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"GO BACK TO AFRICA" - NO LONGER A DREAM BUT A REALITY FOR BLACKS IN AMERICA
US Christian Leader: Israel Should Reach Out to African-Americans
By Michael Freund The Jerusalem Post, June 20, 2004
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A prominent Christian broadcaster and African-American leader is calling on
Israel to make a more concerted effort to reach out to blacks and other
minority groups in the United States in order to improve its image and boost
its standing among different sectors of the American public.
"I think you have a natural ally in terms of Africans-Americans as a group
in the United States," said Pastor Glenn R. Plummer, the Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of the National Religious Broadcasters Association, which
represents over 1,700 Christian television, radio and other media in the
United States.
"I don't know that there is a lot of effort being made in that direction. I
think there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of reaching out to
those groups by Israel," Plummer said in a radio interview conducted in
Jerusalem on behalf of the America's Voices in Israel program.
A resident of Detroit, the 49-year old Christian evangelical leader is here
on his second visit, and he says that one of his reasons for doing so is to
learn more about Israel's rescue of Ethiopian Jews.
"As an African-American myself, I am intrigued and I have been amazed by
this story," Plummer said, "It is a fascinating story of how Israel went
there, took out seats on these huge planes, put all these people in them and
brought them here. I never knew this story until I came here," he said.
Plummer seemed impressed that Ethiopia's black Jews had been welcomed in
Israel with open arms. "As a black from America, we sometimes think in
polarized terms of black and white," he said. "The divisions and
polarizations that are in America, that is not their experience here, which
was very refreshing for somebody like me to hear."
Plummer believes that the story behind Israel's absorption of the Ethiopians
needs to be more widely disseminated in the United States. "It is something
I think that our country needs to hear, that African-Americans need to hear.
I think that it will heighten the commitment of a whole group in our country
who love the Bible but are not necessarily jointed yet with Israel, and I am
personally driven to see that happen."
Plummer noted with pride the widespread support that Israel enjoys among
Christians throughout the United States. "Aside from Jewish organizations, I
would venture to say I don't think there is another group in America that is
more outspokenly supportive of the State of Israel than evangelical
Christians."
The underlying reason for this support, he said, was not a desire to
proselytize. "I think there is genuine love in the hearts of Americans,
particularly among the evangelicals, for the nation of Israel, for the Land
of Israel and for the people of Israel."
"Not to have a passionate love for the Jewish people just does not make
sense," he asserted, pointing out that Jesus and his disciples were all
Jews.
Asked about recent strains in black-Jewish relations in the United States,
Plummer said he thinks that at least part of the problem stems from certain
African-American political leaders, "who have taken the position that Israel
is now the Goliath and the Palestinians are the Davids They have painted
this picture of Israel being the oppressor."
"Maybe they are just ignorant of the facts, but that is hard for me to
believe," he said, adding that, "As an African-American leader I feel very
differently."
One of the emotional highlights of his visit, Plummer said, was going to the
Old City of Jerusalem and seeing the Temple Mount. Being here, he said, has
been "a wonderful experience. It has revived inside of me the desire to see
others come and visit Israel".
Preferring not to comment on Israel's internal political situation, Plummer
did have one piece of advice for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and for all
Israelis.
"Don't quit, don't give up, don't back down. You may be tired, but continue
to be strong and be courageous, remember who your real strength is. You are
Israel!"
"Your strength," he concluded, "is in the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
He will never forsake you."
An opinion read on a U.S. Black forum
“There's a lot more complication to the relationship of Israel to U.S. blacks than what a preacher gets on a free propaganda trip. It's probably true that Israel hasn't done much to cultivate the black community, but that reflects the long-standing tensions between American Jews and African-Americans, which go back to the rise of black nationalism, disagreements on affirmative action, Israel's close relationship to apartheid South Africa (there was some reporting in the 1970s that the two collaborated on nuclear weapons), Jesse Jackson's Middle East forays, Farrakhan's rants, etc..
”There is a tendency among some African-Americans to identify with the second-class status of Arabs in Israel and the plight of the Palestinians. On the other hand, some black evangelicals do sympathize with Israel in the same prophetic context as their white counterparts.”
Who is Glenn Plummer?
Read at :http://www.cbn.com/700club/profiles/glenn_plummer.asp
The 700 Club
July 11, 2003
Glenn discusses being part of a group of conservative blacks who share insights on the current tide of national politics.
CBN.com – New Role
After having been very active in Christian media circles, Glenn is now blessed to interact with and represent the nation’s religious broadcasters in his current leadership role. As the NRB Chairman, he is connected to believers of every stripe. His role also calls for involvement at a new national level. He presented President Bush to the attendees when the president made an appearance at NRB on Monday, February 10.
Glenn says that for years he chose not to get involved politically. He began his first foray into politics with the recent election of Detroit’s current Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick. That political race brought out many local pastors. "A few of us got involved," Glenn says of others like Marvin Winans and Andrew Merritt. "The pastors’ support made a difference." Kwame got elected.
Glenn was drawn more deeply into the national scene as a result of the Trent Lott debacle. Separately and independently of each other, he and other black leaders such as A.R. Bernard and Armstrong Williams sent letters to GOP leaders saying that Trent Lott had to go, that keeping Lott as Senate Majority Leader could single-handedly derail all of their efforts to attract blacks to the Party. "Positions taken were from an independent platform," Glenn says. Fortunately, Lott stepped down.
In January Glenn and 13 of these black leaders met with new Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, RNC Chairman Marc Racicot, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, House Whip Tom Delay, and other congressional leaders to discuss the concerns they shared. As a result of this meeting, Armstrong Williams is coordinating a GOP Inclusion Conference to be held on Thursday and Friday, September 25 and 26, 2003, in Washington, D.C. Invited guests will be President Bush, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, Education Secretary Rod Paige, and others. The date of this event coincides with the Congressional Black Congress. More information is forthcoming.
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