Florida police used mugshots of black men for target practice. Clergy responded: #UseMeInstead.
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Version 0 of 1. Dear north Miami Beach Police #usemeinstead for target practice #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Rkn1Qvlcsj — JoelleColvilleHanson (@PastorJoelle) January 17, 2015 Dear north Miami Beach Police #usemeinstead for target practice #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Rkn1Qvlcsj — JoelleColvilleHanson (@PastorJoelle) January 17, 2015 The idea originated on a closed Facebook group for Lutheran clergy, where pastors were discussing how North Miami Beach’s police department had been caught using mugshots of actual people for target practice. Let’s send in our own photos for target practice, the pastors decided. The target-practice story had come to light after National Guard Sgt. Valerie Deant saw bullet-riddled mugshots of black men at a police gun range. One photo was of Deant’s brother. Outrage followed in North Miami Beach and beyond as critics called for the police chief’s resignation. Family outraged after North Miami Beach Police use criminal photos as #HumanTargets. VIDEO: http://t.co/0hzALWdpdW pic.twitter.com/zJ7HFGntNB — NBC 6 South Florida (@nbc6) January 15, 2015 Family outraged after North Miami Beach Police use criminal photos as #HumanTargets. VIDEO: http://t.co/0hzALWdpdW pic.twitter.com/zJ7HFGntNB — NBC 6 South Florida (@nbc6) January 15, 2015 The chief defended the department but denied racial profiling and said officers used images of people of all races. The city council banned the practice. Rev. Joy M. Gonnerman and other pastors chatted about the story on the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Facebook group and discussed how to respond to something that was emblematic of a deeper, systematic problem. “Maybe we ought it make it harder to pull the trigger, and volunteer to put pictures of their family up,” Gonnerman said. Another poster said she would send a photo of herself to the North Miami Beach Police Department. So Rev. Lura N. Groen of Houston created a Facebook event, and, along with Gonnerman and others, invited friends to post pictures of themselves in their clerical clothing. Soon, people — many, but not all of them, clergy — began tweeting images using the hashtag #UseMeInstead. The effort was “motivated by our service to Christ and his call to love our neighbors,” Gonnerman told The Post. If you must use pictures real humans for target practice, for the love of God, #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/89sKB2v5yF — Lura Groen (@lura_groen) January 18, 2015 If you must use pictures real humans for target practice, for the love of God, #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/89sKB2v5yF — Lura Groen (@lura_groen) January 18, 2015 Grateful for our public servants in law enforcement, I invite @myNMBPolice to #usemeinstead in target practice. pic.twitter.com/ZAIovw6bax — Beth Maynard (@beth_may) January 18, 2015 Grateful for our public servants in law enforcement, I invite @myNMBPolice to #usemeinstead in target practice. pic.twitter.com/ZAIovw6bax — Beth Maynard (@beth_may) January 18, 2015 Astonished @myNMBPolice use photos for targets. You do know you're supposed to uphold the law, right? #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/DViLN9cxng — Graeme Fancourt (@graemefancourt) January 18, 2015 Astonished @myNMBPolice use photos for targets. You do know you're supposed to uphold the law, right? #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/DViLN9cxng — Graeme Fancourt (@graemefancourt) January 18, 2015 Feel free to use my photo for target practice. @myNMBPolice #UseMeInstead pic.twitter.com/BhqJSvbdqm — Jenna Couch (@PastorJenna) January 18, 2015 Feel free to use my photo for target practice. @myNMBPolice #UseMeInstead pic.twitter.com/BhqJSvbdqm — Jenna Couch (@PastorJenna) January 18, 2015 Grateful for those in law enforcement who treat it as a public trust, I invite them to #usemeinstead of black youth. pic.twitter.com/ULCt5cOelu — Erik Christensen (@erikchrist1973) January 18, 2015 Grateful for those in law enforcement who treat it as a public trust, I invite them to #usemeinstead of black youth. pic.twitter.com/ULCt5cOelu — Erik Christensen (@erikchrist1973) January 18, 2015 “We initially started thinking if a whole lot of us, in our clergy collar and worship attire, sent our photos to them, it would make a really powerful statement,” Rev. Kris Totzke, a pastor in Texas, told The Post. “Then, it really snowballed, and we got people all over the country and of all different faiths.” The images of pastors, monks and others wearing clothing that in part symbolizes peace and love are intended to be striking, to cause people pulling the trigger to think twice. “It’s such a desensitization thing, that if you start aiming at young black men, and told to put a bullet in them, you become desensitized,” Gonnerman said. “Maybe, to change the picture, it’s you know what, dare ya, shoot a clergy person.” They now have a stack of 8-by-10 #UseMeInstead photos, mostly of white pastors who are hoping to serve as allies in the fight against racism. And even though city officials and police chief J. Scott Dennis have apologized for the department’s use of the mugshots, Gonnerman said she planned to mail 66 of those photos to the department over the weekend. “Essentially,” she said, “we’re saying: We’re watching, we’re paying attention to this.” A Miami police department is using actual mug shots of black teens for target practice. Please stop, #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/dQ5ChmU1id — katya ouchakof (@canoeistpastor) January 17, 2015 A Miami police department is using actual mug shots of black teens for target practice. Please stop, #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/dQ5ChmU1id — katya ouchakof (@canoeistpastor) January 17, 2015 No more using teens for target practice. North Miami Police #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/a1QeOBmfZF — Mike P (@BrotherMikeOLF) January 17, 2015 No more using teens for target practice. North Miami Police #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/a1QeOBmfZF — Mike P (@BrotherMikeOLF) January 17, 2015 Police officers, as a white man, I’ve been taught that I have nothing to fear from you. #UseMeInstead. Please. pic.twitter.com/KW1XNXMOyL — Jason Chesnut (@crazypastor) January 18, 2015 Police officers, as a white man, I’ve been taught that I have nothing to fear from you. #UseMeInstead. Please. pic.twitter.com/KW1XNXMOyL — Jason Chesnut (@crazypastor) January 18, 2015 Hang on — let me get one with my collar on — okay, NOW #usemeinstead for target practice because #BlackLivesMatter. pic.twitter.com/l70jGM2301 — Your Old Pal (@fathertorey) January 18, 2015 Hang on — let me get one with my collar on — okay, NOW #usemeinstead for target practice because #BlackLivesMatter. pic.twitter.com/l70jGM2301 — Your Old Pal (@fathertorey) January 18, 2015 We all have the capacity for evil, but I get the benefit of the doubt. Why doesn't everyone else? #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/HGDbZgqJFt — Andrew Chavanak (@achavy007) January 17, 2015 We all have the capacity for evil, but I get the benefit of the doubt. Why doesn't everyone else? #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/HGDbZgqJFt — Andrew Chavanak (@achavy007) January 17, 2015 So moved by the graceful response to @myNMBPolice from clergy across the country. I’m joining in. #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/hvPwbwyzHf — Janette Platter (@janetteplatter) January 18, 2015 So moved by the graceful response to @myNMBPolice from clergy across the country. I’m joining in. #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/hvPwbwyzHf — Janette Platter (@janetteplatter) January 18, 2015 .@myNMBPolice You have a difficult job. Just like clergy, you are not above reproach. #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/nooqRvdm08 — Sean (@FrSeanFerrell) January 18, 2015 .@myNMBPolice You have a difficult job. Just like clergy, you are not above reproach. #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/nooqRvdm08 — Sean (@FrSeanFerrell) January 18, 2015 MORE READING: Ohio man exonerated after spending 27 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit South Carolina indicted three white cops in four months, and it’s probably not a coincidence Former cop sues Kentucky hunting store after accidentally shooting off his own finger Federal civil rights charges unlikely against police officer in Ferguson shooting |