal and visible collaborators with local gun violence
prevention organizations and efforts in our local communities;
Ongoing communication and advocacy strategies with legislators at all levels to ensure
values-based harm reduction policies such as enhanced back ground checks that increase
gun safety and security for all families and communities; and,
Normalizing efforts for non-stop voter registration, voter education and voter
mobilization because elections happen all the time in this county.
Note: Implementation of these Covenant principles as a part of the African American Church
Gun Control Coalition will be different but commonly directed with the aim to have impact, a
significant reduction of gun related violence in our communities, congressional districts, voting
precinct and/or zip code area by 2016.
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS OF “STAND YOUR GROUND/SHOOT TO KILL”
STATE LAWS
WHEREAS, on July 24, 2013, the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) reported
that “Some state self-defense laws include provisions that address duty to retreat from an intruder
in one’s home or from an attacker in other places; AND
WHEREAS, NCSL further notes, “The common law principle of ‘castle doctrine’ says that
individuals have the right to use reasonable force, including deadly force, to protect themselves
against an intruder in their home.” AND
WHEREAS, state laws (nicknamed “make my day” laws) addressed immunity from prosecution
in use of deadly force against another who unlawfully and forcibly enters a person’s residence
ground and meet force with force, including deadly force, if he or she reasonably believes it is
necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to
prevent the commission of a forcible felony”; AND
WHEREAS, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence laws in at least 22 states
allow that there is no duty to retreat an attacker in any place in which one is lawfully present
(Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan,
Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,
South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia- also see
www.FINDLAW.com); AND
WHEREAS, according to Right Wing Watch of People For the American Way, Stand Your
Ground, also known as “Castle Law” or “Defense of Habitation Law” is recently ratified (2005)
model legislation endorsed and promoted nationally by the American Legislative Exchange
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
Council (ALEC), a non-profit entity funded by major corporations such as Walmart and interest
groups including Koch Industries and the National Rifle Association (NRA); AND
WHEREAS, in July 2013 President Barack Obama called for a review of these state laws and
US Attorney General Eric Holder criticized these laws which are evoked by both African
American and white defendants requiring greater scrutiny of the law, its intent and reporting of
statistical outcomes; AND
WHEREAS, the legacy of Trayvon Martin which tragically ended on February 26, 2012, and
other Black youth calls for a renewed appeal for education and advocacy of these state laws
where the Center for Disease Control reports from 2001-2010, 75% of gun death victims were
African American;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the members, officers and supporters of
PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. participate in gun violence
prevention education and advocacy to review and/or repeal Stand Your Ground like laws
throughout the year but particularly on February 26 and on or near April 4 which is the annual
national PNBC Day of Advocacy commemorating the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. and report events and activities through regional meetings and caucuses.
IN SUPPORT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S STRUGGLE FOR SELF-
DETERMINATION AND STATEHOOD (DC VOTING RIGHTS)
WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. as one of
the nation’s largest and most prominent African-American institutions is a recognized
institutional leader in the struggle for civil rights; AND
WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. with more
than 2 million members and 2,000 local congregations across the United States continue to
believe in the organization’s legacy of progressive advocacy; AND
WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. recognizes
that it must uphold its duty to remain an organizational voice opposed to injustice and lifted in
solidarity with those who support equality; AND
WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC.
acknowledges that the residents of the District of Columbia are disenfranchised because of
Congress’ steadfast refusal to permit the District of Columbia a representative vote in the United
States Congress; AND
WHEREAS, the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. realizes
Congress continues to impinge upon the collective will of residents of the District of Columbia
by attaching social riders to the District of Columbia’s budget.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. officially endorse, join and support the District of Columbia’s struggle
for self-determination and statehood.
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. urge the Congress of the United States to grant the District of Columbia
budget and legislative autonomy and permit the residents of the District of Columbia to have
voting representation in both houses of the United States Congress.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. urge the Congress of the United States to introduce and pass an act
granting admission to the District of Columbia as the 51st State of the United States.
BAN THE BOX
WHEREAS, the national “Ban the Box” campaign calls for removing the question and check
box, “Have you been convicted by a court?” from applications for employment, housing, public
benefits, insurance, loans and other services. These questions mean lifelong discrimination and
exclusion because of a past arrest or conviction record; AND
WHEREAS, “All of Us or None” is recognized nationwide as the core of a Ban the Box
movement that is sweeping the country resulting in 50 cities or counties, and 9 states have
removing the questions about conviction history from their public employment applications as of
May 2013 according to the Sentencing Project; AND
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that member churches, officers and supporters of
PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. identify if this obstacle that
increases recidivism is in place in their city, county, state and work with formerly incarcerated
people, neighborhood legal services agencies, City Council members, Mayors, other elected
officials and business and housing providers to win the effort to fairness and end the perception
that certain debts to society cannot be paid.
PROTECTING THE COURTS
* Forthcoming by close of business, August 7, 2013
NATIONAL SECURITY
___________________________________________________
ENDING US WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that racism, poverty and militarism
were three of the principal evils in our society; AND
WHEREAS, Dr. King astutely linked increased US military spending to the nation’s inability to
tackle pressing domestic priorities like health care and poverty; AND
WHEREAS, thousands of US military personnel are wounded or killed each year we remain on
foreign soil engaged in combat;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. recommit its support for “Ending the War in Iraq and Afghanistan” by
monthly communicating with members of Congress, emphasizing those who serve on the Armed
Forces Committee to withdraw troops, seek diplomacy and end current wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan while also avoiding conflict and use of military force with other nations.
INTERNATIONAL/HUMANITARIAN
____________________________________________________________
FAMINE IN SOMALIA
WHEREAS, the United Nations has declared Somalia's food crisis a famine with millions of
people on the brink of starvation and aid deliveries complicated by Islamic militants aligned with
Al Qaeda control famine zones; AND
WHEREAS, the combination of one of East Africa’s worst droughts in 60 years and Somalia’s
relentless conflict has depleted the country’s food supplies, and tens of thousands of Somalis
have died of malnutrition-related causes in the past few months; AND
WHEREAS, if action is not undertaken soon, the famine will spread to other regions of East
Africa and every day of delay in assistance is a matter of life or death; AND
WHEREAS, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that nearly half of Somalia’s
population — 3.7 million people— was now in crisis and a total of $1.6 billion was needed to
help; AND
WHEREAS, Somalia has lurched from crisis to crisis since 1991, when the central government
imploded, and in 1992, the same elements of drought and war set off a famine that killed
hundreds of thousands of people and started a cycle of international intervention that, despite
billions of dollars and more than a dozen transitional governments, has yet to stabilize the
country; AND
WHEREAS, pastures have dried up, and the animals that Somali nomads survive off of are
dying in droves and food prices are escalating, and after 20 years of anarchy, coping mechanisms
are collapsing, with many families driven from their land and many breadwinners cut down in
Somalia’s endless iterations of civil war; AND
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, many of those who can are fleeing the country, using what little money they have to
pay for buses or simply walking, often hundreds of miles through the desert with children slung
across their backs.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. recommit and urge the Obama Administration, the State Department and
the US Congress to take immediate actions to avert the food famine including providing
immediate financial and food assistance and suspending US rules that prohibit material support
to Somali militants, who often demand “taxes” for allowing aid deliveries to pass through.
SUPPORT FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM
WHEREAS, we support comprehensive immigration reform out of our Christian commitment to
caring and loving the “stranger” in our midst (Leviticus 19:33-34); AND
WHEREAS, our faith calls us to seek fairness and equality for all people and we believe that
immigration reform is one of the major civil and human rights issues impacting our nation; AND
WHEREAS, most Americans agree that our current system is broken and in need of urgent
attention to address punitive and discriminatory practices occurring in states; AND
WHEREAS, the answer is an immigration policy that will result in the protection of the US
borders, the establishment of just labor practices, the enhancement of family reunification, and
the provision of a fair and balanced pathway to citizenship for all; AND
WHEREAS, we further believe in fair and balanced policies that keep families together and
provide for humane and dignified solution for students (DREAMERS) and adults seeking
citizenship:
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. continue its support for “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” by
joining with African American Ministers Leadership Council, the Black Immigration Network,
the Interfaith Immigration Coalition and others in urging our US Representatives to pass
legislation in line with the US Senate action and address a broken federal immigration system;
AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. support Comprehensive Immigration Reform by: (1) standing in
agreement that this is a nation of laws noting as St. Augustine declared, “An unjust law is no law
at all,” and PNBC members will raise awareness and education on this issue so that, as the
political process takes place, any outcome will not bring forth what is antithetical to the preamble
of our Constitution; and (2) standing in agreement therefore with many voices for RESPECT
and immigration dialogue and reform that will inspire hope, unite families, secure borders,
ensure dignity and provide a legal avenue for all of God’s children working and desiring to
reside in this country to drink from the well of justice and equal protection under the law.
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
RESOLUTION ON INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND SUPPORT
FOR AMBASSADOR SUSAN JOHNSON COOK
WHEREAS, the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief, which protects the
individual’s core right to believe or not to believe and to exercise and share that belief in
community with others, is among the founding principles of our country; AND
WHEREAS, the United States has long been a strong voice for freedom of religion or belief,
advocating on behalf of religious minorities and others who suffer persecution because of their
religious beliefs; AND
WHEREAS, recent studies show that the majority of people on the planet live in countries with
serious restrictions on freedom of religion or belief, that these restrictions are rising worldwide
and that this is taking place alongside an increase in societal hostility and instability; AND
WHEREAS, freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental right, inextricably linked to other
freedoms, including those of expression, association and assembly; AND
WHEREAS, in 1998, President Clinton, signed the International Religious Freedom Act, which
include a number of provisions to ensure that the promotion of international religious freedom
remains one of the highest policy objectives of our government; AND
WHEREAS, Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook has worked diligently to promote international
religious freedom despite being barred entry to some countries in her capacity as Ambassador-at-
Large for International Religious Freedom; AND
WHEREAS, the State Department has failed to designate Countries of Particular Concern since
August 2011, despite the fact that is legally mandated to do so and that after two years all CPC
designations expire along with linked sanctions if they are not renewed;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC.: 1)Calls upon President Obama to ensure that Ambassador Johnson
Cook is provided with the official support needed to do an increasingly difficult, complex and
vitally important job; 2)Calls upon President Obama to implement the policy recommendations
included in the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)’s
annual report and recommendations; 3)Calls upon Secretary of State Kerry to designate
Countries of Particular Concern immediately, following USCIRF’s recommendations, as
required under IRFA.
RESOLUTION ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF IN VIETNAM
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, there continue to be reports of restrictions on and violations against the right to
freedom of religion or belief for various religious minorities in Vietnam, including Christians;
AND
WHEREAS, in 2013 a young Christian leader died in police custody shortly after his brother
heard him being violently beaten by police; AND
WHEREAS, throughout 2012 Catholic and Protestant communities throughout the country
reported cases of discrimination, forced eviction, destruction of property, physical attacks and
other human rights abuses by both state and non-state actors; AND
WHEREAS, there have been improvements in some areas, nevertheless, much more could and
should be done to ensure the complete protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief for
all religious minorities in the country:
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC.: (1) prayerfully support Vietnamese churches in the US seeking to raise
awareness of religious freedom violations in Vietnam; and (2) call on President Obama and
Secretary of State Kerry to raise religious freedom as a priority with the Vietnamese government,
and to raise specific cases when necessary.
RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE IN BURMA
WHEREAS, the Progressive National Baptist Convention recognizes with appreciation the
political reforms introduced by President Thein Sein in Burma over the past two years; AND
WHEREAS, the release of most political prisoners, the engagement with and election to
Parliament of democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for
Democracy, increased space for civil society, media and political actors, and preliminary
ceasefires with most ethnic armed resistance organizations are welcome steps towards a
transition to peace and democracy in Burma; AND
WHEREAS, several hundred political prisoners in Burma remain in jail; AND
WHEREAS, preliminary ceasefires agreed with ethnic armed resistance organizations remain
fragile and have been violated by the Burma Army; AND
WHEREAS, since the Burma Army broke the ceasefire with the Kachin Independence
Organisation (KIO) in June 2011 and launched a major new military offensive against the
Kachin people, over 100,000 civilians have been displaced, more than 200 villages burnt and
over 66 churches destroyed or looted in Kachin State; AND
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, reports of killing of civilians, arrest of activists, rape, forced labour and torture in
Kachin State continue; AND
WHEREAS, in violence in Rakhine State in June and October 2012, over 13,000 Muslim
Rohingya people were displaced and thousands killed; AND
WHEREAS, the Rohingya people are a stateless and severely persecuted people, denied
citizenship in Burma under the 1982 Citizenship Law despite living in Burma for generations;
AND
WHEREAS, a serious humanitarian crisis is developing for the internally displaced people in
Rakhine State and Kachin State; AND
WHEREAS, anti-Muslim violence in other parts of Burma broke out in 2013, in locations
including Meikhtila, Oakkan and Lashio; AND
WHEREAS, security forces did not act to prevent acts of violence against Muslims, including
killings, and looting and destruction of Muslim property; AND
WHEREAS, the religious hatred spread by the prominent militant Buddhist monk U Wirathu and
the “969” militant Buddhist movement continues; AND
WHEREAS, religious discrimination and persecution of the predominantly Christian Chin
people continues, as reported by the Chin Human Rights Organisation, including reports of Chin
Christian children forcibly converted to Buddhism in military-run monastic schools;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC: (1) calls upon President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry to ensure
that measureable progress in the area of human rights is key to any continuing improvement in
the United States’ relations with Burma; (2) calls upon President Obama and the United States
Congress to make any military aid or training to the Burma military contingent upon the
protection and promotion of human rights; (3) calls upon President Obama and Secretary of State
Kerry to urge the Government of Burma to implement the following; (4) urges the President and
the Government of Burma to release all remaining political prisoners; (5) urges the President and
Government of Burma to establish a nationwide peace process with the ethnic nationalities,
involving a political dialogue in pursuit of a political solution to end decades of civil war; (6)
urges the President and Government of Burma to allow unhindered access for international
humanitarian and human rights organizations to all parts of Burma, including to displaced
peoples in Kachin and Rakhine States; (7) urges the President and Government of Burma to
ensure that security forces provide protection to vulnerable communities and take effective
action to ensure no further violence against religious minorities; (8) calls for inter-faith dialogue
and efforts to bring reconciliation and peace among the different religious communities in
Burma; (9) urges the President and Government of Burma to amend or repeal the 1982
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
Citizenship Law to ensure that Burma’s citizenship rules are in accordance with international
human rights norms; (10) urges the President and Government of Burma to condemn the
propaganda of U Wirathu and “969”; 11) urges the President and Government of Burma to
protect and promote freedom of religion or belief for all.
RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE IN INDONESIA
WHEREAS, the Progressive National Baptist Convention recognizes with appreciation the long
tradition of religious pluralism, freedom of religion or belief and inter-religious harmony in
Indonesia, enshrined in the country’s guiding philosophy, the ‘Pancasila’; AND
WHEREAS, the efforts of a significant number of religious organizations in Indonesia,
particularly the two largest Islamic organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, to
defend and promote pluralism are welcomed and encouraged; AND
WHEREAS, a significant number of civil society organizations in Indonesia, including Muslim
institutions such as the Wahid Institute, the Maarif Institute and the Liberal Islam Network, as
well as secular organizations such as the Setara Institute, and networks such as the Indonesian
Committee for Religions for Peace, are engaged in excellent work to counter intolerance and
extremism and promote freedom of religion or belief and other human rights; AND
WHEREAS, numerous reports indicate that religious intolerance in Indonesia is rising, with a
serious impact on all communities; AND
WHEREAS, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Indonesia is coming under increasing
persecution, with violent attacks such as the incidents in Lombok between 2005 and 2010,
Cikeusik in 2011, Tasikmalaya in 2013 and many other similar acts of violence, the closure of
many Ahmadi mosques including the sealing of the mosque in Bekasi in 2013, the
implementation of the 2008 Joint Ministerial Decree prohibiting the propagation of Ahmadi
teachings, similar regional and local laws restricting Ahmadi activities; AND
WHEREAS, Shia Muslim community in Indonesia is facing increasing persecution, notably the
displacement of Shia from their village in Sampang, Madura Island, East Jave after a violent
attack in 2012; AND
WHEREAS, a Shia cleric, Tajul Muluk, is in prison on charges of blasphemy; AND
WHEREAS, an atheist, Alexander Aaan, is in prison for declaring himself an atheist; AND
WHEREAS, an increasing number of Christian churches are facing threats of forced closure, or
violent attack, including churches which are legally registered and licensed; AND
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, the cases of GKI Yasmin church in Bogor, West Java, and HKBP Filadelfia church
in Bekasi, West Java, in which the courts ruled that the churches should be permitted to open but
the local Mayor in both cases refuses to allow them to open, in defiance of court rulings,
illustrate that there is now a concern over the implementation of the rule of law; AND
WHEREAS, the President and the Government of Indonesia have not taken action to protect
vulnerable communities from violence, harassment, intimidation or discrimination, and several
national, regional and local laws and regulations, such as the Blasphemy Law and the 2008 Joint
Ministerial Decree regarding the Ahmadiyya, violate international principles of freedom of
religion or belief.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC: (1) urges President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry to prioritize the
promotion of freedom of religion or belief and religious tolerance in the United States’ relations
with Indonesia and to actively support the following recommendations; (2) urges the President
and the Government of Indonesia to repeal all discriminatory legislation, particularly the
Blasphemy Law and the 2008 Joint Ministerial Decree regarding the Ahmadiyya; (3) urges the
President and Government of Indonesia to ensure that the perpetrators of violence against
religious minorities are brought to justice; (4) urges the President and Government of Indonesia
to ensure that vulnerable communities are protected from violent attacks; (5) urges the President
and Government of Indonesia to ensure that places of worship which are already licensed should
be permitted to open and function; (6) urges the President and Government of Indonesia to
protect and promote freedom of religion or belief for all.
VOTING RIGHTS
______________________________________________________
SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION AND DEFEAT OF ALL EFFORTS OF VOTER
SUPRESSION
WHEREAS, Voter Suppression is a strategy to influence the outcome of an election by
discouraging or preventing people from exercising their right to vote; AND
WHEREAS, voter suppression tactics include impediments to voter registration,
disenfranchisement of formerly incarcerated persons, misinformation, purging of voter rolls, and
photo identification laws such as those passed in 2011 and 2012 that extend beyond the Help
America Vote Act (HAVA);
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. participate in local, state and national efforts to expose to voters those
persons and entities engaged in morally bankrupt efforts such as this and support the Brennan
Center for Justice and US Senator Ben Cardin (Maryland) for voter registration modernization.
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
PROTECTING THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WHEREAS, on March 7, 1965 men, women and children endured severe and inhumane
treatment in places like Selma, Alabama (which came to be known as “Bloody Sunday”)
prompting President Lyndon B. Johnson ten days later to send the Voting Rights Act to Congress
where it passed and was signed into law on August 6, in the presence of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., and Rosa Parks; AND
WHEREAS, in 2006 Congress reauthorized the Voting Rights Act with overwhelming bipartisan
support; AND
WHEREAS, in the fall of 2012, 30 state had legislation introduced or enacted laws to hinder
voter access to voting according to the Fair Elections Legal Network with one state, Alabama,
passing restrictions that had not been precleared by the Department of Justice as stated in Section
5 of the Voting Rights Act, requiring photo ID and proof of citizenship to take into effect in 2014
which would significantly impact African American voters according to the Brennan Law
Center; AND
WHEREAS, on June 25, 2013, the Supreme Court ruled (5-4) in the case of Shelby County vs.
Holder said that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which list the states that must obtain
preclearance was unconstitutional thereby “turning back the hand of time” and rendering the 48
year old legislation ineffective and again placing the right to vote in this country under assault;
AND
WHEREAS, by rendering the “formula that determines jurisdictions are subject to preclearance
provisions of the Act and sending the issue back to Congress” the Court ignored the reality of
deceptive practices and voter intimidation still taking place in the 21st century; AND
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that members, officers and supporters of the
PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. join the Leadership Council
on Civil and Human Rights, the NAACP, the African American Ministers Leadership Council
and many others to write, call and visit members of Congress and their staff to demand an
immediate remedy to discouraging states, with emphasis on those in the south, from drafting and
adopting assaults on the right to vote using discriminatory tactics, save the Voting Rights Act
through a dignity based formula that restores a sense of confidence and fix what has left millions
of Americans, especially African Americans vulnerable.
ELECTORAL VOTE RIGGING
WHEREAS, instead of focusing on the economy and jobs, conservative lawmakers in various
states are more concerned with rigging our elections to prevent the American people – the voters
– from having a say in who represents them; AND
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. “Securing Our Future”
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr., President
Reverend Kip Bernard Banks, Sr., Interim General Secretary
601 – 50th
Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20019
Office (202) 396-0558 ~ 1-800-876-7622 ~ Fax (202) 398-4998 Website: www.pnbc.org
WHEREAS, these lawmakers, such as those in Pennsylvania for example, want the system to
allow politicians, and not the people, to choose the highest office holder of the country – the
President; AND
WHEREAS, past and current aims at our democracy to suppress the vote, pouring in huge
amounts of money into elections, and now rigging the Electoral College that while not perfect
has been the process since 1787 used to officially elect the President and Vice President of the
United States with a majority of the 270 electoral votes
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST
CONVENTION, INC. go on record in every state opposing any and all attempts to undermine
the majority rule American system for choosing the President and Vice President, oppose all
increases in incentives for partisan gamesmanship, and oppose all efforts to create inequalities
where some people’s votes count more than others.
RESTORING VOTING RIGHTS TO FORMERLY INCARCERATED PERSONS
WHEREAS, the ACLU reports that 5.8 million Americans are affected by laws that bar formerly
incarcerated persons from registering and voting in elections; AND
WHEREAS, the Sentencing Project reports that 1 in 15 African Americans are unable to vote
because of these laws 45% (2.6 million people) have fully completed their sentences and reside
in states that disenfranchise post-sentencing, and 1 in every 10 males in prison currently are
African American in their 30s as a result of the “war on drugs”; AND
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that member churches, officers and supporters of
PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION, INC. join with The Sentencing
Project and other voting reform organizations to inform, raise awareness and advocate for re-
enfranchisement that increases citizen participation, facilitates a decrease in recidivism, informs
of places where persons can still register and vote (in jail and not formerly charged for example)
and provide reports, especially from those states with laws that make formerly incarcerated
person 2nd
class citizens, at regional meetings of activities and results.