Rod 2.0:Beta

Al Sharpton Denounces Anti-Gay Black Mega-Church Pastors

When Rev. Al Sharpton is right the truth cuts like a knife. The reverend once again slams black mega-churches and major denominations for ignoring poverty and justice to focus on gays and marriage.

Sharpton delivered the keynote at the Human Rights Ecumenical Service at Atlanta's Tabernacle Baptist Church, probably the city's largest gay-friendly and inclusive black church. The good reverend used the opportunity to question the role of the Mormon Church—which heavily bankrolled the Yes on 8 campaign—and the black mega-church pastors who mobilized congregations against gay marriage.

"There is something immoral and sick about using all of that power to not end brutality and poverty, but to break into people's bedrooms and claim that God sent you."

"It amazes me when I looked at California and saw churches that had nothing to say about police brutality, nothing to say when a young black boy was shot while he was wearing police handcuffs, nothing to say when they overturned affirmative action, nothing to say when people were being [relegated] into poverty, yet they were organizing and mobilizing to stop consenting adults from choosing their life partners."

"I am tired," he went on, "of seeing ministers who will preach homophobia by day, and then after they're preaching, when the lights are off they go cruising for trade...We know you're not preaching the Bible, because if you were preaching the Bible we would have heard from you. We would have heard from you when people were starving in California--when they deregulated the economy and crashed Wall Street you had nothing to say. When Bush took us to war chasing weapons of mass destruction that weren't there you had nothing to say. But all of a sudden, when Proposition 8 came out, you had so much to say, but since you stepped in the rain, we're going to step in the rain with you."

This is not new for Sharpton. When the reverend ran for president in 2004, he was one of only two candidates to support full marriage equality. In June 2006 he told CNN, "There are no gay people coming to our churches asking to get married. But there are plenty of people coming with problems voting or their sons in jail."

The civil rights activist has never really gotten his due from the mainstream LGBT community or much of the black LGBT community outside the Tri-State. But how fierce is it to have a pastor speaking the truth we know oh-so-well about those anti-gay pastors who rant from the pulpit and "cruise for trade" at night? You'd better work it out, Rev. Al.

Paterson Becomes A "Celebrity" After Gay Marriage Directive

The Rod 2.0 lovefest for the nation's black and gay friendly governors continues. In The Empire Zone, the state politics blog of The New York Times, there is a nice profile of Gov. David Paterson. It seems the gov has become "something of a celebrity since he directed state agencies to recognize the legal marriages of same-sex couples.

But Mr. Paterson has unexpectedly discovered that some of the people who are most grateful to him for issuing the order are, in fact, parents with a gay son or a lesbian daughter.

The governor said in an interview last week that he had been approached by several people who expressed their gratitude. “What struck me were the straight people who came up to me,” he said. “This has happened four or five times since. They’ll say: ‘We’re so glad you did this. Our daughter is gay or our son is gay.’ I found that to be so very touching.”

One evening two weeks ago, while he was having dinner with his wife, Michelle Paige Paterson, at a restaurant at 105th Street and Broadway, the governor said, a man and a woman approached him, introduced themselves, and then each hugged him. Their son was gay, they told Mr. Paterson, and they wanted to let the governor know how thankful they were about his policy.

More on Pateron's charming anecdote on the two older gay black men who were a couple and friends to his family when he was growing up in Harlem. These two men babysat and helped the future governor with his schoolwork, and, apparently, were also known to the Rev. Al Sharpton who recently called Paterson and joked that he "was calling on behalf of Uncle Stanley and Uncle Ronald, saying I’d be in trouble for outing them."

Deb Price's new column in the Detroit News also notes the gay-friendly politics of David Paterson, Deval Patrick and Barack Obama and writes, "Something very powerful and special is happening within the black community to counterbalance the often unaccepting messages from the black church." Deb Price is absolutely right.

Stance on SSM Brings Surprises for Paterson [NYT]
Black governors show how to accept gays [Det News]

More DAVID PATERSON
More POLITICS

Some Background ...
Poll: NY Support Paterson's Gay Marriage Directive [R20]
Paterson Orders NY to Recognize SSM [R20]
Harlem Reacts to Paterson's Marriage Directive [R20]
Opposition Grows to Marriage Recognition in NYS [R20]
Paterson Promises Support for Same Sex Marriage [R20]
Paterson and Wife Admit Extramarital Affairs [R20]
Paterson Sworn In as NYs First Black Governor [R20]
Spitzer Implicated in Prostitution Ring [R20]
Spitzer Keeps Promise: Gay Marriage Bill Introduced [R20]
Spitzer Will Introduce Gay Marriage Bill [R20]
News: Same-Sex Marriage in New York [R20]
Court: No Gay Marriage in New York [R20]
News: Meet New York's Lt. Governor [R20]
Slim Majority in CA Want to Ban Gay Marriage [R20]
CA Supreme Court Overturns Marriage Ban [R20]
Schwarzengger: Gay Marriage Good for Economy [R20]
Clinton, Obama's Bland Statements on CA Marriage [R20]
Pope Reiterates Opposition to Same Sex Marriage [R20]
CA Poll: Majority Back Gay Marriage [R20]

O'Reilly Visits Harlem: "Blacks Well Dressed" and "Not Screaming"

Fox News polemicist-in-chief Bill O'Reilly shares an interesting anecdote on his nationally syndicated radio show: On a recent trip to Harlem, he was delighted to discover "the blacks are well-dressed."

The trip uptown was taken with the Rev. Al Sharpton and the duo went to the legendary Sylvia's restaurant (Audio at Media Matters). The right-wing commentator "couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship." O'Reilly added: "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea.' "

O'Reilly also attended an Anita Baker concert at Radio City Music Hall and was also impressed with the lack of profanity, noting "the blacks were well-dressed. ... The band was excellent, but they were dressed in tuxedos, and this is what white America doesn't know, particularly people who don't have a lot of interaction with black Americans. They think that the culture is dominated by Twista, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg."

O'Reilly's obsession with defining rap music as the barometer of black "culture" is quite curious and dovetails with last week's discussion on Ja Rule's publicity stunt, and, the new BET special on hip-hop's influence on contemporary pop culture. He probably isn't aware that American Express, Time Warner, Boeing, Merrill Lynch, K-mart and Young & Rubicam are headed by black CEOs. That certainly isn't the norm, but, black families are more likely to have teachers, nurses, lawyers and civil servants in their families than rap music impresarios.

Bill O'Reilly: "No Difference" at Sylvia's [Media Matters]
Hip-Hop vs America [Keith Boykin]

Some Background ...
Home Depot Dumps Bill O'Reilly [R20]
Bill O'Reilly: "Insane" to Bring Children Near Gays [R20]

Thousands Protest in Jena, Bush "Saddened" But Refuses Comment

A massive rally in the small town of Jena, Louisiana takes a surrealistic turn as Martin Luther King III is thrust onto the spotlight. The son of the slain civil rights icon is seen here speaking to CNN reporter Kyra Phillips as thousands of protesters march—including Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson—in support of the six black teenagers initially charged with attempted murder in the beating of a white classmate.

King says some type of punishment should be in order for the six defendants but "the justice system isn't applied the same to all crimes and all people." The six teens were initially charged with attempted murder for a schoolyard fight with white students. This followed an ugly and escalating series of racially motivated incidents that started when three white hung nooses from a tree on high school grounds. Their suspensions were later overturned by the school district.

None of the majority white town's politicians, civic leaders or ministers have spoken against the noose—an offensive symbol reminiscent of lynchings—or the exclusion of black students from certain areas on the school grounds. Yesterday the "prosecutor ran out to television cameras flanked by a cadre of white men to argue that his decision to pursue the case was not based on race."

This morning and for the very first time, President George W. Bush spoke on the situation in the small Louisiana town and says he is "saddened" by the events but refuses comment because "this is an ongoing trial, and litigation is taking place." Compare this to the President's intervention in the Scooter Libby case during "an ongoing trial" where "litigation" and prosecution was taking place.

The situation in Jena has attracted a broad coalition of support from across the progressive community. The National Black Justice Coalition is in Jena and the Human Rights Campaign live blogs events in here. HRC President Joe Solmonese notes "injustice against one of us, is a cold, hard reminder that injustice in America still exists for a lot of us."

Thousands Rally in Jena [AP]
President's on March in Jena [Shreveport Times]
Jena 6 an American Justice [Keith Boykin]
Jena Live Blog [HRC Back Story]

Will Demps on Gays, Sharpton Tells Churches to End Homopbia

· Yet another reason to love Will Demps. In a profile at Baltimore, the New York Giants safety-slash-fashion model says, "Gay marriage is fine by me, I respect everyone’s rights."

· Will Smith is in love with the idea of playing Barack Obama in a movie. "But of course he has to write the third act in a couple of years," Smith said, alluding to a presidential bid. "There's absolutely going to be a third act and I believe [Obama] is going to be the hero."

· Alaska's governor fast-tracks court-ordered domestic partner benefits. Meanwhile, the data tells it straight—three quarters of domestic partnerships in New York City are heterosexual couples. (Thanks Bernie!)

· Rev. Al Sharpton continues his mission to get black churches to re-focus on social justice. Speaking in Indianapolis, the reverend said it was time to move beyond the issues of abortion and gay rights. "We have been inundated in the faith community with bedroom sexual morality issues. And not dealing with the broader moral issues of poverty, of injustice and of healthcare. And we must, as a church, speak to those issues."

Black Gay Pride and the "N-word"

"Stop using the N-word!" Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley to the anti-gay State Sen. James Meeks, a minister and possible mayoral challenger who often uses the word in speeches and sermons.

· Accra, Ghana: Over 200 lawmakers representing 18 African countries meet to discuss fighting HIV/AIDS.

· Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson hit the campaign trail to support Ned Lamont—challenger to Sen. Joe Lieberman in the Connecticut Democratic primary.

· In New Mexico, authorities say three young men tortured and beat an 18-year-old gay man for hours. Two men are in custody and police are looking for a third. The victim suffered bleeding on the brain and a concussion—as well cuts and bruises—but has been treated and released. The suspects face kidnapping, battery, hate crimes and other charges.

· Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee pushes a same-sex mariage ban in South Carolina. Huckabee, a possible 2008 GOP presidential contender, is in the state to chair the weekend meeting of the National Governors Association.

· A compromise in this weekend's black gay Pride celebration at Jacob Riis Beach, Queens. Federal authorities say the sixth annual Pride in the City can host up to 1,500 people ... in the baseball field behind the beach.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says nine leading pharmaceutical manufacturers will work toward lower prices of HIV and antiretroviral drugs.

· Two priests who are prominent in the Church of England have entered into a civil partnership. According to London's Daily Telegraph, the Very Reverend Jeffrey John—forced to resign as bishop of Reading in 2003 because he is gay—officially registered his relationship with the Reverend Grant Holmes. Anglican clergy may enter such partnerships after assuring superiors they are celibate, as was the case with Revs. John and Holmes. Church conservatives were dismayed by the news and say that it will fuel more arguments over the role of gay clergy.

· The New York Times profiled Rev. Gregory A. Boyd, the Minnesota pastor of a megachurch who decided his "church should steer clear of politics [and] give up moralizing on sexual issues." Rev. Boyd blasted the “hypocrisy and pettiness” of evangelical Christians who focus on “sexual issues” like "homosexuality, abortion or Janet Jackson’s breast-revealing performance at the Super Bowl halftime show." The Woodland Hills Church near St. Paul lost about one-fifth of its congregation. However, many say they are excited about the church's new direction.

Jennifer Hudson, who will star in the film adaptation of Dreamgirls as Effie White, will perform at this year's Gay Days at Disneyland on October 7.

· Canada admits that HIV cases are increasing and it must do more to fight the epidemic.

· San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders to gay bashers who attacked three men at Pride: "You are cowards.”

News: LL Cool J, Al Sharpton, Beenie Man, Buju Banton

· After 20 years, LL Cool J prepares to say goodbye to Def Jam and has asked 50 Cent to executive produce his last album at the famed label: "He's talented and I feel like I have something I want to say—I think he can help me get it off my chest." Don't you just love that last part?

· There's a fabulous editorial at CNN.com by the Rev. Al Sharpton, where he expounds upon earlier statements that black mega-churches have the wrong focus and "continue to employ an agenda focused solely on sexually-based themes, like denying a women's right to choose an abortion or a gay couple's right to marry, to rally their congregations and drive a wedge through our people." He's not joking. Three months ago, we reported a study that tracked GOP efforts to spread anti-gay messages in black churches in order to exploit voters.

· The FBI is expected to join the investigation into the cross burning at the home of a gay man in rural Tennessee.

· It's a two-for-one day against homophobic lyrics in merry olde England. Beenie Man's July 29th concert in Bournemouth is cancelled after police "compiled evidence against the Jamaican singer, including homophobic song lyrics which call for lesbians to be hanged and gays to be murdered." Also, last night's concert in Brighton by Buju Banton was pulled after activists complained that the artist broke a long-standing agreement not to perform or justify homophobic songs.

Good call by Queerty on Buju Banton: "In general we don't approve of censorship, but following all the homophobic violence this Pride month, perhaps it's not the best time to have some lunatic telling his fans to murder gays, considering that sentiment seems to be in the air already."

A new report by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) applauds the black press for "increasing and expanding coverage of Black LGBT issues." The study finds the change can be attributed to greater visibility by lgbt people of color—such as WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes—and high profile straight allies, such as the Rev. Al Sharpton, Kanye West, the late Coretta Scott King. Essence was applauded for sensitive coverage of black lesbians, "however, the magazine's extensive down low coverage has characterized bisexual men as irresponsible disease carriers."

· 50 prominent religious leaders, including seven Roman Catholic cardinals and about a half-dozen archbishops, sign a petition in support of a constitutional amendment blocking same-sex marriage. Acording to the New York Times, aides to three Republican senators—Bill Frist of Tennessee, Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, and, Sam Brownback of Kansas—were also involved.

· Brooklyn: Steven Pomie sentenced to 25 years for the brutal beating of Dwan Prince.

· "Where's the outrage over black pastors' homophobia?" Washington Blade Managing Editor Kevin Naff blogs the ongoing controversy around opening the gay-owned Be Bar on 9th Street NW in Shaw. Two prominent black pastors are leading the fight against the opening—Bishop C.L. Long of Scripture Cathedral and Rev. Anthony Evans, associate pastor at Mount Zion Church. In an interview with the Blade, Evans confirmed that he objects to a gay bar opening outside of the "defined gay community. But in this case, I know why they are doing it. They are doing it simply because they feel that they can do it and that they can go anywhere. And we say no, you cannot go anywhere in this city."

Welcome to the Twilight Zone

Vernon Robinson's latest political commercial is yet another orgy of hate and intolerance. The North Carolina congressional candidate uses a Twilight Zone and Leave it to Beaver theme (attention all copyright lawyers!) to blast blacks, gays, lesbians, illegal immigration, Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton—among others—and pines for the good ole days of the 1950s. The icing on the cake: Robinson is black. He's called himself the "Black Jesse Helms" which has (unfortunately) energized conservatives. Robinson has run for state and congressional offices before. So far, no luck.

(via Malcontent and Towleroad)

Vernon Robinson's Sick Commercial (Crooks and Liars)

Robinson for Congress

Vernon Robinson (Wikipedia)