Gutter Campaigning from the Pulpit

The tactics some have used against Maryland Senate candidate Michael Steele have been from the gutter. For example, some Blacks have thrown oreos at him, implying that old racist put down that he’s Black on the outside, but White on the inside.

But I never expected this from a pulpit no less:

Mr. Coates preached that voting for Mr. Steele would be like voting to free the thief Barabbas instead of Jesus. In the gospels, Pontius Pilate asks a Jewish crowd whether he should free Jesus Christ or Barabbas, and the crowd shouts for Barabbas to be freed, and for Jesus to be crucified.

Mr. Coates implied that black people who vote for Mr. Steele would be deceived just like the crowd that shouted to crucify Jesus. He said people who supported Barabbas could be called “Barablicans,” and people who were for Jesus could be called “Jesuscrats.”

“Can’t you just see the commercials that were designed to endear Barabbas to the crowd?” he said. “I can just see [Barablicans] well dressed, well groomed [and] holding a puppy.”

The reference to one of Mr. Steele’s TV ads, which have featured Mr. Steele holding a puppy, drew laughter from the congregation and prompted several worshipers to stand and applaud.

Such an abuse of the pulpit for gutter politics is an outrage.

There’s a subtle racism that gives Black preachers a pass when they engage in blatant politicking from the pulpit. But such shameful, vicious smearing from a pulpit is beyond the pale no matter what the skin color of the guilty preacher.

Shame on the so-called Reverend Coates for his shameless abuse of his office and pulpit.