From Hope to Fear to Hope Again

[bluedawg12]

From Hope to Fear to Hope Again

First, let me just start by saying that I agree with and supported and continue to support President elect Barack Obama because he had the courage to speak about an injustice when others were either silent ( some Dem leaders) or outright hostile (RW)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/25/obama-takes-on-the-black-_n_83234.html

"If we are honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that our own community has not always been true to King's vision of a beloved community," Obama told 2,000 worshippers Sunday at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King once preached.
"We have scorned our gay brothers and sisters instead of embracing them."

Then I found this, and the fear and anger emerged.

By any homophobic means necessary
Republicans aim to win in 2008 on the backs of gay voters by wedging blacks on the marriage issue.

IRENE MONROE
Friday, April 28, 2006
The religious outreach to African Americans by the GOP has been both unprecedented and unrelenting. George W. Bush’s faith-based initiatives target conservative African-American churches, and his right-wing Christian evangelical ministers exploit racial and socioeconomic ills by blaming them on gays.

By stoking the homophobic flames among African Americans, the Republican Party now appears to be the party concerned with ameliorating the plight of black America.

"YOU WANT TO know what the single biggest problem facing inner-city black neighborhoods is? Homosexuality," stated Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, the white leader of the Traditional Values Coalition, a staunchly anti-gay organization, in a speech to a black congregation.

And herein lies the problem for both African Americans and gays as we jockey for a political place in the upcoming 2008 presidential election by casting our ballots with the party best representative of our interests.

Our issues both as African-American and gay voters will go unaddressed if ballots are cast for the "party of Lincoln." And with a "moral values" platform steeped in homophobic rhetoric that speaks to the fears and social ills of black people, the GOP has craftily tapped into the once-upon-a-time solidly black Democratic voting bloc that is now decidedly divided.

The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute has just published a report, "False Promises: How the Right Deploys Homophobia to Win Support from African Americans," to expose the Republicans’ duplicitous strategy.

The report shows how pitting gay civil rights against black civil rights is a diversion tactic to sow division and draw focus away from issues truly important to African Americans, like police profiling, housing discrimination, unemployment, health care and education.

The report shows how, according to both the conservative Black America PAC and the progressive Joint Center for Political & Economic Studies, the GOP’s lauded "moral values" platform was of no significant concern for respondents in the 2004 election.

And despite the Republicans’ attempt to use gay equality as a wedge issue, especially among blacks, 47 percent of African Americans would support some form of legal recognition of same-sex relationships, according to the JCPES poll.

Both polls revealed that jobs, poverty, homelessness, hunger, incarceration, health care and education are the real top priorities among African Americans.

With overwhelming evidence showing that African Americans are not gays’ political enemies, why then is the prevailing misconception packaged as truth?

The voting records of Republicans from six states with the highest population of black people-— Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi and South Carolina — show that they have the worst record addressing African-American concerns. Not surprisingly, the voting records of these same Republicans score high on conservative measures and a near zero score addressing gay rights.

Present-day Republicans of the "party of Lincoln" aim to win the 2008 election with 30 percent of the African-American vote on a campaign platform of emancipating all Americans from the "immoral" gay rights agenda. And they will deploy any homophobic means necessary.

Then, I found this, the clouds parted once again, and hope reemerged. I suspect it may be like this for some time, for myself and others, as we grapple with issues.

http://blacknews.com/pr/black_church_summit101.html

Rev. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson Headlines National Black Church Summit With a Gay Affirming Focus

Washington, DC (BlackNews.com) - Set in the city of Brotherly love and the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence where all people were declared to be created equal under the law, the National Black Justice Coalition, www.nbjc.org, continues the dialogue of equality and equal justice with a historic and nationwide forum on Black Church Homophobia.

Over three hundred people from across the nation will gather to debate the issue of homosexuality and its role within the Black Church as well as provide solutions on how to create a welcoming and gay affirming church.

Black iconic intellectuals such as the Rev. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson plus several other religious leaders both anti-gay and gay affirming will headline the event and facilitate discussion ranging from HIV and the Black Church to debating the legitimacy of scripture referring to homosexuality.

In addition to Dr. Dyson, other confirmed participants include Bishop Harry Jackson (Maryland), Bishop Yvette Flunder (San Francisco), Rev. Eugene Rivers (Boston), Dr. Kenneth Samuel (Atlanta). Rev. Deborah L. Johnson (Santa Cruz, CA), and Rev. Irene Monroe (Boston).

NBJC Black Church Summit Talking Points:

* What is NBJC?
The National Black Justice Coalition is a nationwide Black gay civil rights organization headquartered in Washington, DC. The mission of the organization is to end to racism and homophobia within the Black communities across America.

* Why is the Black Church Summit important? Why should my media outlet cover it?
The factors of HIV, anti-gay violence and emotional depression are rampant within the Black gay community. Often the Black Church is ill equipped to adequately address these issues which are often swept under the societal rug.

This year's event will once again attract nationally prominent clergy, civil rights leaders, and many opposed to and also affirming of homosexuality. Our goal is to assist the Black Church on how to embrace their lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender friends, neighbors, family, and members of their congregations.

The continued silence of the Black gay community on issues dealing with homophobia has left the entire community vulnerable to the divisive tactics of those who do not have the community's best interest at heart.

* What does NBJC plan to accomplish through the Black Church Summit?
We plan to increase the size of our ongoing Black Church Social Justice Community Action Network which is a national coalition of gay affirming Black churches and clergy who will provide activism on ending Black Church homophobia and discrimination.

* What is NBJC's position on gay marriage?
There is no such thing as same-sex marriage, there is only marriage and we believe that all Americans regardless of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation should have the right to marry the person they love.

I have heard Dr. Dyson on the Bill Maher show, Prof. Dyson is a uniting, smart, funny, charismatic man.

I would ask those who have time to perhaps check out his writing and also the NJBJC, I need to get back to work.

But this is a really, really hopeful find.

[bluedawg12]

1. Well, dang! Now I am getting all choked up again

this is all I ever wanted to hear, that we were not voices crying out in the desert.

That we have been heard by those that matter to us:

http://www.nbjcoalition.org/



"We are excited about this historic moment and look forward to working with his administration on issues of importance to the LGBT community and African American communities and ultimately to bring about an end to discrimination for all Americans."
..........

http://www.nbjcoalition.org/news/for-us-discrimination-is-not.html

"We believe in Equal justice, and in Equal Rights.

There are thousands of gay and lesbian families in California. Marriage allows these families to protect their homes and care for their loved ones.

All couples benefit from the support of family and community that comes with marriage to help their love grow and keep their commitment strong. And when families are strengthened the whole community is stronger.

In 1948, the California Supreme Court struck down race restrictions on marriage. The court said then that “the essence of the right to marry is the right to join in marriage with the person of one’s choice.” We must stand for equality and dignity of all of our brothers and sisters. The right to marry whomever you choose is a right that should be enjoyed by everyone. There are thousands of gay and lesbian families in California. Marriage allows these families to protect their homes and care for their loved ones.

All couples benefit from the support of family and community that comes with marriage to help their love grow and keep their commitment strong. And when families are strengthened the whole community is stronger.

In 1948, the California Supreme Court struck down race restrictions on marriage. The court said then that “the essence of the right to marry is the right to join in marriage with the person of one’s choice.” We must stand for equality and dignity of all of our brothers and sisters. The right to marry whomever you choose is a right that should be enjoyed by everyone."