Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery supports Marriage Equality - WATCH

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READ the open letter from Black Leaders embracing Obama's Support for the LGBT Community

This letter is coming from NAN, the National Action Network. It's one of the leading civil rights organizations in the country and it was founded by Reverend Al Sharpton.

May 11, 2012

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” As leaders in today’s Civil Rights Movement, we stand behind the President Obama’s belief that same sex couples should be allowed to join in civil marriages. We also affirm that individuals may hold different views on this issue but still work together towards our common goals: fair housing and equitable education, affordable health care and eradicating poverty, all issues of deep and abiding concern for our communities.

President Obama stated his view that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. This is a view that we concur with, because as civil rights leaders we cannot fight to gain rights for some and not for all. At the same time, we acknowledge that the President stated his personal opinion, which everyone is entitled to – both those who agree with him, like us, and those who disagree. The President made clear that his support is for civil marriage for same-sex couples, and he is fully committed to protecting the ability of religious institutions to make their own decisions about their own sacraments.
There will be those who seek to use this issue to divide our community. As a people, we cannot afford such division. It is our hope that conversations on strengthening African American families continue in a civil and respectful way, on all sides, both with those who support the ability of same-sex couples to marry, and those who do not.

We are glad that President Obama has joined Dr. Joseph Lowery, Dr. Julian Bond and so many others in full embrace of equality for gay and lesbian individuals in our country. We also welcome the civil debate on this issue that will surely spring. And we encourage all individuals to keep all issues of import to our communities in mind in the days ahead, and we seek to secure equal justice, opportunity and dignity for all God’s children.

Reverend Al Sharpton
President & Founder, National Action Network

Julian Bond
Chairman Emeritus of NAACP

Melanie Campbell
Melanie Campbell, President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation

Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery
Civil Rights Icon and President Emeritus of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference

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Black Leaders Denounces Amendment One

From Greensboro Against Amendment One facebook page

In North Carolina, leaders in the Black church are coming out in shunning Amendment One.


From News-Record.com

The black community traditonally has been more fiercely opposed to gay rights than any other demographic.

But more and more black faith leaders are opposing the state’s anti-gay marriage amendment.

Add to their voices 15 prominent ones in Greensboro, including a Muslim Imam.

• The Rev. Arnetta Beverly, St. Matthews United Methodist Church
• Bishop George Brooks, Mount Zion Baptist Church
• The Rev. Cardes Brown, New Light Missionary Baptist Church
• Apostle Wayne Clapp, Breath of God Assembly
• The Rev. Howard Chubbs, Providence Baptist Church
• The Rev. Micheal Frencher, Trinity AME Zion Church
• The Rev. Joseph Frierson, Faith Community Church
• The Rev. Gregory Headen, Genesis Baptist Church
• The Rev. Nelson Johnson, Pastor, Faith Community Church
• The Rev. Diane Given Moffett, St James Presbyterian Church
• Imam Abdel Nuriddin, Masjid Al Ummil Ummat
• The Rev. Eva Ratliff, Guiding Light Ministries
• The Rev. Clarence Shuford, St. Phillip AME Zion Church
• The Rev. James Woodson, St. James Home of Fresh Start Ministry
• The Rev. William Wright, New Zion Missionary Baptist Church

They said in a statement: “After careful and prayerful consideration, we are persuaded that the proposed Amendment One to the N.C. Constitution would further impoverish and punish so many innocent people. Therefore, we have no choice but stand against this unnecessary and unjust amendment."

Also the head of North Carolina's NAACP Dr. William Barber also voiced his views against the anti-gay amendment.