(letter, not published, to the Inquirer re “Vote race or religion,” 6/30/08)

Bishop Harry Jackson Jr. is worried about the “sanctity of marriage” and whether African American pastors may be “conflicted” about supporting Barack Obama.

Jackson claims such ministers fought for the high moral ground and voted for George Bush in 2004. Why does it feel like that “high moral ground” has become a festering sink hole, a war that has taken the lives of more than 4,000 of our brave men and women and thousands of Iraqi children and women? His call to African American pastors to support John McCain is a cry for four more years of death and war.

George W. Bush has replaced the most basic needs of the poor at home so he could pay for this immoral war. The burden of these unnecessary expenses has been placed squarely on the backs of the lower and middle class Americans and their future generations. Meanwhile, the richest one percent of Americans were given the biggest tax break in the history of the country by the Bush administration.

If African American ministers really want to “send a message to McCain,” as the good bishop suggests, they should think real, real hard about what message they wish the candidate to hear. Maybe they could try a couple that Jesus Christ has already sent: love thy enemies; blessed are the peacemakers for they shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.

I bet a whole slew of African American ministers are going to ignore the bishop’s advice and do the right thing: vote for a more moral administration than the one now in place and encourage their congregants to do the same.

Charles Bauerlein
Downingtown, PA