The View From Church: President Obama’s First Term

How does the African-American community in North Carolina view President Obama four years after his historic win? Here in North Carolina, polls show support softening, but softening down to 89 percent, from a whopping 95 percent in 2008.

Here & Now’s Robin Young visited the Little Rock AME Zion Church in Charlotte, North Carolina and spoke with churchgoers and Pastor Dwayne Walker. The conversation with Walker is excerpted below.

In a recent article, Robert Levy, Moore County Republican Party Chair in North Carolina, asked why, when unemployment is at 14 percent among blacks, they still overwhelmingly support the president. He said that President Obama doesn’t know or care about their suffering. What is your response?

I would say to that person, in a very nice way, that that’s not true. Barack Obama spent a great deal of time in Chicago as a community organizer. I’m from Chicago and so I know very well of his work in neighborhoods and he’s very much concerned about the community.

Furthermore, every effort that he’s made to [reduce] the unemployment rate has been fought by Republicans [whose] intent has always been to make him a one term president.

What did you think when you heard Mitch McConnell and other Republicans leaders say that their goal was to make this a one term presidency?

I thought that was very sad and unfair. There has been all kinds of deliberate attempts to ensure that Barack Obama is a one term president and that the economy remains in bad shape. It’s turning down stimulus money, then you end up laying off people when they could have had jobs.

What about the criticisms that Barack Obama did not attend the NAACP convention this year. And we remember a year ago, when NAACP and the Rev. Jesse Jackson were concerned about huge unemployment among young African Americans. They said it should be declared an emergency. One leader said if this was a white president, people would be up in arms.

My thoughts on it is that any attention that he would give specifically to African Americans… he would be accused of showing favoritism.

As you watch a black man be president, are you thinking of other things when for instance, President Obama maybe had to be careful about being angry, because he is a black man.

Yeah. They will paint him all kinds of ways and I think he’s done well to watch how he says what he says. Even when he broke out at the Apollo and sang that [Al Green] song, he was criticized. And I said, “Man, give this brother a break.” But the things that he has to watch others would not have to.

We welcome comments from all of our listeners. Post below. Please stay on topic and be civil. Comments may be moderated by us, but you are solely responsible for the content of your comments.

Xavier in Boston

As a gay man I want to know why progressives give African-Americans who dislike gay marriage a free pass (often citing “culture”) but no other group can escape without the “homophobic” tag.
Gary in Portland

When interviewing a bigot who claims that his book of mythology prevents him from any other course of action, why do you not mention that the same book not only supports, but mandates, African enslavement?
So. Cal. Reader

When you asked if the Rev thought President Obama has not done enough for African Americans you illustrate that with the new deferred action policy, which defers any deportatation for two years and provides work permits to some undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. You said “deferred actions for Hispanics.”
The program is not aimed at or only for Hispanics. It’s inaccurate to portray it that way and that contributse to the idea that all undocumented immigrants are Hispanic and all Hispanics are undocumented immigrants.
The policy deferred action is for all undocumented immigrants, including Asians, Middle Easterners, Europeans, Canadians and, yes, Latinos. While Latinos make up the majority of undocumented immigrants it’s wrong to say the program is only for them because it was not laid out that way. For more information on the program and who benefits http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/08/14/up-to-1-7-million-unauthorized-immigrant-youth-may-benefit-from-new-deportation-rules/
carolyn nelson

I see not a single verse in the New Testament where Jesus condemned homosexuality-othere writers from that time and place in the world–we do not worship them!
- guest
  
  While you’re correct in that there is no verse in the gospels in which Jesus condemns homosexuality, I encourage you to read Romans 1:26-27. Also, check out Leviticus 18:22.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Allisyn-Swift/610805299 Allisyn Swift

A comment about this article today:I don’t understand the need to frame the argument about homosexuality and the Black church as if being on the ‘down low’ is a strictly Black phenomenon. Because of massive amounts of anti homosexual messages in the mainstream society there are many men and women who are in the closet. Further, the anti homosexual argument has been used to divide the black vote for many years (see Tim Wise for research and the insight on this issue ). This SOCIETY is massively anti-homosexual, so it is unfair to frame it as a Black issue. Anti homosexual sentiments is, unfortunately, anAmerican issue. As you see by the people that were interviewed at the church, it is a non issue for many black folks as we recognize discrimination when we see it.
Joholo

Another “minister” teaching his flock that being gay is a choice and a sin. That’s like me, as a Caucasian man, telling my white friends that black people choose to be black. I’m very disappointed in WHYY for giving this bigot air-time.
http://profile.yahoo.com/2FMDO2HG4GX7EGKCG7AIVTQOAM donald s

Robin Young’s excellent interview with Rev. Walker very simply and succinctly highlights the Reverend’s hypocrisy about gay marriage front and center. I’m sure he’s wrestled with his conscience just as President Obama did on this issue. What gets in the way is religion itself and an absolutely restrictive belief that the bible is the final word on anything and everything, including the rejection and marginalization of women and gays, just for starters. Therein lies the great sadness for humanity. Rev. Walker needs to revisit his compassion and acceptance of others not like him. An echo of the recent past.
A NC Catholic listener

As I heard it, the interview with Rev. Dwayne Walker and his congregants was beautiful, moving and inspirational. This is how people disagree in love and respect for each other. Nowhere did I hear Rev. Walker condemn anyone’s sins as more sinful than his own. Rather he, in loving acceptance, recognizes that noone is sinless… or able to go through this life without an inner struggle between what one believes is good and the inability to always act within the parameters of that good.
Steve

I listened to the program yesterday (9/4), and heard the wonderful, eloquent, soft-spoken pastor, and one of his parishioners before him, speak about Obama, of course … but then about the gay-marriage question. Listening to their responses about this, I felt again the sort of hope that many of us felt four years ago … but has been in dwindling supply, it seems, since. Especially lately, after so many weeks now of shrill platitudes and distortion and obfuscation, the quiet, reasoned thinking by these two people (even though I disagree with the pastor’s position) renewed in me the awareness that there still WERE quiet, reasoned thinkers in the world … and in that, gave me back some hope not only for the election but for things in general. My gratitude knows no bounds.
guest

As an African American woman, I resent the fact the people compare sexual preference to race. I cannot change my skin color, but sexual prefernce certainly can be. If I’ve seen people (mainly women) who have dated someone of the opposite sex–or even had a child with them, and was done dirty by those people a dozen of times, then they run to someone of the same sex for love…I’ve seen it a dozen times.

God has given people free will. People are going to do what they want to do and think what they want to think. It is not up for anyone to judge, but God’s Word clearly states His position on homosexuality. And it’s not just Christianity. This is the belief of other major religions as well.