Dec
16
Written by:
Reverend Perryman
12/16/2008 6:34 AM
From time to time, I receive e-mails from individuals who think I am harsh and unfair in my analysis and criticism of President Barack Obama. Some are convinced that I do not like him because I disagree with him on several issues surrounding Abortion and Gay Rights. I have no political objections to this well-accomplished politician, who has one of the most beautiful families that will ever occupy the Whitehouse.
My objections are not based on political grounds, they are based solely on spiritual grounds and they are the same objections that I had with other white political candidates including Al Gore, John Kerry and various Republicans who supported the woman’s right to choose and the Gay Rights movement. In other words, if Obama were white and Republican, I still would not support him based on these two issues that I personally feel are very critical and can have dire repercussions and severe consequences spiritually.
The records will show that I wrote President Ronald Reagan and told him that he and other Republicans were wrong on Affirmative Action. Recently, I have been the guest speaker at many Republicans functions, including one that was covered by C-Span Books earlier this year (2008), and there again (on national television), I challenged the Republicans on the issue of Affirmative Action. In 2004, I met with the Bush/Cheney people in Ohio and speaking for the black clergy, told them that the Party was doing nothing to reach black voters, nor were they offering the black community anything. Additionally, for over 30 years I have supported Democratic candidates including heading fund raising drives to help finance their campaign. And as of this date, I have not received one e-mail either commending me or condemning me for these actions.
Some feel I have not earned the right to criticize anyone and that the Bible says I should not judge. Regarding being critical and judging, I say the following: We have no problem condemning the gang bangers who kill other black children or the drug dealer who sales drugs in our community. We have no problem condemning the single parent for having children out of wedlock, or the father who does not pay child support. But when it comes to preachers and politicians, we have a different standard even though Bible has more to say about corrupt politicians (kings) and priest than another group or profession mentioned in the Bible. While Jesus forgave the prostitutes and common people, he openly condemned the priest and the political leaders (Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and members of the Sanhedrin Matthew 23rd chapter). In today’s society, it’s ok to condemn the common people, but hands off of the preachers and the politicians, particularly if they are black politicians.
Regarding earning the right to criticize others just let me say, that like Obama, the Lord has blessed me with a multitude of opportunities to help others in my community.
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At the age of 22, the Lord blessed me to start an organization to help feed the poor. The organization was called Operation Destitution.
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From this organization, the Lord blessed me to form a gospel singing group. We called ourselves the Gospel O.D. Singers (O.D. for Operation Destitution). We took all the funds from our records and concerts to feed the poor and provide toys for the less fortunate during the holiday season. We were one of the only groups that would go out on Christmas Eve and perform in hospitals and rest homes. In addition to performing, we purchased much needed equipment for these organizations when their budget would not allow them to do so. These activities were documented in a number of news articles including a front page featured article in the Seattle Times. We would also take truck loads of toys into the housing projects to provide toys for underprivileged children. We received no financial support from the churches or their leaders. All the funds came from our concerts and from our pockets (there were only six of us).
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In the height of gang activities, the Lord blessed me to bring gang leaders together to form a truce. Some of these gang members not only finished high school, they went on to college and grad school. The Lord blessed me to assist them by providing funds for their books. These events were also documented in articles by the Seattle Times.
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From the truce, the Lord blessed me to form Role Models Unlimited. This organization sponsored a Back Home Banquet For Brothers to recruit black men to be role models for gang members and at-risk youth. The black-tie affair drew over 2,000 black men including players from the NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball. No church or politician helped with the event even though several black politicians came to the event and were given space to speak a packed house (Governor Booth Gardner was the only white that attended the event). Each week our role models would go into the schools and take young men out to lunch, which created one on one role modeling opportunities. The event was covered by both local and national press including Sports Illustrated and Sports Illustrated for Kids.
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The Lord also blessed me to form an action team called: Youth Challenge. In addition to taking professional athletes and celebrities into inner-city high schools for assemblies and dialogue, we developed a character building curriculum for high schools students and taught these 10 week classes during school time. Again, no church or politician provided funds for this program. When tension between gangs occurred, our action team was immediately dispatched to the school to quell the potential violence. The records will show that on one occasion, as part of the action team, I crossed police lines (who were armed with riot gear) to stop a potential riot. High school year books and letters from both students and the teachers commended us for our services.
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The Lord blessed me to use my limited corporate legal background to assist individuals with discrimination cases, social security cases, veteran cases, criminal cases, labor and industries cases and family law cases and never charged my clients one dime for my services. Only one case (longshoremen case) generated some fees for me, all others were successfully adjudicated on behalf of my clients, at no cost to them. In most of these cases the NAACP and other agencies turned down these individuals when they asked for their assistance. Some of these cases were documented by the news media.
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Because landscaping was one of my hobbies, the Lord blessed me to assist a number people in the community with landscaping projects. Because I am a big guy, the Lord blessed me to be available to help a number people move into their new homes (individuals helped included single parents and senior citizens).
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Because of my writing skills, the Lord blessed me to publish several character-building story books for children. Over 30,000 books were donated to inner-city children. Ten thousand books featuring Harold Reynolds and Ken Griffrey Jr. were given to children during one of the Seattle Mariner games. The award-winning books were also placed in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Library. These activities were documented by the media, the Seattle Mariners and the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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The Lord blessed me to head up the Harold Reynolds Children Foundation, which funded the books for the children. In addition to sponsoring books, the foundation financed and funded an entire little league in the inner-city (13 teams). Over 150 young people were the recipients of brand new professional uniforms, equipment and the enough money to provide insurance to cover the nearly defunct league.
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In 1993, after publishing my book: The 1993 Trial on the Curse of Ham, the Lord blessed me to challenge two major Christian publishers and the Encyclopedia Britannica, the challenge resulted in the removal of the curse theory from their publications. The curse theory had existed for over 500 years and was used to justify slavery, Jim Crow and other racist practices against blacks. This effort was documented by the Associated Press and in letters from Thomas Nelson and Zondervans Publishers and the Encyclopedia Britannica.
In addition to these activities, I have coached for over 30 years and have volunteered for a number of organizations while supporting my local church and pastor. I have never been a pastor of a church and never had the financial support of any church for all of my activities. Often times I had to use my light bill money and money from my mortgage to finance my projects. Over the years, I have received a number of commendations from both Democrats and Republicans. So you can see both Obama and I have something in common. We both have extensive community service background and we both are critical of politicians, he of George Bush and his Democratic rivals during the primary, and I of him and others before him who support gay rights and abortions.
My philosophy to help others and love others was established as a poor child from the inner-city. I can recall watching a group of children who stood around eating candy and never offered to share their candy with me. I was nine years old at the time. I remembering saying that: “I wish that every kid on the block could have a lollipop.” Providing lollipops of various kinds is what I have tried to do throughout my life. I wish no one harm, including Barack Obama, gays, gang members or people who disagree with me. I only wish them success in a godly lifestyle and their own lollipop. However I will never endorse what I feel is biblically wrong, whether it is wrong behavior demonstrated by me or by a political leader.
Rev. Wayne Perryman
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