in a race, in all virtues. The goal of all the people is

The resolution recommended an action plan to achieve

to God. It is God who will tell you the Truth in

racial justice in:

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matters of which you have been disputing.

128

  Administrative policies

According to UMAIA, not only does the Quran

  Educational, cultural and worship programs

denounce racism, but advocates the eradication of racism: 

  Cooperative relationships with other institutions

  Individual lives

Stand out firmly for Justice as witnesses in front of

God, even against yourselves, your children and

In 1999, the 65th General Assembly of the UAHC

against your parents, against people who are rich or

adopted a resolution entitled  Race and the U.S.

poor. Do not follow your inclinations or your

Criminal Justice System. 

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This resolution recognized

desires, lest you should deviate from Justice.

that  [n]otwithstanding the ideals of our criminal

Remember God is the best of all Protectors and well

justice system, there is growing evidence that race and

acquainted with all that you do.

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poverty play a role in determining who gets arrested,

who gets a fair trial, and how those convicted are

[It is righteousness] to spend your income to help

sentenced. There is an increasing perception that we

your poor relatives, the needy, the orphans, the

have two criminal justice systems, separate and unequal:

traveler, to liberate the slaves (by paying their price)

one for affluent Whites and one for racial minorities

and those who ask you for help. [It is righteousness]

and the poor. Foremost among the complainants are

to give regular charity, to pray steadfastly, to fulfill

disparate application of the death penalty, police

the contracts that you have made (to believer or

brutality, racial profiling, sentencing disparity, and

atheist). [It is righteousness] to be firm and patient

disparate treatment of minorities by the juvenile justice

in pain and sufferings and during all periods of

system. 

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turmoil and panic. Such are the people of Truth the

Through this resolution, UAHC acted to denounce

God conscientious.

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racism throughout the criminal justice system. They

followed the leadership of the UAHC and the former

UMAIA firmly asserts that to wipe out racism from our

Synagogue Council of America (uniting Reform,

lands, we have to be able to enforce the laws of equality.

Conservative, and Orthodox Rabbis) to oppose the death

This requires an ideal judge, ideal witnesses and an ideal

penalty, police brutality, discriminatory profiling,

jury. The above revelations of the Quran address the

sentencing disparity, and juvenile justice.

character of such people. If we have such people

dispensing justice in the courts of law, racism will not

Specifically, the resolution noted: 

only be wiped out of America but also from the whole

world. 

African American men are disproportionately

represented among those on death row and those

who have been executed in the last twenty years.

JUDAISM

Although people of color are the victims in more

than half of all homicides, a White victim case is

over four times more likely to result in a death

sentence than a comparable Black victim case. Some

JUDAISM (REFORM)

contend that these and other statistics showing

In 1963, The Union of American Hebrew Congregations

disparities can be explained by nondiscriminatory

(UAHC) adopted a Resolution on Commitment to Racial

factors, but there is strong evidence that race is a

Justice.

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This resolution recognized the first national

determining factor.

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conference in which  ranking representatives of the

country's major religious bodies...met to confront the

A major factor contributing to racial disparity in

issue of race and to bring to bear upon it the religious

prosecution and punishment is the discriminatory

principles of their denomination. 

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UAHC recognized

profiling of minorities based on race, ethnicity,

 that our congregations have not dedicated themselves to

and sexual preference as criminal suspects and,

the utmost of their influence, capacity and energy in order

especially, as drug traffickers.

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to help resolve the racial crisis. 

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