Black Baptists forge agenda

[EC]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0501280241jan28,1,1462428.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed


Tired of seeing America's moral agenda hijacked by debates over gay marriage and abortion rights, thousands of black Baptists met this week in a bid to define new priorities, including health care, education, new jobs and voting rights.

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"While African-Americans have expressed certain sentiments that reflect opposition to an expansion of the gay homosexual agenda, there is still much more concern about bread-and-butter issues in terms of the public agenda that they would like to see their churches pursue," said Rev. R. Drew Smith, a Baptist minister who directs the Public Influences of African American Churches project at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

But Rev. Jesse Jackson warned delegates Thursday to watch out for political trickery. Thousands of hands shot into the air when Jackson asked who wanted a higher minimum wage, stable Social Security, affirmative action and an end to the war in Iraq.

No hands went up when he asked how many churches had blessed a same-sex union. "How did that get in the middle of our agenda?" Jackson asked. "That's called a wolf in sheep's clothing. Beware."

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Ha, looks like * is out of step with Black America!!!

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. ..

[skypilot]

2. How did that get in the middle of our agenda?

Thanks, Jackson. It's been pissing me off watching the black clergy get swept up in this crap while sweeping the black community along as well. If a constitutional amendment against gay marriage were passed today the black community would still have all the other issues to contend with.

[callous taoboy]

3. Gee. How sensible,

and smart, and decent.

[KissMeKate]

4. the black community continues to outsmart the Bush administration.

Good initiative by black baptists, and the Public Influences of African American Churches project. Kudos to them.