Stated Clerk and Advocacy Director will take to Facebook Live to discuss Capitol attack

Thursday event will focus on Jan. 6 attack and its root causes

by Rich Copley | Presbyterian News Service

The U.S. Capitol (Photo courtesy of the Office of Public Witness)

LEXINGTON, Kentucky — The Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, and Associate Director of Advocacy, the Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, will hold a discussion about the Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol on Facebook Live Thursday.

Hawkins said the discussion with Nelson, who was his predecessor as coordinator of the PC(USA)’s Office of Public Witness on Capitol Hill before being elected Stated Clerk in 2016, will be a broad conversation ranging from the riot and insurrection at the Capitol to the roots of the incident in the rhetoric and policies of President Donald J. Trump.

Subjects will include:

• The fact that this could occur in the United States. How did we get to this point?
• The National Council of Churches statement calling for the impeachment of the president.
• The unwavering support given to Trump the past four years while he advanced policies such as immigration bans and reductions, the building of the border wall, and disruption of international alliances.
• The danger of white privilege and supremacy, and racism in policing.
• Where we go from here as a community of faith dedicated to justice and equality for all?

The discussion will be at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Jan. 14 on the Office of Public Witness Facebook Page. Or you can register to watch it on Zoom.