Black Baptists for 1st time in History Unite & Oppose Smirk Policies

[merh]

Black Baptist leaders put demands to Bush
Groups unite on opposition agenda

By Manya A. Brachear
Tribune staff reporter
Published January 29, 2005

NASHVILLE -- Leaders of 15 million black Baptists on Friday called on President Bush to pay as much attention to democracy at home as democracy abroad, issuing a list of demands that they say better defines America's moral values.

After an unprecedented assembly of four historically divided Baptist groups, presidents of each denomination declared their opposition to the war in Iraq and to the nomination and expected confirmation of Alberto Gonzales as attorney general.

They also called for a higher minimum wage, discontinuation of recent tax cuts, investment in public education and reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, some provisions of which are up for review in 2007.

"We have power in terms of black registered voters across the country to impact who sits in the White House," said Rev. Stephen Thurston, president of the 3 million-member National Baptist Convention of America and pastor of the New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church on Chicago's South Side.

(snip)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0501290142jan29,1,2052254.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

[BamaLefty]

1. Bout Time

We cannot lose the Afro-Amer vote.

[merh]

2. This is historic -

Wish they had met before the election, but at least they have come together to put the weed's policies down.

[Nothing Without Hope]

3. So good to see people stepping forward, ready to use their power

I'm so tired of all the whining and teeth-gnashing at how hopeless it all is supposed to be. Administration goons love this attitude because it makes their schemes so much easier to push. Note how often trolls try to encourage this despair.

It's so encouraging that different Baptist groups that disagreed on other points came together into this united front. What these people have done is exactly what needs to be done on a much broader scale in this country. THINK! And then ORGANIZE and ACT. We are not helpless unless we convince ourselves we are so that we stop trying.

A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. --Edward R. Murrow

The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppose. -- Frederick Douglass

You can't wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time. -- Pat Schroeder

[merh]

4. I hope people recognize how important this is.

These church leaders have never come together before.

(snip)

Shaw said an effort to galvanize other African-American denominations is under way. Leaders of other black churches, including the African Methodist Episcopal Church, attended this week's gathering.

Rev. Lewis Baldwin, a Baptist minister and professor of theology and church history at Vanderbilt University, said the joint meeting was the most promising sign of active engagement since the death of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

"Since King passed away, the black church has retreated into reactionary traditions," he said. "Many see a need to reawaken the church to its prophetic mission."

"The history of the civil rights movement shows how potent the black church is," Jemison said. "If we take the time to do what our mothers and fathers have done, we can get things done."

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. It's wonderful! I hope it keeps spreading over all the divides

Life can be so full of surprises: the ultra-divisive George W Bush is now bringing about this unprecedented joining together.

I hope it keeps going, beyond the black Baptists to all the other caring, concerned people in this country.

Thanks so much for bringing my attention to this historic development.

[merh]

6. This thread keeps dropping like a stone.

The thread started by a poster with a totally contrary opinion continues to stay up top. I even posted this article in that thread, but it has been ignored.

I am excited to read that, according to this article, the black methodist church leaders are expected to follow suit.

It is time to call the criminal out and challenge him to "respect democracy at home" like the Baptist leaders did.

I wonder how many people realize that the Voting Rights Act comes up for renewal in 2007?

[Nothing Without Hope]

9. Yes, more people need to see this thread.

The night DU crowd may have different perceptions, they often do. I can help you keep it kicked then if you like.

Maybe you could post another thread then about the required renewal of the Voting Rights Act falling before the next presidential election, making it something that must be accomplished under the repressing b** administration with its proven history of black disenfranchisement. I know little about the actual provisions of the Act and would value an explanation of the main issues that are at stake there. You could include a prominent link to this thread to make the point that potentially (or actually) disenfranchised people are becoming aware of the magnitude of the challenge and are joining together to face it.

Seems to me that the Voting Rights Act renewal and the Black Baptist actions, together with any indications of other groups joining together for similar reasons, would make a fine and valuable article. What are the rules for submitting one for posting on the DU home page?

[merh]

10. I am not sure about the rules or procedures for submissions to the

home page. What I will do is get my boss to write an article on the Voting Rights Act and its renewal time frame. He just attended an African American Leadership Conference in Mississippi that was attended by hundreds of college students, professors and leaders from accross the country. We have recently learned that there have been inquiries by some sources (gov't) as to who attended and who organized the conference.

I am familiar with the VRA, but not as on top of it as my boss.

Thanks for offering to keep this kicked. Maybe if we just come back this evening and kick it again.

[Nothing Without Hope]

13. Will do. "See" you this evening.

There are also other places where this info could be posted and seen. It's important. I'm a concerned progressive, but I had lost track of the upcoming VRA renewal and am largely ignorant of its provisions. I doubt that's unusual.

It would be very much in the b** admin tradition to try to block the VRA renewal or, more likely, to pass it with great fanfare after removing all its teeth and power. After all, they're all about disenfranchisement and this would be a natural. I can well imagine how they would spotlight people like Ken Blackwell to praise the "improved" VRA. Horrible. We cannot let that happen.

And it's not just the people of color, of course. Voting rights were trampled on for the whole country in the stolen elections of 2000 and 2004. The b** admin will want to make that process easier for themselves, make it harder to prosecute or protect from voting rights abuses.

If/When your boss writes that article, I'd appreciate your PMing me with a headsup about it.

[Just Me]

11. Seems like the "united fight against Bush" threads take back seat,...

,...to other hate threads (hate Kerry, hate Hillary, hate Biden, etc.). :shrug:

[merh]

12. I know exactly what you mean!

:-( Why won't folks recognize the positive and work in a united effort to stop the weed and his admin's evil? :shrug:

I will try to keep this alive. I will also work on putting together the information on the Voting Rights Act renewal as has been suggested. We need to stay on top of this!

[GetTheRightVote]

7. Hurray for them, I am liking the Black Baptist today

It is nice to know that there are regilious individuals who do believe in bettering people's lives.

:kick:

[Just Me]

8. An example of what we must all do: UNITE against bush/neoCONs.

I am excited about this positive development.

Now, if only we could all commit to uniting against our common enemy and focus our energies on that commitment.

[Nothing Without Hope]

14. ABSOLUTELY!!! We must unite behind positive, constructive plans

Bashing and whining just drain energy and hope that are needed for brainstorming constructive, practical plans.

Have you noticed how often trolls write posts to ENCOURAGE the negativity? There are good reasons for that. It's one of the routes to continued defeat.

[Nothing Without Hope]

15. One more thought before tonight - Keith Olbermann may be interested

I suggest that after you put together something on the VRA renewal, you consider emailing that plus the Black Baptist uniting article to him at
[e-mail]

You're right, this is historic. If you describe just HOW historic it is -- something most people don't realize -- and HOW much is at stake in the VRA renewal, I think this will get the wider attention it needs and deserves. Just the link to the article alone is going to be less effective, since people like me just haven't grasped the full significance.

[merh]

18. That is a good idea.

Let me see what I can come up with and I will pm you with the link when posted. I don't think tonight will be a good night, looks like the threads are going to be full of what the Iraqi vote means and how we were "duped". Thanks for helping kick the thread and the encouragement. :thumbsup:

[Nothing Without Hope]

21. You bet. I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with.

I think it would be helpful to add the context to the story, explaining why the Black Baptists coming together is historic -- most people, including me, didn't realize they were so deeply rifted -- and more about the Voting Rights Act. Those seem to me to be two different stories, though there is overlap.

If you plan to send the story about the Baptists to Keith Olbermann, then at least a brief history of their groups to demonstrate the significance of the story would be a good thing, I think.

I did a bit of searching before I left this afternoon using Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com) using phrases like {"voting rights act" renewal} and turned up pages of papers and books, but it's all too much for me to go through. Clearly, this is a disputatious area and there will be all sorts of debating and fighting and misinformation campaigns going on about the subject as 2007 grows nearer. I think it would be very helpful to have a sort of summary/primer of the main points, along with the history.

At your suggestion -- and it's true, this seems to be Iraqi election discussion night -- I won't kick this thread any further. Have a good night.

[Nothing Without Hope]

16. Kick!

:kick:

(I hope when I check back in several hours that this important thread has been "discovered"!)

[DoYouEverWonder]

17. But I thought they all voted for Bush

because of gay marriage and abortion?

:sarcasm off:

[AmyDeLune]

19. Kick! n/t :-)

[merh]

20. Hello, is anyone out there

kick!

[Nothing Without Hope]

22. Apparently not tonight. I think your idea of doing this another night

is a good one.

(I resisted using as a subject line: "Nobody here but us chickens," but it was a near thing. That indicates it's time to sign off for the night.)

As we discussed, if you PM me when you post on this subject again, I'll help you keep it kicked.

[merh]

24. I will try to work up a post that combines this info and the

Voting Rights Act. Thanks for helping me try to keep this one alive.
Have a good night.

[ultraist]

23. YES! THIS IS GREAT NEWS!

This is a powerful movement and I hope it gets more attention.

[Tomee450]

25. Very interesting

Thanks for posting this information.

[merh]

26. You are welcome.

Thank you for reading it. I was afraid everyone wanted negative threads today. ;-)

[Greylyn58]

27. Kick

keep it going!!

:kick:

[merh]

28. kick

:kick:

[Nothing Without Hope]

29. Another kick for this important post

I also linked to it from this new post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1553556
"GOP Sees a Future in Black Churches"

[Nothing Without Hope]

30. Also linked to in this related thread. Lots of GOP spin against this story

I just linked to this story in the following related thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1555313
Title: "Black Churches in LA meet today/move toward GOP" This was apparently pushed on CBS. There were many concerned posts in that thread.

Very interesting timing -- all these stories about "black churches moving toward GOP" are now suddenly springing up just after the REAL story of the anti-blivet** unification of the Baptists broke. Anyone who thinks that's a coincidence is either drinking the Kool Aid or has living under a rock. Journalism? What a crock. All the more reason to tell Keith Olbermann about this developing story and its play in the press.

[oasis]

31. kick