Background:
In Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah, 508 U.S. 520 (1993) the Supreme Court of the United States of Ameica held Unconstitutional an ordinance passed in Hialeah, Fl that forbade the "unnecessar[y]" killing of "an animal in a public or private ritual or ceremony not for the primary purpose of food consumption.
The court found that the practices were protected by the laws that govern the United States of America and that sacrifice was performed according to tradition.
Several media outlets have recently reported false information that the practitoners of religions of the Afro-Caribbean sacrifice animals inhumanely, torture and dispose of animals incorrectly, Such reporting veers widely from the facts and echoes the inaccurate portrayals of religions of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora in TV shows and movies.
Together we advocate for the investigation, arrest and prosecution of Richard "Kudo" Couto who has used guerilla tactics against the diaspora . Kudo has stated that county and state officials are corrupt and bribable. He has illegally carried unconcealed weapons and used intimidation.Kudo has admitted to illegal activities including, trespassing, breaking and entering, property theft, animal theft, theft of documents and records, destruction of private property, illegal video surveillance and photography and false representation of a law enforcement agent.
The Miami New Times report has witnessed these crimes, and has served as accomplice to them by driving him around while said crimes were being committed. Kudo has admitted his illegal activities to Miami's State Attorney's Office.
CBS has recently aired an episode of Ciminal Minds which misrepresents the Palo Mayombe community. Adding injury to insult, those who watched the show were given open interpretation that the bogus practices being displayed could be from the Santeria community.
John Petrick who is a writer for The Record in New Jersey, wrote an article regarding a court case in New Jersey which involved a dispute over the custody of a child whose parents practice Palo Mayombe. Though it was pointed out that the Jewish faith incorporates circumcision as part of its practice (as well as animal sacrifice) The writer misrepresented the religion by using scare tactics and words like "gruesome" to describe the practice. Several references within the article paint the faith as being dark.
This ignorance will not be tolerated.
It should be recognized that this is not an isolated incident and not a representation of the millions of practitioners worldwide.
This misrepresentation denotes the need for unification by all leaders of the diaspora to end the medias representation of animal sacrifice and altenative religions.
Recognizing that this behavior is racist, biased, intolerant, disrespectful, unlawful and a violation of our constitutional rights, we, the undersigned:
- Respectfully call on the media to report fair and unbiased information about the diaspora which does not portray our practices inaccurate .
- Respectfully call on Florida state leaders and representatives to investigate Richard "Kudo" Couto on the above charges.
-Respectfully request an apology by CBS, John Petrick and the Miami New Times for their inaccurate and biased portrayal of the diaspora.
-Respectfully ask for the public apology or resignation of John Petrick for his discrimination against the diaspora in his report.
-Respectfully request sensitivity training by law enforcement across the country to respect and uphold the decision by The United States of America Supreme Court in 1993.
We will hold accountable those who wish to misrepresent our faiths. The bigotry must end.
