Our friend TJ Williams (student at Union Seminary, member of Riverside Church) asked me to pass this on to you. His personal reflections on the Republican National Convention.
Stan
As an African-American, I am more than offended at
the notion that by selecting people like Arthur Davis of Virginia as a speaker
that he can persuade African- Americans to vote for Mitt Romney. Mitt Romney represents
an oppressive ideological system of values that is not about freedom and
fairness, but is about distortions and protecting the 1 percent of society.
Davis’s message is only about an attempt to create collective amnesia.
The desperation of the Republican Party is shown by
masking its message in even more lies through even more voices — voices like
that of Gov. Nikki Haley and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who really must believe that
the majority of Americans are dumb enough to believe the lies about President
Obama’s record. Lies like the phrase the Republican Party used for the majority
of Tuesday’s Republican convention. The phrase they used is “We Built It,” a
phrase that President Obama used that was taken out of context. This phrase “we
built it,” is where the president was pointing out that many businesses have
always depended on some services from government. However, Mr. Romney has
twisted it to mean that the president said all companies are created by government.
It is a shame that they believe that people would be such sheep of collective
manipulation.
The Republican Party always goes back to the Founding
Fathers that many in America cannot identify with, such as African Americans
and Native Americans. Descendants of both of these cultures were violently treated
by early American settlers. Is this what they mean when they say that they want
to go back to a time of the Founding Fathers —a time of slavery, rapes and
murder over appropriation of land where populations ran free and where
communities were villages. The phrase “back to the Founding fathers” conjured
up images that are not like that of the 95 percent of the Republican Party has
idealized.
Gov. Chris Christie praised his efforts to block jobs
for tenured teachers. “We took on the teachers union by ending jobs for life regardless
of performance.” This tough talk coming from Christie is about union busting
and ruining the systems put in place to protect workers in terms of health
care, fair and livable wages. He went on to boast of attacking Medicare the
only tool for seniors and their families to have dignity in providing
healthcare and skilled nursing and even palliative care. His quote on this was
“telling our seniors the truth about our over burdened entitlements.” Gov.
Christie, it is not an entitlement to protect and to offer services that people
have worked for more than 75 years. Taking these services away is void of compassion
and the Jesus that you claim you know.
As people of faith, Brad and I identify most with the
Democratic Party of today because it cares about the America it seeks to serve
and because it supports open voting of all people. This is imperative for the
health of our democracy and for the values and freedoms for all. We are not just saying this as a gay couple,
but as Americans who are concerned about combating poverty, maintaining access
to health care and education for all, and yes and end to Defense of Marriage
Act.
Let me say this clearly: Voter suppression in this
election is the agenda of the Republican Party because it is the only way the
party can see itself winning the White House. We have seen this before in the
election of George W. Bush. Rigging the election is nothing new with the
Republican Party. This is not just un- American, but immoral to the God they
always claim they serve.
Therefore, we call on all pastors and community
leaders to be vigilant in assuring that the least of these who are at risk of
being turned away at the polls is protected. If I were a pastor today, I would
do everything possible so that this presidency can be protected and respected
so we can collectively move forward as a nation.
Too many have
died and bled on the bridge to Selma, Ala., for this election to be stolen by a
few who have exchanged their white sheets with white shirts, colorful ties and
Gucci suits. We are not telling clergy what to do, but we are merely asking
clergy to speak truth for the sake of the least of these and the grandchildren
of the least of these, and to protect the values that were implemented after
the Founding Fathers.
Blessings
TJ Williams and Brad Hauger
Riverside Church First gay Couple to be legally married
T. J Williams MDIV Student at New York Theological Seminary
Tj.willaims@gmail.com
To support TJ and Brad continued work please go to this web
site and
donate www.pilgrimagetoriverside.com
TJ is Available for speaking/preaching
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