Lessons for United Methodists from Mayor-elect Annise Parker and Strom Thurmond

by Rev. Gil Caldwell

I am asked so frequently, "Gil, why are you such an active advocate for the rights of LGBT persons and same-gender couples in the church and state?" that I will repeat here my response. "I am a 76 year old man. I was born in North Carolina and grew up in Texas. I have seen and experienced first-hand the foolish, irrational, unreasonable and the spiritually-demonic reality of separation, segregation and punishment of persons solely because of their race. I cannot be silent now as I observe the same thing happening to persons and couples because of their sexual orientation. Yogi Berra once said, 'Its déjà-vu all over again' and at this moment that is exactly how I feel."

On Saturday, December 12, 2009, the voters of Houston elected Annise Parker as their Mayor. The media described her election as "The first election of a Mayor in a major city, of someone who is openly gay.” Almost four years earlier on November 8, 2005, the voters of Texas, "overwhelmingly approved a Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage." Mayor-elect Parker was worthy of being elected Mayor of Houston, but because Houston is in Texas she cannot marry her partner of many years because they share the same gender. Their children are unable to say their parents are married, because they are not legally allowed to be married in Texas.

The late Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina is the father of Essie Mae Washington who was born from his relationship with Carrie Butler, a servant in the home of his parents who was black. Thurmond, although over time altered his racist views, is remembered as the Senator who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Before that, Thurmond had been the presidential candidate of the segregationist States Rights Democratic Party in 1948.

What commonality can we draw from the stories of Strom Thurmond and Annise Parker? Thurmond could demean blacks and vote against legislation that would grant them civil rights because blacks as a group were anonymous and without personhood or personality. But Carrie Butler, with whom he fathered a child, was not anonymous. She was a person; with a personality and humanity known by the Thurmond household as well as by Strom Thurmond. Thus, Thurmond would support Essie Mae Washington financially and otherwise until his death.

There can be no question that some of the voters in Houston who voted for Annise Parker as their Mayor voted earlier against same sex marriage. In 2005 voters denied the rights of same sex couples who represented "them": an unknown segment of humanity undeserving of the same rights heterosexual couples deserve. But, in December 2009 Annise Parker was supported by persons who believed that her experience, gifts, commitment and other personal attributes made her worthy of being Mayor. The contradiction between the vote of Texans in 2005 and the vote of persons in Houston in December 2009, when considered, provides a "learning opportunity" for our denomination.

There is a proposal that a special session of a United Methodist General Conference be held to discuss internal structural and financial issues. I suggest that the Council of Bishops and others who will be developing the agenda add an item on how The United Methodist Church in the USA can be in effective ministry to LGBT persons considering the existence of legal same sex unions, marriages, and the election of public officials who are gay. If we cannot be in full ministry to same sex couples, what does that say about the quality of our ministry to other couples?  And, with our present language and legislation about homosexuality why would any elected official who is gay respect United Methodist ministry?

Many of us believe there is wisdom in applying the Quadrilateral: Scripture, Tradition, Experience and Reason to our practice of ministry in The United Methodist Church. Some would say our legislation and words about same-gender loving couples are unreasonable, even irrational. We are living in a time when attitudes and actions toward LGBT persons and same-gender couples are changing all around us. We have all heard the phrase, "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste". The history, heritage and hope of the United Methodist Church is too valuable to squander as we fail to use our minds, maybe even lose our minds in our un-reasoned attitudes/actions toward same gender loving persons. If we continue to misuse our minds on one issue can our insights on Scripture, Tradition and Experience be trusted?