SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Black faith leaders in San Francisco are denouncing the Trump administration’s suggestion to deploy the National Guard to the city, calling the idea unacceptable and dangerous.
Pastors at Third Baptist Church joined other Bay Area faith leaders to condemn threats of bringing federal troops into the city.
Â
What they’re saying:
On Friday, Reverends Amos Brown and Devon Jerome Crawford said interfaith leaders have been meeting and writing letters to the mayor’s office about their concerns.
“The Bay will not bow, not to hatred, not to fear, not to presidents or governors,” said Rev. Crawford.
They said the National Guard being deployed to the city is illegal and represents an existential threat to marginalized people.
Third Baptist Church’s Pastor Emeritus Rev. Amos Brown reacts to threats of deployment of troops to San Francisco. Photo by Jaden Schaul.
“That’s unfortunately what Mr. Donald Trump has been promoting: division, racialized politicking, using threats and intimidation,” Rev. Brown said.
Speaking on behalf of black faith leaders and the NAACP, they also condemned Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff for expressing support of the idea earlier this week and reports of the CEO offering AI technology to help the federal government with immigration enforcement.
The other side:
After Dreamforce concluded Thursday, Benioff walked back his comments about the national guard Friday, writing on X, “My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around the event, and I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused.”
The pastors said his apology is not enough, and supporting programs to serve people of color would be the true apology. They think the tech exec is putting profit over the people.
Benioff’s original comments addressed a concern over crime and SFPD’s slim staffing.
He also pledged $1 million to support the department’s recruitment of new officers.
The reverends said people of color are most at risk should the military step in and issues of crime and homelessness are not unique to San Francisco.
“The idea that we have to be overpoliced and dominate folks in order to find a solution or incarcerate our way towards peace is absurd,” said Rev. Crawford.
He also added that Third Baptist Church is a sanctuary for all people during this politically turbulent time.
Rev. Brown said he is in communication with city leadership should the threats become reality.