Learn it! Speak it! Live it!
Bring Christmas to a child in need!
An 'urgency': Sensing threats to institutions of society, church leaders make declaration 
Click to Print
Include Comments
Torn between parties
During the last presidential election cycle, Rev. Harold Jackson, a black evangelical, prayed for George W. Bush and crisscrossed the country pressing a largely GOP agenda. Now, though, he’s focused on issues rather than “carrying the water for the Republican party,” he said. “They are not reliable enough.”
The Washington Post reports on why moral issues that seemed in 2004 to woo African-American voters to the GOP are leaving many on the fence today.
Topic: Politics, WorldMagBlog
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
back to top12 Comments to “Torn between parties”
It’s not wise for any of us to place all of our eggs in one basket politically. So black Evangelicals are finding out that they were used by the Republican Party. Why is that news to anyone? Both political parties use the groups that are aligned with it.
In any event, no political party is going to represent you on all the issues. When it comes down to it, you have to select the lesser of evils and go with it if you want to participate in the political process. Then work on changing hearts and minds.
Report comment to moderator
I think that some finally see that discrimination is not the “moral” way of America.
Report comment to moderator
From the article:
On his way out of the noon Bible study at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in the District the other day, Stephen Peagler, 27, said he is a faithful churchgoer who believes that abortion and same-sex marriage are wrong. But, he said, when it comes to voting, he’s looking for a candidate who will address issues that are more relevant in his everyday life. And Democrats are more likely to deal with the high incarceration rates of black men and underperforming inner-city schools, he said.
Why do so many blacks seem to view law enforcement itself as an immoral activity? The reason for the high incarceration rates of black males is the the high crime rate among black males. No jurisdiction in America goes around locking up black males. They lock up criminals. It’s hardly their fault that so many of the criminals are black males.
But it’s good to see that Pastor Jackson has seen through the GOP charade. He understands, unlike your average white evangelical, that the GOP just uses the moral values issues during elections to get votes, and once they’re back in office, go back to business as usual and don’t do a thing about the issues they tell Christians they’re going to act on. Pastor Jackson called them on it. Good for him.
Report comment to moderator
Let’s not get too excited. Less than 20 percent of African Americans voted for Bush in 2004. Only some of those were voting on so-called moral issues.
By the way, when did civil rights and economic equality cease to be moral issues?
Report comment to moderator
Actually, IIRC, it was far less than 20%. It was more like 11%, which was seen as a huge increase over the usual 9%. It was, according to the GOP and evangelical dreamers, a significant breakthrough that heralded the dawn of a powerful new coalition of white evangelicals and African Americans. So much for that theory.
Report comment to moderator
DC Lawyer,
The same time personal responsibility, good charater attributes and accountability were taken off the table for discussion about minorities by the left.
Report comment to moderator
Economic equality has never been a moral issue.
Report comment to moderator
Night Train at #3: The reason for the high incarceration rates of black males is the the high crime rate among black males. No jurisdiction in America goes around locking up black males. They lock up criminals. It’s hardly their fault that so many of the criminals are black males.
It’s possible he using “incarceration rates” as shorthand for the whole problem … why a disproportionate number of black men turn to crime in the first place, which includes a whole host of factors … education, poverty, drug abuse and more.
However, it would be evidence of racism if there was good evidence that black men are more likely to be treated severely by the justice system than white men. And that’s a problem that could compound through the system, starting with the police officer’s decision to arrest or to let it slide with a warning or a ticket, all the way up a judge’s sentencing determination of probation or jail time.
This is not a subject I’m especially knowledgeable in, so I don’t know what any studies may show. But the disparity is too great (1 in 20 black men is in prison, compared to only 1 in 180 white men) to be completely explained by greater levels of criminality, I think. Reference.
Report comment to moderator
But the disparity is too great (1 in 20 black men is in prison, compared to only 1 in 180 white men) to be completely explained by greater levels of criminality, I think.
Well, if the fact that black males are locked up at 9 times the rate of white males isn’t completely explained by greater levels of criminality, it necessarily follows that vast numbers of black males are being incarcerated despite having committed no crimes. That’s an absurd theory, to be perfectly honest.
Report comment to moderator
Actually, another possibility is that millions of white males are being let go scot free after committing serious crimes. Those are the only two possibilities your theory will admit, and both are equally absurd.
You’re conflating two separate issues. If you want to talk about the alleged “root causes” of crime, fine. But that’s an entirely different discussion. The root cause of high incarceration rates is high crime rates. Period.
Report comment to moderator
Random bullet points:
1) Despite its constant repetition, there is absolutely no evidence that Democrats do anything positive for education, black incarceration rates, or any of the other things these men claim to want help with. Stewardship of taxpayers’ money is as much a moral issue as black poverty.
2)From the article: “Morality is different in terms of the way we see it and white evangelicals see it,” said Pastor Lyle Dukes of Harvest Life Changers Church in Woodbridge, a member of Jackson’s group who supported Bush in 2004. “What we think is moral is not only the defense of marriage, but we also think equal education is a moral issue. We think discrimination is immoral.”
This man is a racist pig. Because I’m white, I don’t think discrimination is immoral? You and the horse you rode in on, pal.
3)Also from the article: Democrats, [Jackson] said, “come to us under the cloak of darkness at the last hour, get what they want and then act like they don’t know us the next day.”
That got a big laugh from the conservatives, he recalled. Then Jackson said he told Rove: “You all are doing the same thing to the evangelicals.”
Exactly true, unfortunately.
Report comment to moderator
Copyright violation
Report comment to moderator
back to topJoin The Conversation
You need to be a registered user of WORLDonTheWeb.com to "join the conversation."
If you are not a member yet, what are you waiting for? Register / Login Now!