...in addition quotes from a black preacher's wife, a black preacher's daughter and a black glbt civil rights activist.
;)
Reverend Joseph Lowery--Civil Rights Leader"When you talk about the law discriminating, the law granting a privilege here, and a right here and denying it there, that's a civil rights issue. And I can't take that away from anybody." (ABC News, 03/13/04)
from:
http://www.members.cox.net/vljones1/some_of_our_allies.htm#Rev%20Joseph%20LoweryReverend Al Sharpton--Civil Rights Leader"I believe in equal human rights, before the law, for all human beings, and race, gender, disability, class or sexual orientation should not be a factor under the law. Even though we live under the law in a secular democratic society, religious groups must still be able to maintain their spiritual and moral option to either give or withhold a religious or sacred blessing to such unions. However, the government should not have that option. It must affirm the human and legal rights of everyone." (HRC Presidential Candidates' Questionaire, 07/03)
from:
http://www.members.cox.net/vljones1/some_of_our_allies.htm#Rev%20Al%20SharptonReverend William G. Sinkford--first African American President of Unitarian Universalist Association Quote regarding Massachussets initial attempts to block gay marriage rights:
As we know from history, separate is never equal, and I remain convinced that it is wrong to write discrimination into the Massachusetts constitution. Unitarian Universalists will continue to oppose any amendment that relegates our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender sisters and brothers to the status of second-class citizens.
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taken from:
http://archive.uua.org/president/040330.htmlAdditionally after Massachusetts passed gay marriage:"The Unitarian Universalist Association has a long-standing and deeply held religious commitment to support full equality for bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people, and today's ruling is a significant step forward in guaranteeing that the rights enjoyed by heterosexual couples in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are also available to its bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender citizens....Unitarian Universalists today celebrate this ruling, and we again dedicate ourselves to work for justice, grounded in faith, which calls us to support everyone's full humanity, everyone's ability to love, and everyone's value in the world." (Unitarian Universalist Church website, 11/18/03)
taken from:
http://www.members.cox.net/vljones1/some_of_our_allies.htm#Rev%20Willam%20SinkfordClearly the above examples show not ALL black preachers and their congregations to be homophobic. Despite several disturbing assertions and proof provided to the contrary. ;)
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Coretta Scott King--Civil rights advocate, staunch supporter of glbt rights--wife and life partner of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.Make Room At The Table for Lesbian and Gay PeopleCoretta Scott King, speaking four days before the 30th anniversary of her husband's assassination, said Tuesday the civil rights leader's memory demanded a strong stand for gay and lesbian rights. "I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice," she said. "But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'" "I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to make room at the table of brother- and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people," she said. - Reuters, March 31, 1998.
Homophobia is Like Racism and Anti-SemitismSpeaking before nearly 600 people at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel,
Coretta Scott King, the wife of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Tuesday called on the civil rights community to join in the struggle against homophobia and anti-gay bias. "Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood," King stated. "This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group." - Chicago Defender, April 1, 1998, front page.
MLK's Struggle Parallels The Gay Rights MovementQuoting a passage from her late husband's writing, Coretta Scott King
reaffirmed her stance on gay and lesbian rights Tuesday at a luncheon
celebrating the 25 anniversary of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, a national gay rights organization. "We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny . . . I can never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be," she said, quoting her husband. "I've always felt that homophobic attitudes and policies were unjust and unworthy of a free society and must be opposed by all Americans who believe in democracy," King told 600 people at the Palmer House Hilton, days before the 30th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination on April 4, 1968. She said the civil rights movement "thrives on unity and inclusion, not division and exclusion." Her husband's struggle parallels that of the gay rights movement, she said. - Chicago Sun Times, April 1, 1998, p.18.
---------------------snip--------------------
excerpt from:
http://www.hatecrime.org/subpages/coretta.html Yolanda King--Rights Advocate, daughter of Coretta and Martin. "If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, you do not have the same rights as other Americans. You cannot marry . . . you still face discrimination in the workplace, and in our armed forces. For a nation that prides itself on liberty, justice and equality for all, this is totally unacceptable," she said.
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Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese on Wednesday called King "a true friend of the GLBT community" who "was always eager to lend her talents and support to help advance the mission of many different causes for our community.
"We were honored to have Ms. King appear at several Human Rights Campaign events throughout the years, where she always brought a message of hope and inclusion," Solmonese said in a written statement.
In 2000, King was among 187 people arrested and jailed in a Cleveland, Ohio, protest to end discrimination against LGBTs by the United Methodist Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was preaching at a meeting of Methodist leaders.
---------------------snip-------------------------
taken from:
http://www.gay.com/news/article.html?2007/05/16/5Rustin Bayard--Black, gay Civil Rights Activist--Chief organizer of Civil Rights March(profile provided by By Walter Naegle
executor and archivist of the Bayard Rustin Estate.)
As a gay man, relatively open for his time, Bayard Rustin experienced anti-gay prejudice in addition to racial discrimination. Because of his sexual orientation as well as his controversial political positions, he was often relegated to a behind-the-scenes role in various campaigns. Arrested in 1953 on a "morals charge," he lost his job at the FOR, but found work with another anti-war group, the War Resisters League.
-------------------snip-------------------
Mr. Rustin organized the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom in 1957, The National Youth Marches for Integrated Schools in 1958 and 1959, and was the Deputy Director and chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom which, at that time, was the largest demonstration in the nation’s history. Thought by many to be the high point of the Civil Rights movement, the March on Washington served as the platform for Dr. Kings historic "I Have a Dream" speech and helped secure pending civil rights legislation.
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excerpts from:
http://www.rustin.org/biography.html:hi:
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