Black Clergy of Lincoln Oppose Recall of Mayor

(KFOR NEWS November 18, 2020) Members of the Black Clergy of Lincoln oppose an effort to recall Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird for implementing a mask mandate for the City of Lincoln.

In a statement, the group says: “Though we have had our differences with the Mayor regarding policing in our city; we do not believe that she should be recalled because of her desire to keep our city safe. As members of the Christian community, we are commanded to love God with all of our hearts, our souls, and our minds and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37, 39). We believe that wearing a mask is a demonstration of love for our neighbor.

As faith leaders, we believe that mandating that our citizens do what is required to address the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic is a proper use of the Mayor’s authority. Finally, we believe that her actions are both ethical and moral.”

The recall effort organized by LNK Recall is also in in response to the appointment of Pat Lopez as Health Director on August 17th. The City Council suspended charter rules which give citizens an opportunity to weigh in on the appointment, allowing for an immediate vote to appoint Lopez.