Homophobia Used To Hijack The Black Vote

[readmoreoften]

Republicans using gay rights as a wedge issue between African-Americans and the Democratic party. From www.blackcommentator.com. Here's a snippet...

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Standing before the press in their Sunday best and eager to get their fifteen minutes of fame and achievable share of President Bush's Faith Based Initiative, these Black pastors seemingly allowed their pulpits to be purchased by the GOP and Lou Sheldon, who is to gay people what Strom Thurmond was to Blacks. Sheldon at one time even went so far as to support the quarantining of people with AIDS and accused the federal government of "running a network of whorehouses," when the U.S. responded to the AIDS crisis with resources.

Later that afternoon over one hundred Black pastors gathered at Reverend Fred Price's Crenshaw Christian Center, another prominent mega-church, where Sheldon showed his infamous "Gay rights, special rights" video and urged the pastors to have their congregations lobby African American legislators who hadn't taken a position on the issue of same-sex marriage.

**

oops I forgot to add the link...
http://blackcommentator.com/128/128_think_pulpits.html

[applegrove]

1. Yes that is what they did in the last election. They are trying to

convert the religious in that community too. I doubt it will work on mass. But it will work on some. And that is all they want.

[readmoreoften]

2. I remember reading about Rove

(unfortunately I don't remember where) was planning to use this as a major wedge issue betweeen Dems and African-Americans in 2006/2008 and their goal was to catch only 3% more of the AA vote, which they believe will wreak major havoc on us.

I'd like to know if anyone knows what our strategy is on counterbalancing this.

[applegrove]

3. We be the party of the truth and good information. n/t

[journalist3072]

4. Not only that, but...

I remember reading that after teh 2000 election, Karl Rove did his own analysis to see why Bush lost the popular vote, and he determined Bush lost the popular vote in 2000 b/c "Christian conservatives" (I hate that term) stayed at home.

And he decided that in order for Bush to "win" in 2004, he had to get the Christian conservative base out.

Also, I think most people understand that African-Americans (like me) have been more conservative on the moral issues of our time, and more liberal on social issues.

BTW, Tavis Smiley talked about this during his State of Black America forum.

[applegrove]

5. Why do you think AA are more conservative on moral issues. Is it

religeon? Is it southern? I do not know about this as I am not from the USA.

[journalist3072]

6. Yes, it is religion

I think that as African-Americans, we are more "conservative" on the moral issues because of religious beliefs. Within the African-American community, we have always relied on our faith to get us through the hard times. It goes back to slavery, and how slaves would sing hymns out in the field. They relied on their faith, and those hymns, to get them through.

So I say all that to say that yes, it is religious beliefs that make many African-Americans more conservative on moral issues, and more liberal on social issues

I think the Republicans know this, and are trying to use wedge issues like abortion and gay marriage to drive a wedge between the Democratic Party and its most loyal constituency.

[ultraist]

8. Yet, the African Americans never let their religious beliefs intefere with

voting for the party that really had their best interests in mind.

Most Blacks I know here in the South are very religious (opposed to abortion and gay marriage) and the churches are strong, but they do not vote Republican, the party of Jesse Helms. Why would that change?

[journalist3072]

10. You're absolutely right. Totally agree....

I've said it before and I'll say it again: It is precisely because of my religious beliefs that politically, I am progressive/left of center.

My bible tells me that Jesus Christ believed in lifting up the least among us. That he had compassion for the poor. ("As ye did it for the least of these....you did it for me.")

It's that type of prospective that has shaped my views on issues like affirmative action, health care for every American, raising the minimum wage, etc.

[applegrove]

14. That is nice to hear. Those are the Christians I know and love.

I am guessing that perhaps the pulpit of said churches are a little less naive than the people leading the Bush Parade. All that democrats need is 'shades of grey' thinking. That is what they need in all their former followers. I still feel confident that the likes of Rove will not bust through.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. The Democratic Party better start working with the AA community.

We need to show them that Democrats are still concerned with them. The GOP will do ANYTHING to "win" elections.

[ultraist]

9. I do agree with that. Democrats have really fallen down on the job

with regard to Black issues, as well as other things. This is a wake up call that they will have to earn the Black vote.

I still don't understand why Black voters would shift to Repukes based on wedge issues. They never really have in the past.

[journalist3072]

11. You got it!

I left the Democratic party and became a registered independent precisely because I feel like the Democratic Party is taking the African-American vote for granted. And I was disgusted that only one Senator would sign on to the objection of Ohio's electors.

[ultraist]

12. The pressure is on now. Kerry lost a small percentage of the Black vote

If Dean does what he says, and pushes the party to return to it's core values, they will have to address Black issues. The disparities between blacks and whites on health care, education, incarceration rates, income, etc are shameful! Democrats better get off their asses.

Yes, that was pitiful but it was one Senator but several Congress Reps! ;)

[journalist3072]

13. Yep, you're dead on!

Kerry did lose a small percentage of the African-American vote. And that disturbed me. Unfortunately, you had a lot of clergy and ministers telling their congregatation that Christians had only one real choice in this election. In fact, during the general campaign, I was watching CNN, and they were at this church, talking about religion and the election. And this Black congregant at this church said that as a Christian, he had only one choice in the election--Bush.

I almost lost it! I wanted to scream at him--George Bush hasn't done ONE thing to earn your vote, or mine.

So it was really distressing.