Awesome piece by Melissa Harris-Lacewell

[libnnc]

She ties in debate about "empathy" we heard today in Judge Sotomayor's hearings

SCLC and Marriage Equality

<snip> This history of politics and empathy was violated by the SCLC this week. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an organization founded and led by Dr. King, is considering dismissing the president of its Los Angeles chapter because of his vocal opposition to Proposition 8. During the 2008 election the SCLC officially took a neutral position with regards to California's Proposition 8, which stripped gay men and lesbians of the right to marry. With his national organization silent on the issue, Los Angeles SCLC chapter president Rev. Eric P. Lee worked hard to oppose the measure. In a display of political empathy Lee explained "it was clear to me that any time you deny one group of people the same right that other groups have that is a clear violation of civil rights and I have to speak up on that."

Now Reverend Lee has been summoned by the SCLC's national board to explain his advocacy on behalf of marriage equality or face being removed from his position.

There are so many things wrong with this. At moments like this I wish I were a snarky comedian, political cartoonist, or smart satirist rather than simply a college professor. Somehow those media seem better suited to capturing the ridiculousness of the SCLC's behavior. But let me try. <snip>

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion/451285/sclc_and_marriage_equality

[ruggerson]

1. Also posted here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6061026

[kdpeters]

2. a "civil rights organization that takes a 'neutral position' on an issue of basic civil rights...

does not deserve to exist"

Well said!

[Tyo]

3. The might be a civil rights organization....

but apparently they are a Christian organization first. And their brand of Christianity rejects the idea that gays are deserving of equal treatment under the law.