SPONSOR: Sen. Henry & Rep. Smith Reps. Johnson Plant Keeley

DELAWARE STATE SENATE 144th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4

COMMENDING THE REVEREND DERRICK JOHNSON OF WILMINGTON AND MR. FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO BRING A MESSAGE OF NONVIOLENCE TO CRIME-PRONE AREAS OF OUR CITIES, CONGRATULATING REV. JOHNSON UPON BEING CHOSEN AS NATIONAL SPOKESMAN FOR THE PRISON OUTREACH PROGRAM, "LIFE PROJECT," AND URGING HIM TO BRING HIS MESSAGE INTO DELAWARE'S PRISONS.

1 WHEREAS, Rev. Derrick Johnson of Wilmington’s Joshua Harvest Church has recently been named national

2 spokesman for “Life Project” a national prison outreach program of “Inspired by…The Bible Experience,” an audio

3 dramatization of the Scriptures which utilizes a celebrity cast of more than 200 black actors and musicians in spreading its

4 Gospel message; and

5 WHEREAS, among the film’s cast are such luminaries as Angela Bassett, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Samuel L. Jackson,

6 Bishop T.D. James, Blair Underwood and ; and

7 WHEREAS, it is expected that “The Bible Experience” and Life Project, with Rev. Johnson’s powerful message,

8 will exert a strong positive influence on members of the prison population to turn their lives around; and

9 WHEREAS, Rev. Johnson will attend the NAACP’s national Image Awards program in March to receive an

10 award for “The Bible Experience”; and

11 WHEREAS, Rev. Johnson is uniquely qualified to bring this message of faith and nonviolence into the nation’s

12 prisons, having been imprisoned himself during the after being convicted in a fatal shooting; and

13 WHEREAS, he has turned his own life experience into a ministry of positive affirmation with which to motivate

14 others in prison to turn their lives around; and

15 WHEREAS, in recent weeks Rev. Johnson has worked in conjunction with prominent actor and comedian, Bill

16 Cosby, in seeking to reduce violence in inner city neighborhoods; and

17 WHEREAS, Mr. Cosby and his family are themselves victims of violent crime, having lost a son, Ennis Cosby, to

18 a senseless act of violence in 1997; and

Page 1 of 2 SD : RBC : jad 2381440027 19 WHEREAS, Rev. Johnson and Mr. Cosby met on January 15, 2007, in , near the scene of a recent

20 fatal shooting, where they spoke with people in the neighborhood in an effort to bring residents their message of

21 nonviolence; and

22 WHEREAS, Rev. Johnson is planning to host Mr. Cosby in the City of Wilmington in the near future on a similar

23 visit to a high crime area in our state; and

24 WHEREAS, Rev. Johnson is preparing to carry the message of the Life Project into prisons across the nation;

25 NOW, THEREFORE:

26 BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 144th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of

27 Representatives concurring therein, that the members do hereby commend Rev. Derrick Johnson of Wilmington for his

28 ministry and for his efforts to bring his message of nonviolence into ’s prisons.

29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of the General Assembly extends a warm welcome to Mr.

30 Bill Cosby, as he prepares to bring his message of non-violence to Delaware’s largest city, and commends him for his

31 efforts to turn his own tragic loss into a positive message with which to reach out to others.

32 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of the General Assembly extends heartfelt congratulations to

33 Rev. Johnson upon having been chosen to be the national spokesman for the Life Project.

34 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Assembly hereby requests that the Delaware Division of Libraries

35 purchase sufficient copies of “The Bible Experience” to make them available to each of Delaware’s prisons so that

36 Delaware’s inmate population can benefit from this important positive message.

37 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, upon its passage, suitable copies of this Senate Concurrent Resolution be

38 presented to the Delaware Division of Libraries; and to Rev. Derrick Johnson of Wilmington and to Mr. Bill Cosby,

39 together with the thanks and best wishes of the membership for their efforts. 40

SYNOPSIS Commending Rev. Derrick Johnson of Wilmington and Mr. Bill Cosby for their efforts in bring a message of nonviolence to crime-ridden sections of area cities; including Wilmington, congratulating Rev. Johnson upon being named national spokesman for the new prison outreach program known as the “Life Project,” and urging the Delaware Division of Libraries to purchase sufficient copies of “The Bible Experience”, produced by the parent organization of the Life Project, for each Delaware prison. Author: Sen. Henry & Rep. Smith

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