Black Christians understand justice. Rooted in a history of struggle against oppression the black
church has historically led the nation in a moral quest for human dignity and freedom.
Unfortunately, some outspoken African-American clergy have rejected the moral vision of black
Christianity by fueling anti-gay prejudice in their opposition to the Matthew Shepard Act. These
African-American preachers are more interested in the media spotlight than in honoring the
black Christian tradition of justice.
Poised for a vote in the Senate, the Matthew Shepard Act extends federal hate crime protections to citizens who are violently victimized because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. It provides local law enforcement with the resources to thoroughly investigate heinous, bias-fueled crimes. Intending to shift public opinion against this bill, a few conservative African-American pastors are working overtime — through protests and provocative advertisements — to spread the false message that this legislation will criminalize them for condemning gay people.
It is time for black Christians to speak out against this distorted and ugly campaign against the
Matthew Shepard Act. The proposed federal statute does not punish nor prohibit free expression of one's religious beliefs. The hate crimes bill includes language protecting individuals from race-based and religion-based crimes as well. The Act protects first Amendment rights for everyone while ensuring that the authorities fully investigate all violent crimes intended to degrade and oppress their victims. The bill protects our children, because black youth are disproportionately targeted and victimized in anti-gay hate crimes.
Homophobic black clergy do not speak for the entire black Christian community. Though they receive dramatically less media attention than Bishop Harry Jackson, many African-American religious leaders are encouraging acceptance and inclusion in their congregations and communities. African-American Christians have long resisted readings of the Bible that exclude and oppress. Enslaved blacks were admonished to "obey their masters" but they believed the story of Moses leading his people from bondage. Jim Crow religion told black people to be silent about oppression because the "meek shall inherit the earth," but Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. called for "justice to run down like waters and righteousness as a mighty and ever-flowing stream." Lamentably, as the Matthew Shepard Act debate has illustrated, the Black religious voices urging inclusion and respect rarely receive as much media notice as those preaching division and bigotry.
To be sure, there is still much work to be done before homophobia ceases to cause pain and
division. African-American gay men and lesbians continue to find themselves marginalized in
some churches and in the mainstream black media. On the news, a handful of Black athletes
and performers received enormous media attention after making hateful anti-gay statements
this year. While homophobia remains a serious and pernicious problem across this nation, it's
important for us to recognize that there are far more people within the black religious community who support equality and dignity for gay people than the media has given credit. The public — especially those young people who are now recognizing their sexual orientation and
gender identity — should know that those who preach bigotry in their unfounded assault on the Matthew Shepard Act do not define the level of open-mindedness and acceptance in the African-American religious community.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote from a letter from a Birmingham jail to express his grave
disappointment in his fellow clergy because they failed to support eh struggle for equal rights
and human dignity. Let us now register our equal disappointment with the intolerance or homophobic clergy in our community. When asked why he'd come to Birmingham, King wrote "I
am here because injustice is here." When asked why we support the Matthew Shepard Act black
Christians can respond the same.
Loading comments… 
I have received many emails from most of you concerning my comments about Homosexual
I have read each of your comments, I have read so many articles, notes, documentat
Bottom line, we will not come to common ground concerning this. Each of you are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mines.
Throughout your emails, many of you called me a "Bigot" so I wanted to know if the definition has changed. I was astonished that the definition has not changed:
A Bigot - "a person obstinatel
So, If I am a "Bigot".. then what are you?
I personally would not have used the word "Bigot". I would have used a phrase, "your conviction
Finally, I wish each of you peace and long live, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
I'm sixty-two years old and I simply don't understand the so-called Christian obsession with other people's genitals.
Parts of our society seem to be stuck bending over to sniff their neighbors' private parts.
All lather, no soap.
Gramma Rose
I have read each response to my comment. I must say, that I am impressed with the strong opinions concerning this subject. But, I would like to expand on my earlier comment and your comments.
I am not suprise of the comments from each of you, but I am suprised that each of you are not up on your research concerning this subject.
Allow me to inform each of you, if I may..
First - I am a Christian that believes in God'd Word explictly! Many of your arguements are not new and have no real foundation
Secondly - If each of you are as versed in the knowledge of Homosexual
I will be waiting on your comments.
Rev. Dr. Rodney N. Tolbert, Sr. (The Doctorate (Phd) is in Eduction - not Theology)
However that it has the word Sociology in it makes it terribly suspect. Sociology has long had a history of trying to limit scientific explanatio
There is plenty of evidence in favor of a genetic component to sexual behavior, it is highly heritable. And it seems that it home environmen
Identical twins raised apart show this relationsh
On top of that, there may be some environmen
Excellent over-views of this literature can be found in Steven Pinker's book The Blank Slate (an attack on that notion), Matt Ridley also covers this in his book Genome. These books will point you to primary research on this material.
The problem with religious leaders is the word religious. And that they are that very thing.
All human misery has been caused by the fact that one women fell for a few lines from a talking snake.
A talking snake.
There is also a talking incidiary bit of burning shrubbery.
Doen't that sound just the tiniest bit silly when put baldly?
The way some of these ministers act, one would think that they themselves do not sin. Or better yet the "sins" of homosexual
While I do not espouse the gay way of life, I believe that these folks are our sisters and brothers and that LOVE is what our Lord would want us to show them, not hatred, prejudice or judgement!
The Black Conservati
Homosexual
Maybe its time to stop justifying our actions by the strange religious laws of un-sophist
HOW MANY young women became HIV+ because of the astondingl
Sounds like Iranian government policy. maybe (Black) Christian Ministers would be happier living in wonderful downtown Tehran - no gays, enjoy.
There are many gay people who did as much for them. Not that it's all about reciprocit
Giordano
As to the Jena 6, why they haven't been carged wiht a "hate crime"?
Answer, because they are black. Hate crimes laws are nothing more than an very thinly veiled attempt to make some americans more equal int he eyes of the law than others. Repeal all hate crimes laws.
There are specific crimes where the victim is specificly HUNTED, and where the hatred fuels a level of brutality white straight males will NEVER KNOW. When was a straight kicked to death by 5 of his fellow sailors until his body was described as SO damaged, it equaled a hoorible car accident?
Alan Schindler'
Are you really that naive?
Perhaps your unaware of the racism against whites in predominan
More to the point, if a victim was hunted whether its becasue he was gay, or black, or rich, is irrelevant
I dont care why they caused that much dmagae, and neither should the law, the important thing is WHAT they did not why.
Spray-pain