What may, or may not, become a potential problem for Barry this November, is the fact that there are some African American pastors who are continuing in their march against his gay marriage endorsement. Since May, when Barry first announced his apparent change of heart on the subject, there has been a growing number of black faith leaders who have struggled to understand why it is that he has taken what they view as being an anti-religious stance on the matter. Now, just months before the 2012 election, a group of black pastors is coming together to advance what's been described as an anti-Obama campaign.
These conservative black pastors believe that a national campaign may be the best answer for convincing African Americans that the time has come for them to rethink their support for Barry "Almighty". Rev. Williams Owens, a true man of God and not the typical cartoon character that so often presumes to be the voice of the black community, is president and founder of an organization called the Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP). And he is also the man heading up the campaign. He appears to be a man on mission, and a man willing to put his faith above poltics.
“The time has come for a broad-based assault against the powers that be who want to change our culture to one of men marrying men and women marrying women,” Rev. Owens proclaimed at a press conference announcing the campaign at the National Press Club. “They have chosen to cater to the homosexual community, they have chosen to cater to Hollywood, to cater to big money and ignore the people who put the president where he is.” While he has stated that it is an effort to save the family unit, Rev. Owens has given few specifics about what, exactly, the group will be doing.
But considering Rev. Owens’ past history, advocacy against same-sex unions is nothing new. “I am ashamed that the first black president chose this road, a disgraceful road,” Rev. Owens proclaimed on Tuesday, according to the Communist News Network (CNN). At the press conference announcing the initiative, Rev. Owens appeared with five other pastors and claimed to have more than 3,742 faith leaders on board with the initiative. He contended that Barry was taking the black vote for granted and denied any connection between the gay rights and civil rights movements.
Among some of the more controversial comments made, was Rev. Owens insinuation that Barry’s support for gay marriage was similar to supporting child molestation, a comment that he later walked back. “If you watch the men who have been caught having sex with little boys, you will note that all of them will say that they were molested as a child…” he said during the press conference. “For the president to condone this type of thing is irresponsible.” This is only the latest in the slew of African American responses to Barry "Almighty’s" May announcement. But it also the most vocal and visible.
I'm sure most remember how it was that following Barry’s lead, and in demonstrating how it has now become something very far removed from it's initial charter, that the NAACP also enthusiastically endorsed gay marriage. As a result, The Rev. Keith Ratliff Sr. resigned from his national board post with the organization. Previously, Rev. Owens joined other faith leaders in writing a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and Barry, asking for a meeting to discuss same-sex unions. Personally, I simply do not see such a meeting taking place. I'm sure Barry remains quite confident that any effort to peel away black votes will be unsuccessful.
