A Conversation with Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy
November 17th, 2009
This morning I had the distinct honor and pleasure to sit down for an entire hour and talk with the president of the National Interfaith Alliance, Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy.
Dr. Gaddy is quite an accomplished religious and political leader. He has authored 20 books and just last year published the powerful and poignant paper, “Same-Gender Marriage & Religious Freedom, A Call to Quite Conversations And Public Debate”
The reverend is an active practicing Baptist minister from Louisiana and the host of State of Belief, a weekly talk show on Air America Radio, and a frequent guest on MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann and The Rachel Maddow Show.
“..the old cliché was, hate the sin love the sinner…You’re not condemning homosexuality, you’re condemning a person!”
The reverend was called by the Obama transition team to advise the incoming president on issues related to religion and politics. Dr Gaddy played a key roll in working to get the Matthew Sheppard Hate Crimes bill passed and was in the oval office with Judy Sheppard when President Obama singed this historic legislation into law.
Our conversation focuses on the collision of religion and politics and how that has affected the national conversation on same-gender marriage. We talk about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints involvement in anti-gay ballot initiatives across the country, and what needs to happen to achieve true equality. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Jody May-Chang & Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy – 57:00 minutes
(This audio file requires the QuickTime player, if you don’t have it, download it FREE HERE!)
I would like to thank my friend and colleague, Executive Director of the Interfaith Alliance of Idaho, Pam Baldwin for arranging this wonderful opportunity.
Stay tuned for more from Dr. Gaddy! As I See It… will soon post his keynote address to the Interfaith Alliance of Idaho’s annual meeting and dinner.
Dedicated to achieving FULL civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people through advocacy journalism, commentary, and motivating individuals, groups and grassroots organizations into action for positive social change.
Great interview! Dr. Gaddy brings out the important issues facing the LGBT community that has to deal with the very real threats from politicians and others who promote a homophobic agenda. Thanks for sharing the interview and keep up the good work!
Thanks so much, Jody, for including me on your mailing and listening list. I was deeply moved by Dr. Gaddy’s talk last night and am looking forward to your future posts. I urge all your reader/listeners to pay attention to Dr. Gaddy’s messages as he teaches us how to move forward in the causes that are so needed today and that are so very dear to us. He urges us to end the silence that ihes been perpetrated by those of us who don’t know how to talk about these issues because they are so violently opposed by people who don’t know how to be kind, and he urges us to be civil in our disobedience while still being disobedient because we must!!! All these are my words, not his. However, this is what I took away from his talk. Just knowing he’s in the world, doing the great work he’s doing, gives me strength and courage to continue in my own little way the uphill trudge in Idaho toward equality not just in the workplace, but everywhere — including same-sex marriage!
Thank you, Jody, for all your hard work, and for your courage to voice what must be voiced!
As always, I am very proud of you, your humanity, and the work that you do.
[...] to hear more from Welton Gaddy about Religion and Politics and how that has affected LGBT issues then listen to my full hour interview with Dr. Gaddy. November 21st, 2009 in As I See It…, Hate Crime, Marriage Equality, Religion | tags: Ahavath [...]