Crutcher Shooting Part of America's History 'That Hasn't Been Addressed'
Watch the CBN News interview with Bishop Harry Jackson on the shooting and America's bigger problem.
Friends and family of Terence Crutcher are learning more about his shooting death at the hands of police. Meanwhile, the nation is reacting to the reality of another black man killed by police in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Bishop Harry Jackson, a well-known African American pastor, who actively works toward revival and racial unity in America talked with CBN News about the shooting. He says the shootings of black men in America "are the exception, rather than the rule."
He says its also a symptom of a much greater problem that spans generations and America's history.
"But part of the problem that we have in America is that for many centuries we haven't addressed the tremendous violence against African Americans from the Jim Crow days on through slavery. And, because we've got that history that hasn't been addressed, it looks like its fallen on this generation to decide if she is going to heal the sense of devastation, rejection and absolute, uhm, oh, how can I call it, terrorism that has been subjected to minorities in the nation," Jackson said.
He went on to give examples throughout American history.
"You can go back to the trail of tears with the Native Americans, you can look our our nation's history and you'll find that we've had a history of violence, a history of problems as it it relates to race and ethnic groups," he said.
Jackson said more political posturing, laws and government won't eliminate the problem.
"I'd say race, class, generational poverty are the major moral issues of our day," he said. "From Bernie Sanders to Donald Trump, we've been hearing outrage about how off kilter the nation is."
"The political voices have been crying out in their secular way about the things that are wrong. Only the spiritual voices have an opportunity to heal what's wrong with America and to lead the way to transformation and reform," Jackson explained.
"I believe the church of today need to not feel blame projection, guilt projection, but rather a godly responsibility to pick up the mantle of Martin Luther King, Jr., to enter into that place where we are saying on our watch, we can create America that pleases the heart of God. We can do something that shapes this nation in a powerful way," Jackson stated.
Prosecutors charged Betty Shelby, a white police officer who fatally Crutcher, with first-degree manslaughter Thursday.
Crutcher's SUV had stalled on the road the night of Sept. 16. Crutcher wasn't in his SUV when Shelby stopped to see what was wrong.
According to her attorney, she thought Crutcher had a weapon, said he was acting erratically, refused to obey orders, tried to put his hand in his pocket and reached into his car window before he was shot.
A pastor who watched the dash-cam video told a local newspaper that Crutcher's hands were in the air and he didn't see the weapon. He also told the paper that officers didn't seem to immediately check on Crutcher after the shooting.
Police are now reporting there was PCP in Crutchers SUV - this despite reports that he was a faithful, church attender who sang in the choir each week.
Crutcher and much of his family attends New Heights Christian Center in Tulsa. Many of them were at church the Sunday after the shooting - with the pastor's message of "keep pressing on."
The Tulsa World reports Terence's father, Joey, led worship, two of Crutcher's daughters sang in the choir and his mother Leanna sang from the back pew.
