
There's Mitt Romney, white republican that recently dropped out of the presidential primary. He's a mormon. He believes that when he dies he can go to heaven and have a bunch of wives. His church doesn't believe in polygamy on earth any more, but a while back they actually took up arms against the U.S. military to defend the right of rich and powerful mormon men to marry a bunch of 16 year old girls. The mormon church is unapologetic to this day. They also believe that in 1975, a black man was born with the mark of cain because of sin in the before-life. Because of this mark black men were not allowed to hold any position of authority in the church and were not allowed to go to the highest level of heaven and marry a bunch of wives when they die. Mitt Romney's spiritual leaders have not repudiated this belief - it was correct, God supposedly changed the policy because even though black men in the early 70s and back through history were not worthy, black men in the 80s were different.
It was universally decalared by the press and all candidates that these beliefs and Mitt Romney's refusal to denounce them was not relevant and further, that it would be
bigotry to even talk about them.
Then there's Rudy Giuliani, white republican that recently dropped out of the presidential primary. He's a catholic. A catholic that openly admits to cheating on his wives and getting multiple divorces. His church, ever since they supported fascism during WWII, has had an official policy of covering up the crimes of pedophile priests. The pope only recently mentioned that the actions of the priests were shameful, but did not repudiate the coverup. Giuliani didn't do anything to renounce his church leaders, and, in fact, keeps taking communion despite the fact that his cardinal thinks
he is unworthy because of his pro-choice positions.
No candidates or the press have suggested that any of this is worthy of discussion.
Then there's McCain, white republican presidential candidate. He's actively sought the endorsement of religious leaders that publicly claim that 9/11 and hurricane katrina were righteous punishments from god because of america's tolerance of homosexuals like Dick Cheney's daughter. Under pressure, he has publicly said that he disagrees with a few things one of these religious leaders has said, though he has made it clear he does not renounce the endorsements.
The press, McCain, and Clinton seem to think that McCain has resolved this problem and it's just old news not worth mentioning now.
Next, you have Clinton, white democratic hopeful. She doesn't talk about her religious group, and you won't find the meetings up on youtube. She belongs to a group called
The Family (more info on the
wikipedia entry). Apparently it's a feel-good religion for elites - if you are rich and powerful it's because God thinks you're a little better than everyone else. They have quite a few "cells" (their term for small bible study groups) for powerful people in Washington. Rightwing and right-leaning can mingle and support each other. Members have also included various right-wing dictators around the world according to
an article in harpers. But has Clinton publicly denounced the Family's uncritical support of brutal right-wing dictators? Nope.
And, of course, the media doesn't consider it reasonable to pry into the secrets of her weird little religious group.
And let's take a guess about which of the three candidates belongs to a church that agrees with the vast majority of Americans that the Iraq war was and is immoral? Not McCain. Not Clinton.
I have a theory. You know how whenever a plane crashes, it's in all the national and international news and it's a really big deal for weeks. Meanwhile cars crash all the time, killing thousands of people, and it's rarely more than a blip in the local news. This gives the impression that planes aren't very safe, when in reality, you're much more likely to die in a car wreck on your way to the airport. It's the novelty and associated shock value that makes plane crashes big news, not the body count.
Well, right-wing white churches have always been on the wrong side of any moral issue. They constantly say all sorts of outragious things. It really
isn't news when a white person hears a white preacher say that God is going to cleanse the earth by fire in 1992, or that the latest natural disaster is literally "an act of God", a very angry god that likes to kill thousands of innocent people because of other people's tolerance of gays, or that jews secretly kill christian kids and put their blood in matzos, or that nuking random muslim countries is a good idea.
No, not news at all when a white person hears some right-wing preacher say that. But when a white person hears a black preacher? It doesn't even matter what the preacher says, the very fact that a white person heard it is news. But if it is inflammatory and plays into white fears and prejudices, and, god forbid, brings up
race? Oh my god, a white person hearing a black preacher say unkind things about rich and powerful white people?! Quick! Get the TV cameras out, we have a plane crash!