Burning of African-American churches on upswing in South

Sunday, July 7, 1996

Lawmakers attempt to put end to fires with new arson billBy A.
A. Hime

Summer Bruin Contributor

On June 20, 1995, two Caucasian men were arrested in connection
with an arson fire at a Baptist church in Williamsburg, South
Carolina. One year and 60 burned African- American churches later,
the question of the possible racist origins of these fires have
sparked heated debate all over the country.

Church fires in the United States are not an unusual phenomenon.
Of the approximately 300,000 Christian churches in the United
States, 600 arson fires are anticipated by officials each year.
However, the recent number of African-American churches burned in
the South exceeds usual expectations.

While the total number of predominately Caucasian churches in
the South is greater than the total number of predominately
African-American churches in the same region, more than half of the
recent Southern church fires have been at African-American
churches.

Thus far in 1996, such fires have occurred in Texas, Oklahoma,
Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, North and South Carolina,
Alabama and Virginia.

Investigations by authorities have revealed that some of the
recent fires were accidental ­ at least eight of the
approximately 60 churches recently burned fall into this category.
These accidents can be reduced, but are of a different nature than
arson fires.

There is no evidence that there have been more accidental fires
than usual. Thus, an examination of the current fire codes in
public buildings is unlikely to reduce the number of Southern
African-American churches burned down.

Another aspect of church fires generally addressed by officials
before considering the more ominous matter of racist arson is
insider arson, which is generally committed for insurance money.
Aside from federal and local investigators, these crimes are
policed by the insurance industry.

Though officials at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
(ATF) estimate that about half of all arsons fall into this
category, a dramatic increase in these types of fires at Southern
African-American churches is not yet evident. The ATF, driven by
this knowledge, has strapped lie detector machines to church
officials to see if they are guilty of arson.

Attorney General Janet Reno responded immediately to these
procedures by calling a top-level meeting to order a greater degree
of overall sensitivity and a review of ATF investigations in these
specific cases.

African-American leaders denounced the unwillingness of the ATF
and other officials to extrapolate a link between various
incidents. "At this point, there is no evidence of conspiracy, but
there is clear evidence of racism," Reno explained on June 24 in
Detroit. "And I think it is so important for us all, no matter
where we are in this country, to speak out and to join forces
against it."

Responding to the position taken by the Clinton administration,
Ecumenical Bishop H. Hartford Brookins of Los Angeles argued, "It
seems rather improper that it can be explained away by saying that
there is not some sinister conspiracy."

In response to the recent increase in arson fires at
African-American churches, lawmakers from both major political
parties have responded. A bill that would increase maximum prison
terms for anyone convicted of church arson to 20 years and increase
the statute of limitations for prosecution to seven years, was
passed 98-0 in the Senate last Wednesday.

The bill was sent to the president for approval last Thursday
and is expected to be signed.

The idea of using federal funds to rebuild the churches has been
discussed in many circles, but is one which raises controversy over
the constitutional separation of church and state.

Professor Jonathan Varat, an expert on constitutional law at the
UCLA School of Law explained, "Under a general welfare program
which provides relief to organizations that have suffered fire
disasters generally, (federal funds to rebuild) may well be OK. If
they single out church buildings … this would raise a serious
constitutional question."

In order to publicize the issue, local officials from the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
have begun a fund to help rebuild the churches and organized a
candle-light vigil which took place last night.

"This is a way to make the broader community aware of how
important it is for us to all respond," said Frank Berry, a leading
member of the Los Angeles branch of the NAACP. "Silence in a
situation like this signifies consent."

Though recent responses show clear conviction on the part of the
federal government, many argue these actions have come too late.
The recent rash of fires at Southern African-American churches is
by no means new. Though large scale response has only come in the
past few months by the government, the current problem has existed
all year.

The Mount Zion Baptist Church in Williamsburg and the Macedonia
Baptist Church were torched just two days apart last year. Local
law enforcement officials successfully apprehended two suspects in
this case. Timothy Adron Welch, 23, was carrying a membership card
to the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, and his associate,
Gary Christopher Cox, 22, was also involved according to local law
enforcement officials. According to the Associated Press however,
KKK leaders in South Carolina deny any connection to any of the
churches which have been burned.

"I don’t support burning no churches," Horace King, Grand Dragon
of the South Carolina chapter of the Christian Knights of the KKK
told reporters. "There is a conspiracy, but it’s against the white
race."