It’s written by Rev. Alex Gee, Pastor of Fountain of Life Church. He reminds us of often-ignored facts: that Wisconsin leads the nation in the incarceration of African-American men; that there are immense racial disparities in Madison Schools, vast racial disparities in employment and income in Madison and Dane County. He calls on all of us to make these issues priorities:

I challenge the entire community to become concerned and involved. I challenge African-American pastors to make their voices and concerns known and hold community forums with politicians to demand action.

I challenge white clergy to address racial disparity and discrimination from their pulpits, challenge parishioners to think and act differently and help sound the alarm of the injustice and inequity in our community. I need those pastors to explain how these systems are perpetuated by the silence of “nice” people.