Monday, January 16, 2006

Afro-American Animus

We needn't always reward courage. You can be a brave bigot, a cocksure fool, or a simple hothead. In contrast, gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick has put his neck and 'nads and mind on the line from the beginning. While other politicians left, center and right hide behind generalities, he has posted a solid reform platform for all the see, to copy, to criticize.

So, it's no surprise that the beefy feature in this Sunday's Boston Globe stresses those, particularly Black ministers taking shots at him and his positions. Hiding would have been safer, non-productive, cowardly, and a disservice to voters, but safer for him.

In this case, it is the usual suspects, the extremely socially conservative evangelical ministers, like Gilbert Thompson, re-quoted on Patrick's reform and equal-rights positions. That minister has called Patrick demonic for his support of same-sex marriage. The bilious bishop is one of a loud coterie of his ilk who love to rake in the adulation (and cash) but seem to do little to advance the welfare of the Black community, to address underlying issues that lead to violence, or to support the rights of minority groups and the underclass.

In short, they share Martin Luther King Jr.'s ministerial profession, but not his goals, passions and morality.

Patrick is offering better ways of government, politics, and advancing citizens of Massachusetts. The vocal, largely older, congregants of the socially conservative churches align with the Republican and DINO Roman Catholics. How many of the Boomer and younger congregants, including gay ones, who sit through sevices at their churches where the pulpit nasties show their hypocricy, will vote for Patrick remains to the primary.

We're betting that Deval Patrick appeals to the minds and hearts much more than such politically pale pansies as Healey and Reilly.

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