Activism

COMMENTARY: Christians on Political Left and Right Must Find Biblical Solutions to Criminal Justice Reform

The first goal of advocacy is always prevention from ever entering the system. This means working with school officials to recognize that Black students are often expelled and/or arrested for offenses that are forgiven when committed by white students. Next, parents, community leaders and the Body of Christ must be prepared to stand in the gap and advocate for Black students.

Published

3 years ago

November 5, 2022

Oakland Post

Bishop Garland Hunt

By Bishop Garland Hunt

With less than a week before the midterms, crime and justice remain hot topics used to gin up voters and get out the party faithful.

But, unfortunately, as political leaders on both sides of the aisle grandstand, real families languish in a criminal justice system that often appears broken from every angle. Ultimately, we shape our views of the justice system based on how the system touches our lives and the lives of those we love.

I view America’s justice system through several lenses. First, as a father of African American men, I am duty-bound to instruct my sons on the real and perceived issues around engaging with law enforcement.

As former chairman of the Georgia Parole Board and commissioner of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, I saw firsthand how the criminal justice system left the poor and undereducated, regardless of race, at a significant disadvantage. However, my most solution-driven perspective comes from my role as a pastor and my life as a follower of Christ.

No matter which side of the political aisle you find yourself on, if you are a Christian, you must understand there is a Biblical explanation for the conflicts that permeate the criminal justice system and a Biblical solution.

The mayhem and mistrust stirred up by professional political agitators and the bias in our criminal justice system can both be summed up by Isaiah’s commentary in chapter 59, verse 4, “No one cares about being fair and honest.”

If Christians addressing this conflict cared about fairness and honesty, we would find solutions.

A fair and honest assessment of America’s criminal justice system would require Christians on the right to admit that Black men are disproportionately arrested and charged with crimes.

Further, it would require “law and order” conservatives to accept the reality that “law and order” are historically applied more severely to Black men. For example, consider the sentencing disparities on crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Studies consistently show that white men use illicit drugs at a greater rate than Black men. However, Blacks are criminally charged at a greater rate for lower-level drug offenses.

A fair and honest assessment of America’s criminal justice reform would require Christians on the left to concede that African American community leaders in general, and the Black Church in particular, long ago abandoned their roles as the moral authority equipped and willing to stand in the gap and prevent Black men from being exposed to the poverty-to-prison pipeline.

Far too many African American males encounter the criminal justice system early. Unfortunately, this contact puts their lives on a downward trajectory that they could have avoided if basic advocacy systems were available in the Black community.

Some argue that the system is so broken that there is no preventing young Black men from being snared by its claws. I know they are wrong because I know there is a Biblical solution to the problem.

What we see as an even greater breakdown in the Black community is the missing wrap-around advocacy that would prevent the situation from spiraling into even greater chaos. But what does advocacy look like in real life in real time?

Advocacy can mean fighting for common-sense legislative solutions. For example, The Douglass Leadership Institute believes that measures revoking driver’s licenses for minor offenses are counterproductive, creating greater hardship and reducing economic mobility.

The Church must stand with young unwed mothers as they attempt to raise young Black men. Christian men must stand in the gap for their young brothers by volunteering to be mentors and role models for fatherless young men.

Being such a mentor does not mean offering advice now and then. It means being intentional and consistent in helping young men navigate personal and professional challenges. For example, as an intentional mentor, I have explained to young brothers why they need to obey law enforcement and put their hands in plain sight. I have also advised on everything from the appropriate dress for job interviews to the proper way to treat women.

When the Church fulfills its Biblical role to be present in the lives of young Black men, there will be fewer Black men in prison and a prison record will not mean a life is beyond hope.

Bishop Garland R. Hunt serves as the Senior Pastor of The Father’s House in Norcross, Georgia. He is a Senior Fellow with the Douglass Leadership Institute and leads the organization’s Forward Justice Initiative. Hunt’s executive leadership spans 28 years with the Fellowship of International Churches, Wellington Boone Ministries, and New Generation Campus Ministries. In 2004, he was appointed to the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles and served as chairman of the Parole Board in 2006. In 2010, Hunt was commissioner of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. In 2011, he served as president of Prison Fellowship.

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COMMENTARY: The National Protest Must Be Accompanied with Our Votes

Just as Trump is gathering election data like having the FBI take all the election data in Georgia from the 2020 election, so must we organize in preparation for the coming primary season to have the right people on ballots in each Republican district, so that we can regain control of the House of Representatives and by doing so, restore the separation of powers and balance that our democracy is being deprived of.

Published

2 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper. File photo..

By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper

As thousands of Americans march every week in cities across this great nation, it must be remembered that the protest without the vote is of no concern to Donald Trump and his administration.

In every city, there is a personal connection to the U.S. Congress. In too many cases, the member of Congress representing the people of that city and the congressional district in which it sits, is a Republican. It is the Republicans who are giving silent support to the destructive actions of those persons like the U.S. Attorney General, the Director of Homeland Security, and the National Intelligence Director, who are carrying out the revenge campaign of the President rather than upholding the oath of office each of them took “to Defend The Constitution of the United States.”

In California, the primary comes in June 2026. The congressional races must be a priority just as much as the local election of people has been so important in keeping ICE from acquiring facilities to build more prisons around the country.

“We the People” are winning this battle, even though it might not look like it. Each of us must get involved now, right where we are.

In this Black History month, it is important to remember that all we have accomplished in this nation has been “in spite of” and not “because of.” Frederick Douglas said, “Power concedes nothing without a struggle.”

Today, the struggle is to maintain our very institutions and history. Our strength in this struggle rests in our “collectiveness.” Our newspapers and journalists are at the greatest risk. We must not personally add to the attack by ignoring those who have been our very foundation, our Black press.

Are you spending your dollars this Black History Month with those who salute and honor contributions by supporting those who tell our stories? Remember that silence is the same as consent and support for the opposition. Where do you stand and where will your dollars go?

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Activism

Congresswoman Simon Votes Against Department of Homeland Security, ICE Funding

“They need accountability. Republicans already gave these agencies an unprecedented $170 billion for immigration enforcement, funding they have used to conduct raids at schools, separate families, and deploy a masked paramilitary who refuse to identify themselves on American streets. This bill gives them more funding without a single reform to stop unconstitutional, immoral abuses,” she said.

Published

2 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12). File photo.

By Post Staff

Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) released a statement after voting against legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which supports Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB).

“Today, I voted NO on legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 13, 2026.

“ICE and CBP do not need more funding to terrorize communities or kill more people,” she said in the media release.

“They need accountability. Republicans already gave these agencies an unprecedented $170 billion for immigration enforcement, funding they have used to conduct raids at schools, separate families, and deploy a masked paramilitary who refuse to identify themselves on American streets. This bill gives them more funding without a single reform to stop unconstitutional, immoral abuses,” she said.

“The American people are demanding change. Poll after poll of Americans’ opinions show overwhelming support for requiring ICE agents to wear body cameras and prohibiting them from hiding their faces during enforcement actions. This is the bare minimum transparency standard, and this funding legislation does not even meet this low bar,” Simon said.

“Republicans in Congress are not serious about reining in these lawless agencies. Their refusal to make meaningful changes to the DHS funding bill has consequences that go beyond immigration enforcement. TSA agents who keep our airports safe and FEMA workers who help our communities recover from disasters are stuck in limbo due to Republican inaction.

“The Constitution does not have an exception for immigrants. Every person on American soil has rights, and federal agencies must respect them. The East Bay has made clear at the Alameda County and city level that we will hold the line against a violent ICE force and support our immigrant communities – I will continue to hold the line and our values with my votes in Congress.”

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Activism

Post Newspaper Invites NNPA to Join Nationwide Probate Reform Initiative

The Post’s Probate Reform Group meets the first Thursday of every month via Zoom and invites the public to attend. The Post is making the initiative national and will submit information from its monthly meeting to the NNPA to educate, advocate, and inform its readers.

Published

2 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) represents the Black press with over 200 newspapers nationwide.

Last night the Post announced that it is actively recruiting the Black press to inform the public that there is a probate “five-alarm fire” occurring in Black communities and invited every Black newspaper starting from the Birmingham Times in Alabama to the Milwaukee Times Weekly in Wisconsin, to join the Post in our “Year of Action” for probate reform.

Reporter Tanya Dennis says, “The adage that ‘When America catches a cold, Black folks catch the flu” is too true in practice; that’s why we’re engaging the Black Press to not only warn, but educate the Black community regarding the criminal actions we see in probate court: Thousands are losing generational wealth to strangers. It’s a travesty that happens daily.”

Venus Gist, a co-host of the reform group, states, “ Unfortunately, people are their own worst enemy when it comes to speaking with loved ones regarding their demise. It’s an uncomfortable subject that most avoid, but they do so at their peril. The courts rely on dissention between family members, so I encourage not only a will and trust [be created] but also videotape the reading of your documents so you can show you’re of sound mind.”

In better times, drafting a will was enough; then a trust was an added requirement to ‘iron-clad’ documents and to assure easy transference of wealth.

No longer.

As the courts became underfunded in the last 20 years, predatory behavior emerged to the extent that criminality is now occurring at alarming rates with no oversight, with courts isolating the conserved, and, I’ve heard, many times killing conservatees for profit. Plundering the assets of estates until beneficiaries are penniless is also common.”

Post Newspaper Publisher Paul Cobb says, “The simple solution is to avoid probate at all costs. If beneficiaries can’t agree, hire a private mediator and attorney to work things out. The moment you walk into court, you are vulnerable to the whims of the court. Your will and trust mean nothing.”

Zakiya Jendayi, a co-host of the Probate Reform Group and a victim herself, says, “In my case, the will and trust were clear that I am the beneficiary of the estate, but the opposing attorney said I used undue influence to make myself beneficiary. He said that without proof, and the judge upheld the attorney’s baseless assertion. In court, the will and trust is easily discounted.”

The Black press reaches out to 47 million Black Americans with one voice. The power of the press has never been so important as it is now in this national movement to save Black generational wealth from predatory attorneys, guardians and judges.

The next probate reform meeting is on March 5, from 7 – 9 p.m. PST. Zoom Details:
Meeting ID: 825 0367 1750
Passcode: 475480

All are welcome.