Rev. Al Sharpton talks faith, activism and immigration in visit to Danbury

On May 2, New Hope Baptist Church in Danbury celebrated its 115th anniversary.

Reverend Al Sharpton delivers his sermon at New Hope Baptist Church. Photo by Jessica Buzzeo Members of the New Hope community, as well as visitors from area faith communities, gathered at 10 Aaron B. Samuels Boulevard, named after the late beloved Rev. Samuels.

Senior Pastor Rev. Ivan Pitts led the service, which included a sermon by special guest, Reverend Al Sharpton.

Rev. Sharpton is a renowned Baptist minister and an outspoken civil rights activist, with a powerful influence across the United States for more than 40 years.

Through his activism, he has earned fame and respect among African Americans, as well as other supporters of racial equality.

Rev. Sharpton is the founder of the National Action Network, an organization that aids, educates and supports Americans struggling with poverty or racial injustice.

He is also an avid supporter of gay and lesbian rights and has also been active in PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.)

In his sermon, Sharpton preached the importance of faith among African Americans and other races, emphasizing his unwavering belief in God as a crucial component of his activism.

He spoke of the many struggles since he began his quest for equal rights – including a close encounter with death when he was stabbed in the chest 19 years ago while preparing to lead a protest in New York City.

One on one with Sharpton: Reverend rips Arizona immigration law and takes action

Rev. Al Sharpton (center) marches with a group in Phoenix, Arizona In an exclusive interview with Tribuna Newspaper, Rev. Sharpton shared his views concerning the latest developments in the national debate on immigration.

Tribuna: What are your overall views on illegal immigration?

Sharpton: I do not believe that we cannot secure the borders. We need to have some regulation, but I think the immigration bill in Arizona is wrong. I think the profiling and targeting of immigrants is wrong. I think that many [people] have come to this country and have become productive citizens and have contributed to this nation. I think that it is naïve at best and meanspirited to think that we’re going to take eleven or twelve million people and toss them out of the country. We should have an immigration reform policy that takes us from now going forward, but [as for] those that are here – you’re not going to get all of them out. To harass legal immigrants and harass people that have become productive citizens because you claim to be going after illegal immigrants is wrong. That’s why I’m going to fight it.”

T: President Obama is quoted as saying that this bill “undermines the trust between police and our communities.” Do you agree with this statement? And do you think the Arizona police will abuse this policy?

S: I think that the fact that they can abuse it is enough reason to have cause for [concern]. In the Phoenix area, the sheriff there, [Joe] Arpaio is raiding people, so clearly there’s been allegations of abuse that are under federal review now. [W]hy put in a law that would clearly open that door? I do not think all police are bad. I don’t even think most police are bad, but why subject the public to one or two that would cross the line and then have the law to back them up?”

T: What does National Action Network plan on doing now that this law has passed?

S: The job of activism is to keep an issue alive and in the public eye. Second, we have joined the Hispanic Federation and challenged it [the Arizona law] in court. And thirdly, we’re going to help to promote in Congress federal immigration reform laws that are fair – not the state-by-state laws that are set up for political purposes. I would like to see a law that would regard and respect those that are already here and have a sane policy going forward.”

T: What do you think this means for the future of our country?

S: In every crisis, there’s an opportunity. I think there’s an opportunity here for people across racial and ethnic lines to come together to see that African Americans and Latinos and progressive whites stand together on this issue. It could end up uniting more people then it divides.”

“The job of activism is to keep an issue alive”

Three days after his visit to New Hope Baptist Church in Danbury, Sharpton led a prayer vigil in Pheonix, Ariz., where he called for mass civil disobedience against the state’s new anti-immigration law.

According to reports, a diverse gathering of some 2,500 people at the Phoenix Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church signed pledges to join Sharpton, who vowed to commit civil disobedience if the law were to take effect.

“They are trying to legalize something that will only lead to racial profiling,” said Sharpton. “We will bring people into Arizona in the spirit of the ‘freedom rides,’” he said, referring to the protests of the 1960s civil rights movement against segregation in the South.