Black Opposition to LGBT Equality

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

I'm lifting up this link hoping that we remember the many African American allies that we do have and that we not be tempted by our own racism:

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=755

The Southern Poverty Law Center, who published this article in their journal "Intelligence Report" is one of the "traditional" civil rights organizations. It seems to me that this article shows that it is predominantly white, right-wing organizations that are manipulating homophobia in order to "divide and conquer" minority communities.

This article at www.Talk2Action.org comments on the "Intelligence Report" article: http://www.talk2action.org/story/2007/4/26/233140/016

Steven Webster

[Jamie McDaniel]

That was a good article from The Southern Poverty Law Center. Two years ago I heard Rev. Jeremiah Wright speak during Lexington's MLK Jr. Day gathering. He did an amazing job speaking out against the war in Iraq and I went up and thanked him afterwards. Since then, I've seen his name several places.

Support for anti-gay causes, of course, is far from universal among black church leaders. For instance, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago whose congregation includes Sen. Barack Obama, has come out strongly against allowing anti-gay prejudice to become gospel in black churches. His church is one of the few that has a "Same Gender Loving" ministry for congregants.

[kara speltz]

That was a good article from The Southern Poverty Law Center. Two years ago I heard Rev. Jeremiah Wright speak during Lexington's MLK Jr. Day gathering. He did an amazing job speaking out against the war in Iraq and I went up and thanked him afterwards. Since then, I've seen his name several places.


Al Sharpton, is another black religious leader who has not been afraid to stand up for LGBTs. I've had my issues with him in the past, but I was so impressed when he was on Oprah recently discussing stopping the use of the n word and the calling women bitches and ho's, that he included ending homophobia. Only one other on the program addressed that, and I'm blanking on his name at the moment.

[Daniel]

Interesting article indeed! Which brings up history here at home.

My husband has served - for a significant length of time- as an organist in two black churchs here in NYC. In each, he experienced a homophobic reaction from lady members of the choir (the men came to his defense btw). In one case, a woman tried to have him fired from the church for no other reason than he was gay. The pastor, in that case, brought the charge before the church council and settled the matter, the upshot being that person who brought the charge was banned from the choir. Mr. Husband didn't stay long after that.

What really upset him is that, at each church, the pastor didn't treat his concern seriously at first, as if tall blond men could not have such a problem. Neither wanted to deal with it.

My guy is the nicest person to get along with- and it was traumatic for him to go through both those experiences- one after another. He chalked them up to reverse racism and homophobia as well as class-ism: a tall blond man becomes a lighning rod in a black church if he is viewed as usurping a position reserved for a black man.

One would think that a place like NYC would be more enlightened in such matters.

Ain't so.

He plays in an Episcopal church now, which is lead by a gay priest and his partner. Suffice it to say, he is much happier. It's also a predominently black church.

What a difference real leadership makes.

[antonyh]

It seems to me that this article shows that it is predominantly white, right-wing organizations that are manipulating homophobia in order to "divide and conquer" minority communities.


I'm not sure about this statement. It assumes that minority groups are less sophisticated and open to manipulation from white, right-wing organizations. I'm sure that was not your intent, but it just came off like that.

I was walking to the bus stop last night after class, and an African American preacher followed me preaching at the top of his lungs, "There are the gays and the lesbians going to hell...." I guess he thought I need a little dose of hell fire.

I've had this happen countless times with African American street preachers. At the Belmount El stop in Chicago, I've seen African Americans say at the top of their voice, "This is the faggot stop and all laugh".

Maybe we should just call homophobia, homophobia. This makes Corretta Scott Kings stand all the more remarkable.

[davidb]

I'm just about to end my work day, and when I hit my subway stop at Jackson and State, every corner is filled with street preachers (both black and white) who will scream at the top of their lungs regarding hell fire and eternal damnation and then recite the list of who's not going to heaven. It makes for such a pleasant commute...