Rev. Peterson Critical of Bill Clinton, Gray Davis Politics In Black Church

BOND (Brotherhood Organization of A New Destiny) ^ | September 17, 2003 | Ermias Alemayehu

[NewDestiny]

LIAR, LIAR!

LOS ANGELES - Former President Bill Clinton delivered a pro-Democrat message from the pulpit of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church (First AME) in Los Angeles on Sunday morning, in support of embattled incumbent California Governor Gray Davis. The former president, who was impeached for lying under oath about his affair with a White House intern urged blacks to forgive the mistakes Davis “may” have made in handling California’s economy and the 2000 energy crisis, and to vote against the October 7 recall election. Clinton received roaring applause from the predominantly black congregation headed up by the popular Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray.

BOND Founder and President Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson took issue with the event, including its location: “Liberals are big on separation of church and state, so where’s the outcry from the ACLU, the Rev. Barry Lynn (Americans United for Separation of Church and State), and others about this obvious violation? It appears the same rules don’t apply to liberal black churches and Democratic Party officials. This is a blatant double standard, and the silence from the left is deafening,” Rev. Peterson said.

Rev. Peterson also criticized the sponsors of Sunday’s gathering: “Cecil Murray is an example of what is wrong with the black church. Murray and his followers are celebrating evil. They embrace Clinton and Davis, both of whom are liars who should be rebuked,” said Rev. Peterson.

Bill Clinton told the congregation, “It’s you that I’m worried about… I don’t want you to be the laughing stock of the country…” Rev. Peterson responded, “As a result of most blacks lacking moral character, and their blind allegiance to ‘leaders’ such as Clinton, Davis, and the Congressional Black Caucus, they’re already the laughing stock.”

BOND (Brotherhood Organization of A New Destiny) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to “Rebuilding the Family By Rebuilding the Man.” Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson’s new book SCAM: How The Black Leadership Exploits Black America will be available in stores October 2003.

Rev. Peterson will be a guest on "Hannity & Colmes" tonight at 3 p.m. EST / 6 p.m. PST to discuss this issue.

###

[gdani]

This is what the IRS defines as prohibited "political campaigning": "participating or intervening, directly or indirectly, in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office."

Allowing Bill Clinton to stump for Gray Davis definitely fits the definition of "participating indirectly on behalf of a candidate for public office."

Check here -- Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations.

There's a section included on churches inviting people to speak. The IRS has been through this a million times & has repeatedly made it clear that inviting outside speakers to support a campaign from the pulpit is not a violation (although there are ways to violate the regs if one is careless in planning).

The church violated no IRS regs, according to the info given in the various news articles. You may think it's a violation -- the IRS does not.

As an aside, I've been on the board of directors for a few non-profits over the years & have participated as a speaker/trainer in workshops for other board & staff members on complying with IRS regs for 501(c)(3) organizations.

[gdani]

Um... No. He doesn't. Not from the pulpit, anyway. Maybe in the vestibule in a quiet conversation with another parishoner. It's the law.

As much as I dislike Clinton & the Dems, he does indeed have the right (provided he's invited by the church, of course).

It's called the First Amendment.

Check the link in post #21 for more info.

[gdani]

What's gone unsaid is that the real answer is for churches to NOT register as 501(c)(3) organizations. There is no law or regulation that requires them to do so and when they do it they know what they are getting into.

If they would have the fortitude to separate themselves from such government oversight they could do/say whatever they wish including engaging in partisan political activity.

However, most churches appear to be more interested in money and/or not upsetting the congregation than principle.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Folks,

As far as I know, this IRS reg. IS THE "SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE".

I believe that it was sponsored by then-congressman Lyndon Johnson in about 1954.

If there are guidelines that can be followed, then the conservative churches should by all means get with the program.

Furthermore, Catholics should be raising holy hell about their church supporting murder-bort candidates.

[gdani]

As far as I know, this IRS reg. IS THE "SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE".

These regs apply to ALL 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, not just churches.

[T Lady]

Of all the posts on this thread, yours nails it perfectly. Any hint of WASP and or /Conservative congregations inviting a Republican candidate to speak from the pulpit would result in screaming headlines from the NYT, LAT, and endless bleating from CNNABCNBCCBSMSNBC about the 'political shilling' of the Republican party. Yes folks, there IS a double standard here, and as a Black Christian I find it highly offensive.

-Regards, T.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

These regs apply to ALL 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, not just churches.

What are the ACLU, Sierra Club, Family Planning and Operation Rainbow Push.

Non-profits also should not be given tax-payer's money.

[gdani]

What are the ACLU, Sierra Club, Family Planning and Operation Rainbow Push.

Many groups such as the ones you mention (I'm not familiar with all of them enough to know how exactly they are incorporated) incorporate as both a 501(c)(3) and as a (501)(c)(4). Among other differences between the two, a 501(c)(4) is allowed to engage in significantly more political activity.

I would bet that all of the national orgs with a strong Wash DC presence -- including the ones you mention -- would be incorporated as either just a 501(c)(4) or as both. (Incorporating as both does mean that they are legally 2 separate organizations but the distinction is very minor in the minds of just about everyone. In addition, some advocacy orgs also have or are PACs).

[concerned about politics]

BOND Founder and President Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson took issue with the event, including its location: “Liberals are big on separation of church and state, so where’s the outcry from the ACLU, the Rev. Barry Lynn (Americans United for Separation of Church and State), and others about this obvious violation? It appears the same rules don’t apply to liberal black churches and Democratic Party officials. This is a blatant double standard, and the silence from the left is deafening,” Rev. Peterson said.

The National Socialist Party, called for short, the Nazi Party. Hitler was also a Social Darwinist.
The Nazi Party began building a mass movement. From 27,000 members in 1925, the Party grew to 108,000 in 1929. The SA was the paramilitary unit of the Party, a propaganda arm that became known for its strong arm tactics of street brawling and terror. The SS was established as an elite group with special duties within the SA, but it remained inconsequential until Heinrich Himmler became its leader in 1929. By the late twenties, the Nazi Party started other auxiliary groups. The Hitler Youth , the Student League and the Pupils' League were open to young Germans. The National Socialist Women's League allowed women to get involved. Different professional groups--teachers, lawyers and doctors--had their own auxiliary units.
From 1925 to 1927, the Nazi Party failed to make inroads in the cities and in May 1928, it did poorly in the Reichstag elections, winning only 2.6% of the total vote. The Party shifted its strategy to rural and small town areas and fueled antisemitism by calling for expropriation of Jewish agricultural property and by condemning large Jewish department stores. Party propaganda proved effective at winning over university students, veterans' organizations, and professional groups, although the Party became increasingly identified with young men of the lower middle classes.

[Tired of Taxes]

Actually, the "Americans United for Separation of Church and State" ARE criticizing it. However, the fact is that most of these groups are far smaller and less powerful than any Freeper might imagine. Only the ACLU seems to receive any attention. I was going to start a separate thread for this post, but here's as good a place as any:

---

Below from the Americans United website: http://www.au.org/press/pr030916.htm

Electioneering At Los Angeles Church Sparks Questions About Tax Exemption

Church-State Watchdog Group Asks IRS To Investigate

A Los Angeles church that hosted a political rally for Gov. Gray Davis during Sept. 14 services should be investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Several newspapers reported Sept. 15 that former President Bill Clinton spoke from the pulpit of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church. Clinton exhorted the congregation to vote against the effort to recall Davis, telling attendees, “Don’t do this. Don’t do this. Don’t shred your Constitution. Don’t shred the fabric of government. Don’t tell people Californians are so impatient that they give somebody an employment contract and then tear it up in the middle because times are tough. This is the right thing to do, to beat this recall.”

Davis himself also addressed the congregants, remarking, “This recall threatens the very fabric of democracy. It is not good for you, it is not good for California. I ask that you defeat it.”

In addition, the church’s pastor, the Rev. Cecil Murray, told the congregation that Davis is “our vital warrior” and “we are his posse.” According to The Washington Post, Murray “urged his flock to renounce the recall.” The paper also noted that “in attendance were dozens of elected Democrats.”

Americans United Executive Director Barry W. Lynn said the church-run event clearly crossed the line into partisan politicking.

“I believe any fair-minded person would conclude that this event, coming just three weeks before the scheduled recall election, was designed to influence voters to retain Davis in office,” Lynn wrote today in a letter to Steven T. Miller, director of the IRS’s Exempt Organizations Division. “As such, it would seem to be a clear violation of the church’s tax-exempt status.”

Lynn urged the IRS to conduct an investigation and “apply any penalties you deem appropriate.”

Federal tax law bars churches and other organizations with a 501(c)3 tax-exempt status to engage in political activities on behalf of (or against) any candidate for public office.

Americans United works to educate houses of worship about the dangers of engaging in partisan politicking through its Project Fair Play. In cases of clear violations of the law, Americans United asks the IRS to investigate. One congregation, the Church at Pierce Creek near Binghamton, N.Y., has already been stripped of its tax-exempt status for inappropriate intervention in a partisan campaign.

Project Fair Play is a non-partisan effort.

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[potlatch]

PING!

[First Amendment]

This is very interesting history about the Nazis - was it meant for another thread? (This all reminds me of a what a friend is worried about - that the US is headed down the same road as Hitler's Germany, so many parallels. Control of media, the Big Lie, demonizing all "fundamental" (i.e. sincere) religious believers (not just Jews now, esp since most Jews in the US aren't very religious), dismantling parental control of kids, schools becoming indoctrination centers, the elite professionals hand in hand with government control of higher education, diversity training in so many fields - educational, companies, government jobs, etc - and homosexuals becoming the elite leaders of what is fashionable, humanitarian, correct speech, creating committees in every field. Yesterday there was a thread where people at a university were all hu-hu about one professer's blog in which he criticized homosexuals; one of the homosexuals said "Hate speech isn't free speech."

[Quix]

Finally some sanity long over due.

[sauropod]

Saw him on H&C. Did a real good job. Eleanor Clift came off looking like the pompous white wine sipping earth shoe wearing, npr listening, bedwetting liberal she is!

[sauropod]

Rather telling.

[Marysecretary]

This man is amazing. He's not afraid to tell it like it is, no matter what the outcome. May God bless and protect him from Arkancide!

[Marysecretary]

SHH.WE all know that, but the government doesn't. I think people are upset because we KNOW what the left would say and do if it was someone on the right doing the same thing. Patterson has said he didn't have a problem with church and state but that others do and he wants to see it balanced out, not one sided. The democrats just keep thinking they can get away with stuff like that, and they DO! It's time to stop them.

[Marysecretary]

In Jackson's jaded eyes, anything blacks and democrats want to do is above the law. HE is above the law and he gets away with it. Grrr.

[Marysecretary]

I heard Lynn last night on O'Reilly and was surprised to hear them going after this. It was the first time I could actually watch Lynn without wanting to punch out his lights.