Florida church apologizes for 1964 racism

[PfcHammer]

http://interestalert.com/brand/siteia.shtml?Story=st/sn/06150000aaa0345c.upi&Sys=siteia&Fid=LATEBRKN&Type=News&Filter=Late%20Breaking

Florida church apologizes for 1964 racism

MIAMI, June 15 (UPI) -- Fifty years later, the United Methodist Church of St. Augustine, Fla., has apologized to black Christians and civil rights activists for a 1964 incident.

"We regret our actions. We regret the hurt we caused you. We ask your forgiveness," Pastor Pat Turner-Sharpton told Audrey Willace and Janice Boles, who as children were turned away from the church because they are black.

The church recognized the two women who had been walked to the church by an elderly white woman, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Tuesday.

"The deacon said, 'You can come in, but the little monkeys have to stay outside. I would like to say to all of you that I forgive you because I am a Christian,'" Boles said.

[Sean138]

1. Interesting

I think that's a noble move by them, whether or not their motives are dubious. It was certainly unexpected.

What I'm interested in is seeing how Liberals and Conservatives react to this, because of late it seems that they've been covering each others asses when it comes to racial issues.

[Caution]

2. Now if only some Florida election boards would do the same

[lumpy]

3. A little late with their apologies

wouldn't you think ? Forced apologies are so transparent. This churchy bunch were outnumbered or else they would still be calling Blacks "little monkeys". Maybe in another generation the Black person will be fully accepted into the human race by US bigots.

[noonwitch]

4. 1964 was not 50 years ago-I would think that writers for the UPI can add

I was born in 1964, almost 40 years ago.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. I had to think about that...

I was born in 1958. Sometimes I forget that I'm not yet 50. :crazy:

[AspenRose]

5. In defense of the UMC

The United Methodist Church didn't exist until the late 60's, out of a merger. The church could have been united bretheren or it could have been methodist back in 1964.

Racial reconciliation is a core mission of the UMC, as is evident in this link from 1998:

http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/newsreleases/racial.html

The feature story on the UMC website today highlights the obituary for the south's first black female doctor, who was a methodist:

http://www.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid=2&mid=5055

I am a methodist, my father-in-law is a methodist minister, and I am in an interracial marriage. He is the one who performed the ceremony. Granted, he's from New England, so perhaps it's the southern churches that had more of a history of open hostility.

I have found the UMC to be the most welcoming of ethnic diversity of all the major denominations.

Having said all this, I can safely say that Bush's* religious convictions do NOT represent the UMC, even though he claims to be one.

Hillary Clinton is a methodist, and I think Chelsea is too.

[nolabels]

6. "The two little girls were arrested when they tried to enter"

I question my beliefs everyday. As a minority at my job and neighborhood (my skins pink)I feel no need to heal or any thing else. I work hand and hand with everybody and don't need another group of people to tell me how to do it. They are all just people and everybody has needs just like anybody else. (I am sure you know that, I am just skeptical of people who want to change the world with beliefs but are too rigid to change themselves)

No bag on religion, just a plead for common sense, 40 years late

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. Better late than never.

I'm glad they couldn't forget their injustice. I hope all parties involved can begin to heal...