Aug 31
Harris Tells Black Church Group 'We Are Not Going Back' on Same Day they Reject Same-Sex Marriage
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, thanked leaders of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church for their support this week and told them she is determined to move the country forward for them, the New York Post reports.
In prepared video comments, Harris spoke on Wednesday at its AME's 52nd quadrennial conference held in Columbus where she slammed Republicans for wanting to pull the country backward. "We face a choice between two very different visions for the future of our nation. One, ours, that is focused on the future. The other focused on the past," Harris said. "But we are not going back."
Some saw her words as a rebuke of the AME's long-standing stance against same sex marriage, which was reaffirmed in a vote earlier in the day (896 nays and 722 yeas). This decision, rooted in conservative religious beliefs, has been criticized by LGBTQ+ advocates and allies, who view it as a step backwards in the fight for equality and human rights.
"Harris's statement comes at a time when debates over LGBTQ+ rights are intensifying in many parts of the world, including Africa, where cultural and religious views often clash with the push for more inclusive laws and policies," reports Business Upturn. Many delegates who voted against same-sex marriage were church officials from Africa.
"Although the church boasts a vast network of Democratic congregants, its position on same-sex marriage remains out of step with the official stance of the Democratic Party," adds the Post. The group is a powerful organization that had a key role in electing Joe Biden four years ago. In 2004, the church's leaders released a statement indicating gay marriage was contradictory to how they interpret the Bible, according to the Human Rights Campaign, a pro-LGBTQ nonprofit.
The Harris campaign did not respond to questions from the Post on whether the vice president was aware of the AME church's stance on gay marriage prior to filming her message. The AME church hung up the phone when Fox News Digital tried to reach out with similar inquiries.
"This is the most consequential election of our lifetime," Harris told the congregants Wednesday, thanking them "deeply" for their support and get-out-the-vote efforts. Harris made no specific mention of LGBTQ+ issues during her short message, but did touch on economic, health, and religious liberty issues. She also implored the congregants to "do all we can to move our nation forward," reports the Post.
"As the Gospel of Luke tells us, faith has the power to shine a light on those living in darkness and to guide our feet in the path of peace. In moments such as this, faith guides us forward. Faith in the promise of America: freedom, opportunity and justice – not for some, but for all."
