The rhetoric of opposition to the Shelby County ordinance

A hat tip to Jonathan Cole for making us aware of the video at this link that discusses some ministers who oppose the Shelby County non-discrimination ordinance. The minister in the piece says that he didn't march "one inch" for this ordinance during the Civil Rights Movement. Maybe not, but a gay man, Bayard Rustin, organized some of the most important marches of the Civil Rights Movement.

The GLBT rights movement and the Civil Rights Movement have many important differences. But we must not forget when a minister speaks out against GLBT rights that people of faith and people of all races are part of our movement. It is not a question of THE Church vs. the GLBT community. As always, a closer look reveals that religion of a certain kind is being used to oppose the rights of a minority. Ironically, many of the people who would benefit from the ordinance are GLBT African-American Christians. The devisive rhetoric obscures this fact.