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September 27, 2012
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
Photos by Ray Lewis

Leading Ministers Counter the ‘Don’t Vote” Sermonizers

by Hazel Trice Edney
(TriceEdneyWire.com) – Blacks must focus on the big picture, not just President Barack Obama's support of same-sex marriage in deciding whether to cast a ballot for his re-election or to stay at home, say three prominent black ministers.

They argue that the African-American community has much more pressing problems with which to contend. A high unemployment rate, crumbling schools, low test scores, high dropout rates, home foreclosures, high rates of incarceration are of significant concern, the ministers said.

Yet President Obama's support of same-sex marriage has divided the black community, and some African-American voters said they will not vote because of the president's position.

That idea brought the Rev. Jesse Jackson, founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, to tears on Saturday, Sept. 22, during a forum at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference. The question also riles the Rev. Al Sharpton, host of PoliticsNation on MSNBC, who believes some people are being paid to advocate staying home on November 6, election day.

Rev. Jackson used a handkerchief to wipe away tears as he sat on the panel, recalling how he was jailed on July 6, 1960, for trying to use a public library. He still targets pervasive racial injustices across America. Given the atrocities he sees, he’s “not quite ready to prioritize same-sex marriage” as a major issue affecting the financial welfare of the black community.

Teaching the audience a quick lesson that brought them to roaring and empathetic laughter, he asked them to respond to the following questions:

“How many of you have a relative in jail? Raise your hand…How many of you support Medicare and Medicaid? Raise your hand…How many of you support social security? Raise your hand…How many of you have or know someone with home foreclosure? Raise your hand...You know somebody in student loan debt? Raise your hand…You know somebody with credit card debt? Raise your hand…You know of voter suppression? Raise your hand…You know somebody who needs a job? Raise your hand.”

With nearly every hand raised in response to most of these questions, Rev. Jackson then hit the audience with the unexpected question: “How many have ever been invited to a same-sex marriage?...How many has ever had one in your church?” Not a hand was raised in the room of about 300 people, who broke into laughter – mainly at themselves.

“While we [should be] arguing about our option of Medicare, Medicaid, housing, jobs, and justice, we are arguing about whether someone has the right to engage in a wedding that you were not invited to,” Rev. Jackson said as the audience roared with applause and laughter.

Rev. Jackson said he believes the same-sex marriage debate in the black community is being prompted by right-wing conservatives who have pushed their priorities onto the black community.

"I don’t want anybody to jump line and put on us their priority,” he said.

Rev. Al Sharpton also believes the pervasive discussion regarding same-sex marriage is a sinister agenda on the part of a stealthy right wing that might even be funding those blacks who advocate not going to the polls.

Rev. Al Sharpton
Rev. Al Sharpton
“I would say that that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard,” Sharpton said in a brief interview during Saturday night’s the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Phoenix Awards Dinner.

"First of all, we have disagreed with every president on something. Bill Clinton put bills through that hurt us – welfare reform...We’ve never talked about not voting. I think that some of the people who are saying this are sponsored by our enemies, because show me anywhere in history where we’ve ever said we’re not going to vote because we disagree with the opinion of a president. He didn’t propose a law; he didn’t say he was going to campaign for a law. He gave an opinion and then all of a sudden they tell people don’t vote? Somebody’s sponsoring this.”

The Rev. Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant, pastor of the Empowerment Temple AME Church in Baltimore, said he wants to register a million voters before the Nov. 6 election.

Bryant said he has been told by some black pastors that they will not be voting for President Obama because of his stance on same-sex marriage. This position gives civil-rights leaders an even more urgent motive to inspire people to go to the polls, Bryant said.

"President Obama could actually win the debates and lose the election,” said Jackson. “I would urge us to keep your eyes on the prize. Hold on. Hold on. Don’t win the same-sex debate and lose the right to a house, health, education, jobs, and justice.”

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