Monday, January 24, 2011

African-American community needs more honesty and fewer 'apostles, bishops, and prophets'

 I sincerely HOPE to step on toes with this post.

 I submit to you the REAL problem in the African-American community when it comes to issues of lgbts of color. The following is from a little-noted press conference by some black pastors in Illinois (naturally put together by a predominantly white religious right group - that's always how the story goes) whining that the struggle for lgbt equality isn't the same as the African American struggle for equality:



It's a cute ignorant speech by Ms. Vessel whom I am certain most likely earned her title (s).

But then that's the thing which bothers me.

This woman reminds me of Crystal Dixon. Remember her? She is the former University of Toledo Human Resources Officer who, in 2008, got sacked for writing an anti-gay piece. She became a cause celebre of the religious right in regards to freedom of speech as long as they omit the fact that while she wrote the piece on her own times, she was talking about her employer's policy without the permission of her employer.

The important thing to remember about her for the benefit of this post is that she had claimed to be called by God to preach.

And then there is the case of the 2009 supposed exorcism of a gay teen by a woman who called herself a "prophetess."

Do you get what my point is here?

Just in the few blocks where I live, there are close to six or seven churches. And while I know there isn't anything wrong with this, I can't help wondering if some of those churches are run by people with a real interest on doing God's work or folks more interested in anointing themselves as "Reverend Doctor Bishop Prophetess Apostle whomever" in order to get a spotlight regardless of the fact that they don't know what the heck they are talking about.

I don't care what the old adage says. Ignorance is NOT bliss. And in the hands of people like the folks I mention, it's a deadly weapon used against lgbts of color

Like so many others, some African-Americans need to be educated on the fact that lgbts of color exist and we are just as normal and beneficial to the community as heterosexual African-Americans.

But our community also has a plethora of individuals who desire titles before their names or wanting their own churches to be filled with people drooling over their every word.

Unfortunately a lot of times, these folks aim their venom at us in order to get that spotlight. Folks such as Bishop Eddie Long who, before the gay sex scandal, not only led marches against the lgbt community but also spoke out publicly against us

And while these enterprising black leaders receive a great deal of prominence (hello Bishop Harry Jackson - another wannabe getting well-known from hurting his own people), lgbts of color, particularly young lgbts of color, are suffering.

We need less "apostles, prophets, reverends, and bishops" and more out and proud lgbts like so:



The question is who should the African-American community stand with - people who are simply standing up for themselves or a sad system of charlatans, liars, and secret humpers out to use God to get meaningless titles before their names.

The choice is yours, my beautiful black brothers and sisters.

Hat tip to Goodasyou and No More Downlow TV


Bookmark and Share

1 comment:

Marlene said...

I do remember Crystal Dixon, because the University of Toledo's just up I-75 from my home here in Bowling Green.

As far as I know, her suit against UT is still in the legal system, and has yet to be heard, as far as I know.

For those who want to read the tripe she spewed in the Toledo Free Press, claiming that LGBT civil rights aren't equal to hers as a racial minority, here's the link: http://www.toledofreepress.com/2008/04/18/gay-rights-and-wrongs-another-perspective/

Through the entire debate she started two years ago, it was rarely noted that Ms. Dixon's another in a long line of self-appointed "experts" with a title like the ones Alvin so rightfully deconstructs.

Keep up the great work, Alvin. These so-called emperors have no spiritual clothes.