Systemic racism activist caught red-handed misrepresenting faith community

MANSFIELD — After facing push back, a resolution declaring systemic racism as a public health crisis scheduled for council vote on its first reading has been rescheduled to mid-July. Some questioned its motivation, now some question its support.

Critics of Bill #123 believe it could be used to defund the Mansfield Police Department and re-write local school curriculums for history in support of a progressive agenda. Just recently it was discovered proponents of Bill #123 sought its passage by whatever means necessary, whether by hook or by crook.

Chief proponent of Bill #123, Dr. Donna Hight, has agreed to redact a list of endorsees from City Council record after multiple faith leaders asserted she had falsified their congregations’ names as consignors. Several area clergy are not happy and believe the letter given to City Council was bending the truth.

“This letter should be considered fraudulent,” wrote Pastor Russell Stanford of All Believers in Christ Church. “I am the statutory agent for the aforementioned church, and I assure you that neither I nor any other authorized member gave permission to add the church’s name to this letter-nor do we support this proposed resolution (Bill #123),” Pastor Stanford said in a correspondence to City Council.

Pastor Stanford believes racism will “exist till the end of time” and that the resolution does little to address racism spiritually as sin. Nor does it mention the “redeemer of mankind, Jesus Christ.”

Pastor Paul Lintern, another clergyman whose name was erroneously included, also wrote a letter to City Council.

“I was not aware I was listed among those supporting the (systemic racism) proposal. While I am a member of the Mansfield Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (MIMA), the organization should not presume unanimous support from its members and the congregations they represent.

“I am not in favor of this proposal nor the idea of it being a health issue.  Racism is an illness, and the result of sin. Our nation’s laws have legally eliminated systematic racism. That which still exists comes from the hearts and minds of people who do not live in the grace of God.

“I am not colorblind,” says Pastor Lintern. “I see every skin color for what it is, as I do every eye color, hair color, even fingernail color.  I am happy to identify people by their characteristics, but constantly resist categorizing them until they do it for me, by their own description.  God created three races — plant, animal and human — and those are the only distinctions I am willing to make in race. 

Pastor Lintern is behind efforts to propose the construction of a new Ocie HIll Community Center as an outreach to Mansfield’s north side.

Pastor Lintern concluded by saying, “Concentrate on loving the hearts that are broken and hard and pray for the spirit of love and hope to soften and heal.  The racism we abhor will be eradicated one heart at the time. And once racism is no longer politically profitable, it will be seen no more.”

While all twenty listed congregations have not been contacted, there is at least one other clergyman that would like to set the record straight.

Pastor Henry Bradley’s church, New Community Temple COGIC, was also included in the list of Bill #123’s alleged supporters. Pastor Bradley was reached by phone and he stated he was not aware his church’s name was included as an endorsee. He stated he never authorized the use of his church’s name and said he “did not support Bill #123.”

Consequently, some clergy are calling into question the legality of the ‘presumed support’ for legislation on so-called systemic racism.

Pastor Stanford comments, “It should be illegal to add the names of persons or entities to any government document without first getting their permission to do so.”

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