Kentucky church bans interracial marriage

[IDrinkaRum]

The Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church in Pike County, Kentucky, has banned interracial marriages after a member of the church became engaged to a black man from Zimbabwe.

The young woman, was baptized at the church, but is not an active member. In June of this year, she and her fiance performed a song in the church (she played piano and he sang). Shortly afterward, they were informed they would not be allowed to perform in the church ever again.

The only time interracial relationships will be recognized is during funerals. Which has me

I don't understand this. The churches around the Baptist church are all condemning their stance. Even the new pastor of the Baptist church has invited the woman and her fiance back there.

Isn't this 2011? Or has the calendar suddenly gone back 60 years?

[protege]

...and now those of us in the North have yet another reason to think that those who live in the South...are a bunch of backwards hicks

[Andara Bledin]

The head pastor for the church actually voted against the rule. But he was among the minority of 6 votes against, versus 9 votes for.

The tortured logic behind the prohibition of inter-racial couples being allowed to participate in official church functions is to supposedly make things easier for the non inter-racial couples. Basically, the people in favor of this bullshit didn't want to upset the bigots among their delegation.

And they aren't banned from the church, just banned from church functions. Which isn't quite the same thing. And banning anyone who isn't being actively disruptive from a funeral is too much a dick move for even these guys.

^-.-^

[smileyeagle1021]

...and now those of us in the North have yet another reason to think prove that those who live in the South...are a bunch of backwards hicks

there, fixed it for you.

Then again, even Utahns are saying "holy fuck that's bigoted"... and we're always proud of our top 10 bigoted states listing.

[AdminAssistant]

there, fixed it for you.

Nope. I've said it before and I'll say it again, there's an equal percentage of racist, bigoted assholes in the North as there are in the South.

But please, continue to make Southerners the national scapegoat for bigotry.

[protege]

But please, continue to make Southerners the national scapegoat for bigotry.

That's *not* what I was trying to do. Unfortunately, the South still has the 'taint' of slavery and the founding of a certain group of white sheeted idiots who burn crosses. That's why the South still has that image.

[AdminAssistant]

That's *not* what I was trying to do.

I didn't say that you were. I was saying that smiley was.

In terms of 'backwards hicks', I've met just as many that hail from Western Kansas as I have that are from places like Kentucky. Racism/bigotry/hatred are not geographical or regional constructs.

[smileyeagle1021]

But please, continue to make Southerners the national scapegoat for bigotry.

this isn't an issue where because you're wrong means I'm right or that if I'm wrong that you're right.
Just because the south is racist doesn't mean the north isn't, but let's face it, the north repealed their discriminatory laws long before the south did, so if nothing else the south has a worse history of institutionalized racism rather than mere individual racists (not to imply that any racism is okay, but an individual racist does not as oppress as much as a racist system).

[jackfaire]

In terms of 'backwards hicks', I've met just as many that hail from Western Kansas as I have that are from places like Kentucky.

This is going to sound stupid but my first reaction was, "Kansas is in the North?"

Honestly I am from the PNW we seem kind of exempt from that whole North South thing possibly because our part of the country didn't really have as big a stake in the Civil War.

[Fire_on_High]

Freakin appalling! And I'm from GA.

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

Update: the church has now voted unanimously to rescind the ban.

[Evandril]

I'm from Colorado, and honestly thought the whole 'racisim' thing was completely overblown...Until I was stationed in arkansas *shudders* Having people look at me funny when I was polite to anyone, even if they weren't the same color as me just broke my heart...and that was before I knew they had a publicly known kkk group in the town near the base.

North/South might not be a valid arguement...but on a state by state basis? Yeah, there are some BIG differences, trust me.

[AdminAssistant]

Well, I've been yelled and cursed at in Little Rock for committing the crime of being white, so there's that, too.

[Evandril]

Being yelled at for your color/racisim *IS* racist, no matter the color they are upset about, fyi.

[Amanita]

^Exactly! Nobody should have to hear racial slurs aimed at them because of their color, NOBODY.

A non-white being racist and hateful to a white person just because they happen to be white is no better than a white person being hateful to a person of color.