Rhetorical question of the day:  Why is it okay to invoke “separation of church and state” when it suits one’s particular agenda, and then reject it when it doesn’t?

Okay, so it’s not such a rhetorical question.  The answer of the day is:  When the hypocrites on the North Miami City Council decide that the First Amendment doesn’t apply to them.

On April 9, 2012, notoriously anti-gay Pastor Jack Hakimian from “Mission Miami” came before the council to let them know that his church is going to use the National Day of Prayer on May 2, 2013 to spread his message that “homosexuality is wrapped in a quadruplet — fornication, adultery, homosexuality, incest.”  As he told South Florida Gay News, “I do see them as equal sins. All of us human beings struggle and have the potential to struggle with these things.”  He even goes so far as to state that “homosexuality is a sin that can be undone.”

As far as I’m concerned, Pastor Jack has every right to believe his version of the Bible.  He has every right to teach that version to the members of the church.  The First Amendment grants him his freedom of religion.  But the First Amendment also protects tax paying citizens from having to pay for the “privilege” of hearing his vitriol spewed on public property.

Four out of five North Miami council members voted against the First Amendment.  Four out of five North Miami council members are blatant hypocrites.

Pastor Jack cloaked his prejudice in “patriotism” by claiming the National Day of Prayer was mandated by President Washington as a day when “Americans from many religious backgrounds turn to God in prayer for the United States.”  He then demanded the use of the City Hall courtyard to preach his anti-gay agenda.  Sucking up to the council, he “recognized that God has placed you guys as stewards” of the city, which “belongs to the religious, the non-religious, the Jew, the gentile, the atheist, the theist.”

BUT NONE OF YOU FORNICATING, ADULTEROUS, INCESTUOUS GAYS ARE WELCOME!

Even though he told the council he’s “not asking for permission to meet at the courtyard,” but “as something that every president and most municipalities around Miami-Dade and across the nation are setting apart on the National Day of Prayer to issue a proclamation as our president Obama, Bush, Reagan, all the presidents did,” he proposed that the council issue a proclamation, and that a council member give it to him on that day at the courtyard.  He wants the council “out there to pray with us at this interdenominational event.”

BUT NONE OF YOU FORNICATING, ADULTEROUS, INCESTUOUS GAYS ARE WELCOME!

The King of North Miami, a/k/a corruptocrat mayor Andre Pierre, acting all holier-than-thou, endorsed the National Day of Prayer where “people are asked to turn to God in prayer and mediation, er, meditation.”  Freudian slip, Andre?  With all his legal troubles, guess he’s got mediation on the brain.

Pierre went on to stress that the National Day of Prayer was declared Constitutional by the Supreme Court, and therefore it’s perfectly okay to hold this vigil on city property.

I would agree that it’s entirely appropriate to have a non-denominational day of prayer at City Hall.  Of course, atheists are welcome to not attend if they so desire.

What I find deplorable and distasteful is that Andre and his crew have no problem getting into bed with such a hateful bigot such as Jack Hakimian.  Andre can claim all he wants that “this is not about Pastor Jack, this is about National Day of Prayer,” but everyone knows this vigil in the courtyard is Pastor Jack’s baby.

Andre added that “this is about the Mission itself.”  If that’s not Pastor Jack’s “Mission Miami,” what Mission would that be?

One would expect a group of stereotypical “bible-thumping, white, good old boy Republicans” to thoroughly embrace and endorse the likes of Pastor Jack and his “mission.”  One does not expect a bunch of self-described “multicultural, liberal, progressive Democrats” to give credence to such a person.  Even one who claims to have nothing against gays and says he believes “that homosexuals should have the civil liberty to be married.”

Of course, that’s what Pastor Jack says out of one side of his mouth, while preaching out of the other side that “fornication, adultery, homosexuality and incest” are “equal sins.”

Will the hypocrisy ever end?

Here’s the thing.  As I said, Pastor Jack can believe whatever he wants to believe.  It’s his right under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.  It’s none of my business what he preaches to his flock.

But, I happen to agree with the lone dissenter on the North Miami City Council, Scott Galvin, who said to Pastor Jack at the meeting, “For you to call me and my friends ‘evil’ and ‘degenerate’ — that’s your Constitutional right, you can do that and I would fight for the death for your right to say it, but I’ll be darned if the taxpayers should have to pay for you to have a format to say it.”

I have no issue with municipalities holding a non-denominational National Day of Prayer.  I do, however, think that it’s wise to have an uncontroversial clergy member, one who preaches love instead of hate, lead a non-denominational prayer for the country.  By allowing someone like Pastor Jack to represent the city in such a prayer, this council is endorsing his hatred.

As usual, only one member of the North Miami City Council understands the role of government, the First Amendment and the Constitution of the United States of America.

The rest of them are nothing but hypocrites.

Stephanie Kienzle

“Spreading the Wealth”