Kudos to Black Pastors in Illinois!
Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, November 1, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler
Good morning, Jim. We didn’t hear much about it in Georgia, but on May 31st, Illinois’ all-Democrat Black Caucus asked Democratic leadership NOT to bring the same-sex marriage bill up for a vote. The leadership didn’t listen, brought the bill to the floor, anyway, and it was defeated.
The Frederick Douglass Foundation reported, “It’s a miracle that same-sex marriage didn’t pass in Illinois,” then explained that the miracle came about by a partnership between mostly white policy organizations – the Illinois Policy Institute, Eagle Forum and other legislative experts – Black pastors in a “Coalition to Protect Children and Marriage” and Black leaders, such as former Democrat Senator Rev. James Meeks, Black Ministerial Alliance of Chicago’s Bishop Lance Davis, Pastor Keith Gordon, Frank Bass of the BKB Group, along with pastors from every ethnicity. They all came together to stop same-sex marriage in Illinois.
Pastor Danny Holliday of Alton, Illinois’ Liberty Baptist Church spent a total of 15 days in Springfield, where he spoke with representatives and showed them his copy of David Barton’s Founders’ Bible, which includes U.S. History, the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and other founding documents. One of the representatives immediately said, “I’ve got to have this – right now,” and wrote Pastor Holliday a check for his copy.Another strong opponent of same-sex marriage was a former lesbian who was brought in by the Illinois Family Institute to speak to pastors, legislators and homosexuals. After 20 years of living as a lesbian, she rejected the lifestyle, has lived for the Lord for 13 years and now ministers to homosexuals.
When asked by the Chicago Sun Times if same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue, Black Democrat Representative Monique Davis answered, “Have they ever hung from trees? Were they ever slaves for 500 years? Then I don’t think so…. I don’t think [their issues are] equal … African-American people have the same right to be conservative on issues that everybody else has.”
As of May 31, 2013, two of the most liberal states in the nation – Illinois and California – had rejected same-sex marriage. On the same 2008 ballot where Barack Obama received 98% of the Black vote, 77% of Black voters cast their vote FOR marriage between one man and one woman. That is, especially, remarkable, since the Democrat Party platform supports and affirms same-sex marriage and alternate lifestyles. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.