A group of Black pastors held a press conference Tuesday opposing President Obama’s position of same-sex marriage. The Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP) called the President’s stance “disgraceful” and has launched a marriage petition in a nation-wide campaign to rallying African Americans to withdraw support from the President. In May, President Obama announced that he supports same -sex marriage- and this year’s Democratic National Convention; gay marriage language will be included in the party platform.
Rev. William Owens, President and Founder of the Coalition of African-American Pastors, believes that President Obama takes the vote of the black community for granted and that he is putting the interests of his gay supporters ahead of the religious beliefs of his African-American backers.
A recent poll conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that 47% of whites support gay marriage compared to 39% of blacks.
President Obama's attitudes towards gay marriage has evolved since he came to the White House. He originally supported civil unions, not same sex marriage. Then, in May, he told ABC News that he supported gay marriage and would announce his position during the Democratic National Convention in early September. Recently, a draft committee approved a gay marriage plank to be included in the party platform.