Father Pfleger to Gangbangers: “We have Zero Tolerance for Shooting/Killing in our Holy Borders”

By Chinta Strausberg

Before Father Michael L. Pfleger began his Friday night weekly marches, he warned his supporters there had been a shooting just one block outside of Saint Sabina self-imposed “Holy borders” and that it was not only unacceptable but he is demanding “zero tolerance” for shooting and killing within this area.

Pfleger was referring to Saint Sabina’s “Holy Territory he says is bounded by Marshfield on the West to the viaduct (Lowe Street) on the East and from 76^th Street to 83^rd Street.

Ironically, the shooting took place an hour before the marchers began their weekly peace walk. It also took place just one block from where Father Pfleger’s foster son,Jarvis Franklin, 16, was gunned down at 79^th and Carpenter on May3 0, 1998. No one has been arrested.

“We take it personal anything that happens in the area,” Pfleger told reporters. “We’re here to stand with the community but also to send a message” that shooting and killing will not be tolerated.

After Pastor Michael Gun, who is joining the church, said a prayer, scores of marchers went down 79^th Street chanting, “No more shooting, stop the violence in our neighborhood, no more shooting, no more guns, put down the guns, stop it right now, peace in the street….” The marchers asked motorists to honk their horns if they support their anti-violence initiative.

They stopped at 80^th and Paulina where police said there had been a shooting. Pfleger asked his supporters to “bind up violence…come against anything that is not of you. We come against hatred…against bitterness…. We bind up fear…. We loosen your love, God. We loosen your peace, God….”

Asking the marchers to stretch out their hands towards 80^th and Paulina, Pfleger bellowed, “Peace to this block…. Bind up violence. Bind up guns.” Despite the shooting at 80^th and Paulina and the police presence, they resumed their march asking that the youth lay down their guns and give peace a chance.

Stopping at the Saint Sabina Memorial Wall that included a picture of his son and other children who were victims of gun violence, Father Pfleger asks 15-year-old Jalen Johnson, a freshman at St. Rita, to pray.

Afterwards, Johnson reflected on Friday’s peace march saying, “It’s very empowering. It is actually making a change. You have more people coming off the streets and increasing the peace.”

In ending the peace march at 8:25 p.m, Pfleger stood by the Saint Sabina Memorial Wall and told his supporters, “We’ve got to be a voice. We’ve got to be good stewards of the garden God gave us, and we got to let everybody know we ain’t afraid so nobody should be afraid.”
Father Michael L. Pfleger and his supporters Friday stopped at 80th and Carpener where there had been a shooting and prayed peace for that block. It wa a block away from where Pfleger’s own son, Jarvis Franklin, 16, was gunned down on May 30, 1998 at 79th and Caprneter. (All photos by Chinta Strausberg)

Chinta Strausberg is a Journalist of more than 33-years, a former political reporter and a current PCC Network talk show host. You can e-mail Strausberg at: Chintabernie@aol.com.