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Neighbors Tired Of Harlem Church Preaching "Obama Is Evil"
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 26, 2011
Modified Aug 26, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 26, 2011
Modified Aug 26, 2011
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It's no surprise that Harlem Pastor James David Manning has been preaching against President Obama—he's targeted Obama on and off ever since he came into office, most prominently by putting up "Obama Is Evil" and "He Used Black Vote to Uncle Tom For Wall St." on the tall sign outside the ATLAH World Missionary Church on the corner of Lenox Avenue and W. 123rd Street. But that doesn't mean his neighbors aren't completely fed up with him: "It's not something that represents this community. It sends out a message that all of Harlem is not supporting [Obama] and that's not true," said Belynda M'baye, who walks by the sign everyday.
The Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church, who is located next to ATLAH World Missionary Church, decided to put up their own sign above their front door to make sure people didn't associate them with Manning's church: "This church is not affiliated with the church on the corner. We Support President Barack Obama."
Manning, who has a sign above his own desk which reads, "Mr. Obama, Show us your Birth Certificate, Please," told the News he was proud of his anti-Obama messages: "It's all right to criticize Obama...I don't see anything about Obama that represents he has any concern whatsoever about black people. We need to stop [the idea that] just because someone is black they can't do any wrong."
Still, neighbors are not exactly sure if that justifies a sign that reads, "A TALIBAN MUSLIM ILLEGALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT USA: HUSSEIN." Mary Hidalgo called the sign "crazy," and said that she tried to look at it from Manning's perspective, but was still having a hard time reconciling the Pastor's actions: "Maybe [he] expected more from Obama than what he's done so far...I was shocked when I saw that. I couldn't believe it. It's very disrespectful."
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evil
harlem
manhattan
pastor
president obama
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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