After it was revealed that a police department in Florida was using mugshots of black men for target practice, clergy have responded on Twitter by challenging cops to use their pictures instead.
Dozens of clergy members across the United States – many of them white -- have tweeted photos of themselves with the hashtags #UseMeInstead and #BlackLivesMatter.
#usemeinstead (I'll make it easy for them.) pic.twitter.com/0IvOhLNfL3
— PrJGonnerman (@JoyGonnerman) January 17, 2015
The Twitter campaign reportedly originated on a Facebook group for Lutheran clergy and quickly took off. Over the past couple of weeks, many pastors, reverends and others have added their voices to #UseMeInstead.
Dear @myNMBPolice if you insist on using photos for target practice, don't use young black men #UseMeInstead pic.twitter.com/haCqMJKvdO
— Ruben Austria (@rubenaustria) January 25, 2015
.@myNMBPolice You have a difficult job. Just like clergy, you are not above reproach. #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/nooqRvdm08
— Sean (@FrSeanFerrell) January 18, 2015
We all have the capacity for evil, but I get the benefit of the doubt. Why doesn't everyone else? #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/HGDbZgqJFt
— Andrew Chavanak (@achavy007) January 17, 2015
A Miami police department is using actual mug shots of black teens for target practice. Please stop, #usemeinstead pic.twitter.com/dQ5ChmU1id
— katya ouchakof (@canoeistpastor) January 17, 2015
Dear north Miami Beach Police #usemeinstead for target practice #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Rkn1Qvlcsj
— JoelleColvilleHanson (@PastorJoelle) January 17, 2015
Last month, media outlets in North Miami Beach reported that local police officers were shooting at mugshots of young black men for target practice.
The use of the mugshots came to light after a woman found a bullet-riddled photo of her brother and other young black men in a garbage can at a shooting range.
After an outcry from angry residents who demanded the police chief’s resignation, the town apologized and city council voted to ban the practice.
In a statement released last week, the North Miami Beach Police Department said that it will “strive to be more sensitive to all and remain focused on being a community-mindful police department.”
With files from The Associated Press