Like many African American pastors, the Rev. Norman Johnson says his traditionally liberal congregation has found much to like in President Bush's conservative social stands, such as opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion, and he is pleased the president has promoted religious faith.
But as Johnson watched the president's inaugural address on TV at his inner-city church here, adjacent to the long line of poor people who gather every Thursday for free food, he said that even a president of such appeal had lost him on this day. Johnson was disappointed, he said, by how much Bush spoke of freedom-loving people abroad and how little he addressed the plight of struggling neighborhoods like the one just outside the door.
"There's a much deeper reality to America -- and to our America right here -- than freedom and tyranny, but that's what he wanted to talk about," said Johnson. "What it tells me is his agenda is going to be Iraq for the next four years." [...]
| Contine James Sterngold's San Francisco Chronicle article "Bush speech tests faith of an L.A. pastor"
Also: "'Where I am, the No. 1 thing is this. This is what I believe. This is what I embrace.'"
posted in articles on January 21, 2005 1:25 PM | t (0)
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