Mayor Deprives Rival of Black Clergy’s Support

Mayor Deprives Rival of Black Clergy's Support is the title of an article that can be found hhere.

My first issue with this story is the title. Why was stating Bloomberg has the support of the Black clergy while his Black opponent does not necessary? I'll tell you why because the authors wanted continue to stir the race pot, as if we don't have enough of it today. Author's Confesore and Barbaro felt it was necessary to say hey a Black candidate doesn't have the support of the Black clergy which is his by "birthright" something must be going (I'll get to that in a minute). More than anything I think the title reveals something of the author's themselves. To me that reveal says

1. That most if not all White people BELIEVE Black people will stick together because they are Black and nothing more. Let me explain something being Black is the only true unifier in the Black community it’s what we have in common. Anyone who is not black and has spent any significant amount of time around Black people will know we are far from a united front. Nor do the majority of us blindly believe that another Black person has OUR best interest at heart. Nothing could be further from the truth there are numerous reasons as to why Black people are distrustful of other Black people I just don't have the time to venture into with this post.

2. Black people will blindly follow the pastor's direction.


A few weeks ago, the Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, the influential pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, came to a difficult decision, one he had wrestled with all summer.

He would not endorse William C. Thompson Jr., the city comptroller and a longtime friend and ally, for mayor, as he had promised Mr. Thompson last spring. Instead, he would endorse Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

Mr. Thompson was furious at the betrayal. But what he did not know was that Mr. Bloomberg gave a $1 million donation to the church’s development corporation — roughly 10 percent of its annual budget — with the implicit promise of more to come.



Damn! Does this not just prove what many people already believe to be true of clergy members at large? Corrupt bigots easily bought. If I was Mr. Thompson and a long time friend of mine who had previously pledged his support suddenly changes his mind when a milli ends up in his church coffers I would feel betrayed as well.

A message to the church attendees: RUN!


How is what Bloomberg is doing not the same as this.

 

Reader Comments

Let me explain something being Black is the only true unifier in the Black community it’s what we have in common. Anyone who is not black and has spent any significant amount of time around Black people will know we are far from a united front.

You know that is not the whole story, especially when it comes to politics. There's a ton of ridicule and shame coming someone's way from their friends if they "vote white". It's real easy for it to be known that a black person voted for a white person over another white person, but it ain't easy at all to be known as a black person who voted for a white politician over a black politician.

The day that this isn't the case is one that I welcome with open arms, but no amount of denial is going to change that.

And to be clear, I say "to be known as" because I don't think that gay sex is the only thing that a lot of black people are on the down low about.

I think it's more a case of your second premise (black people will blindly follow the pator's direction) rather than the first premise you stated. I don't know how true it is. I do know that when I read George Stephanopholus' (sp?) book about the Clinton years that their campaign thought it a watershed moment when they got the endorsement of Jesse Jackson who is widely regarded as the Emperor of Black People. I'm guessing that, as demographic, churchgoing black folks are probably older as a group and more likely to vote than non church going blacks (I could be wrong but that is my best guess). I would like to see some stats to see if my theory bares out but I don't feel like looking anything up. Personally I would never vote a certain way just because somebody told me I should but I doubt that I'm representative of any group. In summation, Amy Lee should come out with another record and she should ditch her band.

Regardless of what you think Phelps you are NOT privy to the inner workings of the all things Black. I think Black people should stop giving two shits about what white people think when it comes to politics for numerous reasons. Take this last election Black people were slammed for voting for a Black guy over the other two White candidate. When it turned out Obama was the best democratic choice; you had a consistent race baiter in the form of Clinton and another candidate with marital woes that would have ruined his chances in a national election. But wait oh no all black people that voted for Obama are racist because we only did it because he was black.
I'm not surprised to see you make claims that I am in denial or dismiss my explanation because you are more willing to believe your white explanation of black people rather than the explanation proffered by a black person.



@ Mexi
“Jesse Jackson who is widely regarded as the Emperor of Black People.” That was definitely a different generation of voters.
Mexi there could and a high probability that there is some truth in your statement. The older demographic is always more likely to vote whether black or white. I remember during the 2004 election a pastor and church I thoroughly enjoyed gave a sermon on why Bush was the better choice without saying his name but by talking about highly political topics gay rights, stem cell research, etc. I sat there and listened to that sermon not really believing my ears but then the next Sunday more than half the church parking lot had Bush/Cheney stickers on their rides. That was the last day I attended that church and it hurt me because I have not found one I enjoy as much as I did that one.


Who the hell is Amy Lee?

I forgot to mention that I'm very glad to see that you take issue with the idea of the idea of the black vote being directed by any one person or entity. I don't like identity politics, in an ideal world we would all cast our votes due to the issues. That said, I think that pastor was right in that Dubya's policies on stem cell, gay marriage, and many other social issues would be more in line with a church's positions. To me it just means that religious groups have the same prejudices as Dubya, you were right to quit that church. And omg, Amy Lee is the lead singer of Evanescence!!! Go to youtube and watch My Immortal!!

Ok I have heard of that group just didn't know any of the memebers names.



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