They are baaaack! Just in time for the November elections, the “black overseers” have returned to make sure that black voters do not stray from the Democratic Party and President Obama’s liberal agenda.
In a recent open letter, four prominent black leaders, including MSNBC’s Rev. Al Sharpton, former NAACP Chairman Julian Bond, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, stated, “We stand behind President Obama’s belief that same sex couples should be allowed to join in civil marriages.”
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Clarence V. McKee, Esq. |
They went on to say: “There will be those who seek to use this issue to divide our community. As a people, we cannot afford such division.” The real zinger was the skillfully worded: “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.” Wow, sounds like Obama’s “states’ rights” waffle!
Who is kidding whom? This was a clear shot across the bow to black voters, and particularly black ministers, not to abandon the “first black” president over gay marriage. The message to black pastors: Relax, he’s only talking about civil unions — he’s not asking you to perform such marriages — leave him alone.
They are well aware that black voters and churches generally have long opposed gay marriage and were major factors in states where such unions have been banned.
How patronizing. You would think that black ministers, who are among the most respected leaders in their communities, could not make up their own minds. The only thing they left out was to quote Obama’s insulting remarks to the Congressional Black Caucus Dinner last year: “Take off your bedroom slippers.” “Put on your marching shoes.” “Shake it off.” “Stop complaining.” “Stop grumbling.” “Stop crying.”
If he had said that to a gathering of gays, you can bet Newsweek would not have had him on its cover as “The First Gay President” — which may still blackfire.
Obviously, the Sharpton group wants any talk about lower black turnout over the issue nipped in the bud. As usual, they are taking the lead in keeping the Democrats’ most loyal, predictable, and consistent voter block under control.
Unlike other voters, blacks are taken for granted by Democrats and written off by Republicans.
Eleven years ago, speaking as a black conservative, I wrote an article entitled “End Monopoly of Black Overseers,” for Human Events Magazine. I stated that much of the black civil rights and political leadership had become “wholly owned subsidiaries of the Democratic Party.”
I called them "overseers" of the black political plantation serving as “advocates for a one-sided liberal viewpoint.”
Not much has changed. Blacks still put all of their political eggs in the Democrat basket. The overseers need a repeat of 2008 — 95 percent of the black vote.
They know that Obama’s policies have devastated the black middle class, businesses and home owners. If enough of them think of their bottom lines and pocketbooks instead of the overseers’ “amen" Obama chorus, many could defect or just stay home.
The 95 percent could become 90 percent. Combine that with the expected loss of many white Democrats and independents, and Hispanics, also suffering in the Obama economy, his re-election would be in jeopardy — even without the gay marriage issue.
The novelty of having the “first black president” has worn off. Many blacks — whites and Hispanics as well — are beginning to look more at the color of their money than the color of the president’s skin.
The overseers know it. It’s no coincidence that the open letter was quickly followed by the NAACP board’s endorsement of same sex marriages this past weekend.
Clarence V. McKee is President of McKee Communications, Inc., a government, political and media relations consulting firm in Coral Springs, FL. Contact him at clarencemckee@gmail.com. Read more reports from Clarence V. McKee — Click Here Now.
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