Platform

Mainstream and liberal churches are increasingly taking political positions, especially on ballot initiatives. Some are adopting organizing tactics pioneered by conservative religious leaders such as Ralph Reed and Pat Robertson. JIM BLAIR spoke with Southern California church leaders--Christian, Jew, Muslim and Buddhist--across the political spectrum about their activities during the 1996 election season.

PAUL A. STEWART Sr.

Senior pastor, Phillips Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Los Angeles; president, Los Angeles Council of Churches and co-chair of the Southern California Organizing Committee

What motivates me is that I was brought up in an oppressive environment in the rural cotton fields in Mississippi. I saw the effects of the freedom movement. And I came up working in the fields without any assurance or guarantee of salary or any benefits--realizing that in order to make a living I had to leave an area [where] I really would have liked to have lived.

I strongly oppose Proposition 209 [which would ban state affirmative action programs], because it denies a chance to a number of deprived women and minorities who need a chance. It creates greater inequality when we ought to be about equality, and greater injustices when we ought to be about justice.

The [congregation] has responded very favorably. We will have a freedom march to the Post Office on Sunday [to mail absentee ballots]. We will have absentee ballots at the church. It will not only be a great demonstration of support for affirmative action but also support for the use of the ballot to make a difference.

LOU SHELDON

Chairman, Traditional Values Coalition, Anaheim; Presbyterian minister

Twenty-three years ago, a friend said to me, “Lou, they’re getting ready to remove sodomy from the books in California,” [to legalize it].

I knew then that if we did not move into the body politic, we would never have a say on very vital issues such as pornography, abortion and the homosexual agenda--the whole issue of the state telling the church where, when and how it could preach the gospel.

Since 1982 we’ve had a voters’ guide and we will probably do over a million of those this year. The longer we do them, the more credible we become. We mail a monthly newsletter to nearly 16,000 churches and action alerts to our public affairs representatives--the liaison person in the church--so they can then disseminate them to the congregation.

We are definitely supporting ballot measure 209. We believe that we must eliminate government programs which do a reverse in discrimination or show preference based upon race and gender.

I’m being obedient to the vision that was given to me, that “we must be salt and light.” The satisfaction I get is that I am responding to what I know is morally right, because that’s my vision.

ALLEN I. FREEHLING

Senior rabbi, University Synagogue, Brentwood

My father was extremely active in the Anti-Defamation League in Miami when I was growing up. Through his experiences, I came to understand the nature of prejudice, bias and hate and realized early on that [they] need to be defeated. Then, as I began to study for the rabbinate, I was most impressed by the lessons taught to us by the biblical prophets. As a result of those two [influences] I became a political activist.

I chair the Progressive Religious Alliance, an amalgam of faith community leaders, both clergy and lay. Its purpose is to speak out, to show that the religious right does not speak for the religious community, but that there is a variety of voices being heard as champions of the cause of diversity and pluralism. I think that all too many clergy are playing it safe and assuming that the easiest way of functioning is to not be involved.

TOM GRIFFITH

Pastor, Crescent Heights United Methodist Church, West Hollywood. His church gave temporary sanctuary to the L.A. Cannabis Buyers Club

Normally I don’t get involved in partisan politics whatsoever. I even register as “decline to state” party affiliation because I’ve had parishioners look up what party I am.

In this particular case, the L.A. Cannabis Buyers Club [which provides marijuana to people with AIDS and other illnesses, such as cancer] was being run by a member of my church. I was aware of what he was doing.

When they were raided and he lost his lease, he was caught with no place to help his clients, most of whom have AIDS and are struggling to stay alive. I thought that was wrong for people to be denied medication that their own doctors had prescribed for them. After a discussion with the city director of public safety and with the chairman of my board of trustees, I invited him to use our church as a temporary base [they have since moved to other quarters].

But generally, it’s important to separate politics from religious practices because we have to serve everybody in our parish regardless of their political feelings.

PEDRO VILLARROYA

A founder of the United Neighborhood Organization; Former director of the office of Spanish ministry, Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles

I don’t think that the church as such should be involved in electoral politics. But there are a lot of political things that are at the core of people’s lives where morality and respect for human beings are at stake. Then I think that not only the church should be involved but must be involved--if we are going to be believers of our own truths and trust the Lord. He was involved with people--anything that affects their lives, we should have something to say about it. Especially here, when a large majority has made a decision [the passage of Proposition 187 in 1994], which affects minorities.

So I think that when the dignity of human beings is attacked and nobody is there to defend it, we must. I don’t think there’s a choice.

SALAM AL MARAYATI

Executive director, Muslim Public Affairs Council

Within the past year, the Muslim community has gained unprecedented access to the nation’s political process. Not only have our representatives been invited for briefings with the National Security Council and President Clinton, our community, in turn, has become more politically active, with voter registration drives and forums on the proposition issues at mosques.

Just two decades ago, the majority of American Muslims were immigrants. Since then, an American-born generation has come to form the backbone of California’s nearly 1 million Muslims.

One of our chief concerns is the cessation of Muslim-bashing. This includes the false labeling of us as foreigners in our own country and depictions of us as violent bomb-throwers. Whereas a small minority of Muslims are violent, this also holds true of a small minority of Christians and of Jews. Mayor Riordan understood this when he came to the Center in July and said, “We have seen too many communities which have been excluded from the political table. The Islamic community should be included.”

We received an October 16 letter signed by Sen. Bob Dole, acknowledging that “American Muslims have been the targets of stereotyping, bias, and discrimination” in both the workplace and media. The letter, in turn, asked for our support.

While this letter is a positive step, it falls short of any in-person dialogue.

(Al Marayati was interviewed by Joseph Hanania.)

ALTAGRACIA PEREZ

Rector, Church of St. Philip the Evangelist, Los Angeles. Gave invocation at Democratic National Convention

I try to focus on issues that directly impact my community--doing these national things is more in an advisory capacity based on the issues. Personally, especially because I’m a woman and I’m a woman of color and I’m an educated woman of color who came from a welfare-ghetto background, I think I can bring a perspective that is not often heard in places of power.

We’ve participated in a rally and I’m part of the training team for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles in the hopes of defeating the alleged civil rights initiative [Proposition 209]--and we’ve gotten involved in voter registration drives. We’re [also] working to have the city pass a living wage provision [that would mandate wages at a certain level in companies doing business with the city].

I think every clergy person should be involved in getting their people registered, even if they don’t do anything else, to let their people know that they’re called to be good citizens as Christians.

THICH AN-MINH

Priest and teacher, International Buddhist Meditation Center, Los Angeles

First off, we’re a small church so there’s a limit to how much activism we can do, for financial and other reasons. Buddhism in this country is in some senses a foreign religion to a lot of people. We are often forgotten, often not consulted.

In terms of Buddhists being active, probably the most volatile issues would be surrounding non-violence--issues concerning war. There may be times when it’s good to get a word in for pacifism or non-violence.

Getting involved in local ballot measures usually is not [something we do], although I don’t agree with Proposition 209. As for the Democratic fund-raiser [held this spring at a local Buddhist temple], what was curious about that to me is wondering whether fund-raisers are held at any other churches in this country. It’s tough enough for us to get something in the collection plate. You’ve got a tax-exempt church so [fund-raising] shouldn’t be done.