An Open Letter to my Black Evangelical Friends (What is more important? Race or Moral Convictions?)

I am not writing this letter to accuse but rather to advance understanding. And even though I am white, I am not writing as an outsider but as a fellow evangelical, part of the same spiritual family. May I pose some candid questions?

Are you guilty, on any level, of blind allegiance to the Democratic party? And, on Election Day, did any of you compromise your convictions out of racial solidarity?

I have been very open in my criticism of white evangelicals, pointing out how we often put our trust in the Republican party and how we look to the latest candidate as some kind of political savior, only to be disappointed time and time again, complaining that the Republicans wanted our votes but did not stand up for our values. “We won’t get fooled again,” we say, only to repeat the same cycle four years later.

On Election Day morning, I posted an article entitled “A Warning to Moral Conservatives,” raising concerns that if Mitt Romney was elected, we would be making a grave mistake in looking to him to advance our moral and social agenda. I even wrote an article in June entitled “Mitt Romney Is Not the Answer,” and I often told my evangelical radio listeners that I would not argue with them if they could not vote for Romney because he was a Mormon. So, I do understand black Christian reticence towards Romney (for these reasons, among others).

I simply do not understand how my black evangelical friends who so staunchly oppose same-sex marriage and who stand against abortion could cast their vote for the most radically pro-abortion, pro-gay-activist president in our history.

Was there no moral compromise involved in voting for him? Are there no issues that could disqualify him in your eyes? And must Barack Obama be elected and then reelected in order to make up for past injustices, as one black evangelical woman claimed?

In the last few months, black Christian leaders came on my radio show to express their disapproval of the president’s policies, urging their parishioners not to vote for him (without endorsing Romney). And in a recent article, my colleague Bishop Harry Jackson went as far as to say that, “President Obama has become a personality akin to the biblical figure ‘Ishmael’ for the African-American community instead of the ‘child of promise’ we had hoped for. In a nutshell, he has attempted to create a new, unbiblical standard of social justice that promotes abortion, same-sex marriage, a distrust of Israel, and a diminishing of religious liberties.”

Yet when it came to time to vote, the same percentage of black Americans who voted for Obama in 2008 did so again in 2012 (roughly 95%). How can this be? Again, I am not attacking, I am inquiring.

And I am not the only one inquiring. I have been receiving emails and calls from other African American evangelicals asking these same questions.

More disturbingly, some of these black Christians have told me that they have been cut off from family, friends, church members, and even pastors because they opposed the reelection of President Obama. To ask again, how can this be?

One black pastor explained to me that he is convinced that “many African American believers compromised God’s Word during the election in the name of Obama Care and social program such as foods stamps etc.” Is there any truth to this?

If so – and again, I am asking, not accusing – this is not only wrong, it misguided, since Democratic policies have hardly advanced the economic well-being of black America. As noted by Congressman Allen West, “Since 2007, black median household income has declined by 11 percent — the largest decline of all major racial and ethnic groups. . . . In 2011, the poverty rate among black Americans was 27.5 percent. The poverty rate among blacks living in families headed by women is 41 percent.”

To be sure, Republicans have done little to win the confidence of black Americans, and I understand the history of distrust in recent decades. But does this justify the overwhelming black allegiance to the Democratic party?

According to the BlackDignity.org website, “A black baby is three times more likely to be aborted [than] a white baby.” (The BlackGenocide.org website claims the figure is substantially higher; that website should be visited.)

BlackDignity.org also reports that, “Twice as many African-Americans have died from abortion than have died from AIDS, accidents, violent crimes, cancer, and heart disease combined.” And today, in New York City, 60% percent of black babies suffer the fate of abortion, never to see the light of day.

Does it trouble you, my black evangelical friends, that the Democratic platform, not to mention the Democratic National Convention, was almost a celebration of abortion?

In 2008, I warned my listeners that Mr. Obama, if elected, would support the goals of gay activism, including redefining marriage, but many listeners did not believe me. Now that President Obama has actually abused the teaching and example of Jesus to advocate same-sex marriage, how could you vote for him again?

One caller to my program on Monday told me candidly that he was shaking in the voting booth, knowing that he couldn’t support President Obama’s pro-abortion, pro-gay-activist policies. Yet, he confessed, he voted for him because he was black.

Well, it depends on what their leaders tell them about Herman Cain. Of course, we know what THAT answer is.

So, yes... I should’ve specified non-Republican blacks.

Didn't vote for Mitt or didn't vote at all?

It's good you did, though. People who didn't bother are contributing to the discouragement of others by keeping the vote totals from reflecting how much opposition to the fascist democrats there really is. I admit that's a psychological factor, but that's an important factor none the less.

When the actual size of the opposition isn't ever reflected, then even when something happens will suppress the democrat vote, a lot of the opposition will stay home anyway because they still won't believe they can tip the balance. You definitely did the right thing.

People in your position and in the places where “Mitt would win anyway” should also consider the fact that at least a few states grant the winner of the national popular vote a portion of the Electoral votes even if they didn't carry the State. That approach may very well become more common so people should get used to the idea that the national popular vote total is important even when their vote won't a difference in their State.

Regards

The fact that proves that the black vote is unique and based on something unpleasant, is that until 1936 blacks voted republican in every presidential election, 1932 was typical with about 70% of the black vote going GOP, and no one has any trouble understanding that.

Suddenly in 1936, the black vote went democrat by 70%, it totally reversed itself into the exact mirror image of what it had been for the republicans, a permanent, massive majority vote, in every single election, for the democrats.

There was no “growth” or “gradual change”, or an “increasing movement towards the democrats”, it was a total, instant reversal, done all at once, during the 4 years from 1932, to 1936.

And what was the reason for the sudden HUGE reversal in 1936? The Great Depression? FDR promising to take care of them with Federal largesse ? If that’s the reason, then Rush Limbaugh is right — It’s hard to fight Santa Claus ( until of course Santa runs out of toys to give ).

When 93% of blacks vote one way, you wonder about the other 7% — what got them off the plantation? Why can’t the 93% see the same thing? A black friend, neighbor and church brother of mine is so conservative, he stands to the Right of Ronald Reagan; I asked him why the 93% can’t see the truth, and he doesn’t know either.

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