Unhappy with President Barack Obama‘s support of same-sex marriage, a group of African-American faith leaders have announced a campaign aimed at stripping 25 percent of the black vote that went to Obama in 2008 (95 percent).
The newly formed nonprofit group, God Said, will begin targeting voters in Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Florida with television and radio advertising, as well as a grassroots campaign to encourage people to consider the gospel when they enter the voting booth.
“The black community is among the most religious in America and we are offended that President Obama has announced his support of same-sex marriage, that the NAACP has blindly supported the secular views of the Democratic Party, and that their national platform plainly supports same-sex marriage,” said Apostle Claver Kamau-Imani of RagingElephants.org, and a God Said founder, in a statement. “I am confident that this message will be well received and acted upon on Election Day.”
The group currently has 22 advisory board members and plans to spend an estimated $1 million on the campaign, a spokesperson told TheDC, adding that its message has support among other faith leaders and congregants, including the Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP), which has vociferously protested against Obama’s same-sex marriage stance. Some of the CAAP members are on the God Said board.
“During the 2008 elections, 70 percent of African Americans voted to ban same-sex marriage in California while they also voted for Barack Obama for president,” added Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and black outreach director of the pro-life Priests for Life. “We fully intend to shift 25 percent of the black vote from the 2008 election by charging every voter to examine each candidate and vote for the one that supports their core belief in natural marriage.”
The group claims their goal is to give voice to black supporters of traditional marriage who feel like they are not represented by the Democratic Party or NAACP. To be sure, a vast majority of African Americans identify as Democratic.
Update: After publication Rev. William Owens, CAAP president, clarified that CAAP is not affiliated with God Said.
“CAAP is a group of pastors and faith leaders dismayed at the President’s support for same-sex marriage. It is an offense to the African-American community especially when he equates gay rights to civil rights. Our organization is not affiliated with the God Said campaign,” he told TheDC in a written statement. “Our effort has been to educate and encourage black voters to abide by their conscience and their faith. We have never advocated for or against any candidate, nor for black Christians to stay home on election day. African Americans have sacrificed and fought too hard for the right to vote.”