>
> >
> > Black gay activists protest Rick Warren's invite
> to
> > speak at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in
> > Atlanta. The controversy continues.
> > Adam
> >
> > LOCAL | www.sovo.com
> > Black gay activists: Ebenezer should dump Warren as
> > MLK Day speaker
> >
> > Speech at Atlanta church set for day before Obama’s
> > inauguration
> > By LAURA DOUGLAS-BROWN
> >
> > Jan. 02, 2009
> > The Atlanta Black LGBT Coalition last week called on
> > Ebenezer Baptist
> > Church, the historic church where Dr. Martin Luther
> > King served as
> > pastor, to remove Pastor Rick Warren as the keynote
> > speaker for its
> > upcoming MLK Day service.
> >
> >
> >
> > “Rev. Warren’s hateful opposition to civil rights
> for
> > lesbian, gay,
> > bisexual and transgender people and reproductive
> > rights for women, and
> > his intolerance of diversity contradict the values of
> > freedom and
> > equality that this day represents,” the group said
> in
> > a Dec. 24 press
> > release.
> >
> >
> >
> > The coalition called on Ebenezer’s pastor, Rev.
> > Raphael G. Warnock, to
> > rescind the invitation to Warren to speak at the Jan.
> > 19 service.
> >
> >
> >
> > The church did not respond to an interview request by
> > press time.
> >
> >
> >
> > “Bestowing Rev. Warren such a prominent role does
> not
> > foster greater
> > understanding between divided communities. Instead it
> > drives more
> > wedges between disenfranchised communities that are
> > continually pitted
> > against each other by the agents of racism and
> > homophobia,” the gay
> > coalition said.
> >
> >
> >
> > Held each year to commemorate the national holiday
> > honoring King, the
> > church service at Ebenezer attracts media, politicians
> > and civil rights
> > leaders from around the nation. Last year,
> > then-Democratic hopeful
> > Barack Obama spoke to the church the day before the
> > national holiday,
> > delivering a rousing call to responsibility that
> > included a challenge
> > to black churches to renounce homophobia.
> >
> >
> >
> > Obama told the mostly black audience that “our own
> > community has not
> > always been true to King’s vision of a beloved
> > community,” in part
> > because “we have scorned our gay brothers and
> sisters
> > instead of
> > embracing them.”
> >
> >
> >
> > This year’s MLK Day service takes place the day
> before
> > Obama will be
> > inaugurated as the nation’s first African-American
> > president. Warren,
> > pastor of California’s Saddleback Community Church
> and
> > author of “The
> > Purpose Driven Life,” has also been tapped by Obama
> to
> > give the
> > invocation at his Jan. 20 inauguration, sparking
> > outrage from gay
> > activists who note Warren’s vocal opposition to gay
> > marriage.
> >
> >
> >
> > “I don’t know what Rev. Warnock’s motives are.
> I do
> > know that the
> > invitation is an affront to queer communities,”
> Craig
> > Washington, a
> > leader of the Atlanta coalition, said in an interview.
> > “It does nothing
> > to unify the community, it drives the wedge deeper. I
> > think Ebenezer,
> > like Obama, is seeking to find some political currency
> > with the
> > conservative movement in this country.”
> >
> >
> >
> > Another group of Atlanta activists is organizing a
> > protest during
> > Warren’s speech at the church. Jeff Shade is one of
> > the organizers for
> > the massive Nov. 15 rally at the State Capitol for
> > marriage equality
> > and the smaller Dec. 13 “All I Want for Christmas
> is
> > Equal Rights”
> > picket at Lenox Mall. Schade said they are organizing
> > another event for
> > Warren’s visit, although details were not finalized
> at
> > press time.
> >
> >
> >
> > “I’m not exactly sure what direction it will take.
> > Martin Luther King
> > Day here in Atlanta is a big day, so we’re clearly
> > trying to be
> > positive, and send the right message,” Schade said.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Foil-l mailing list
> > [email protected]
> > http://insaf.net/mailman/listinfo/foil-l_insaf.net
>
>
> Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to
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