One-by-one, leaders from a variety of different faiths all prayed in accordance to their respective traditions over House Bill 1020 specifically, which would take certain autonomy away from elected city officials. They prayed for lawmakers to consider the well-being and rights of Jackson residents.
“Jacksonians should not be deprived of democratic rights afforded to citizens of other municipalities including the election of local judges and prosecutors,” said CJ Rhodes, who is with the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Mississippi. “State government should not divide Jackson along racial or socioeconomic boundaries. All law enforcement agencies must be accountable to local authorities and the community.”
House Bill 1020 has been publicly criticized by activist groups for putting elements of the majority-black city in the hands of majority-white state authority. Bishop Ronnie Crudup Sr. is the senior pastor of New Horizon Church in Jackson, and is a resident of the city. He says the negative coverage of the bill has been detrimental to Jackson.
“We know that this does not represent us who we are as a state.” he said. “And so we’re here as a last ditch effort to say to our representatives, let 1020 go away.”
Defenders of the bill say that it will help reduce crime in the city.