Pastor Steve Gaines leads attack against working people in Memphis City Elections

In a special email alert sent Tuesday of this week, Bellevue Baptist Church called on members to vote against equality and fairness in the current City of Memphis elections scheduled for October 6, 2011. The church mentioned the Tennessee Equality Project's Political Action Committee specifically in the email and on its blog:

It's shocking to learn that Pastor Steve Gaines called upon his flock to vote for Memphis City Council candidates who support a "pro-family" agenda. Pastor Gaines is the same man who secretlyprotected a confessed child molester on Bellevue's clergy staff for over 6 months; the same man who allowed this child abuser to counsel others who worked with children; The same man who allowed a sexual predator to counsel victims of child sexual abuse. What qualifies Pastor Gaines to say anything meaningful about family values when he places victims of abuse and children in his own church at risk?

The link provided in the message leads to the Family Action Council of Tennessee's website listing of "pro-family" candidates to support for Memphis City Council. Pastor Gaines is using his bully pulpit to attack law abiding people who simply want the right to make a living in Memphis. He's also using his Bible and church to prop up his personal bias and bigotry against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Gaines lives outside Memphis city limits yet believes he should determine the fate of city elections.

How firmly does Pastor Steve Gaines pull the strings of Councilors Morrison, Boyd, and Conrad? How "pro-family" or pro-worker can these candidates be if Pastor Gaines is calling the shots from his pulpit? Surely the good people in the pews at Bellevue Baptist Church and the people of Memphis deserve guidance from better men than this.

Truly pro-family voters will be voting for candidates who support the right of all people to earn a living, provide for their families and contribute to their communities without fear of unfair workplace discrimination. Voters can be proud to cast their vote in District 1, District 2, and Superdistrict 9-1 for pro-equality and pro-family candidates endorsed by TEP PAC: Kendrick Sneed, Sylvia Cox and Paul Schaffer. They aren't likely to succumb to a false prophet like Steve Gaines.

Learn about the other equality advocates endorsed by TEP PAC here.

- Jonathan Cole

TEP PAC is a state political action committee registered in Tennessee, Joyce Peacock, treasurer. The endorsements of TEP PAC do not necessarily represent the views of the board of the Tennessee Equality Project.