Jimmy Carter the peacemaker

(TriceEdneyWire.com) ­– Two hours after making his historic remarks on same-sex unions, then-President Barack Obama held a critical conference call with Black pastors to explain his support for gay marriage, according to The New York Times. The pastors who participated on the call told the paper that Obama explained how he struggled with the decision, and that several of them voiced their disapproval. The conference call was a quiet effort by the president to control the potential political damage which could possibly occur from his controversial announcement.As a result, Black churches were conflicted in their reactions. Some were silent on the issue. At other churches, pastors spoke against the president’s decision – but spoke kindly of the man himself. While some were outraged at the president and his decision, there was a minority of pastors who spoke favorably of the decision while expressing understanding of the president’s change of heart.Related Stories African Americans were a key voting bloc for the president. During the previous 2008 presidential election, exit polls showed Obama lost to John McCain among White voters, but won more than 95% of the African American vote. While African Americans overwhelmingly supported Obama, traditionally most are socially conservative when...