Homophobic Pastor Bears False Witness (Just a little)

"Lesbianism is about to take over our community. I’m talking about young girls. My son in high school last year tried to go to the prom. He said, ‘Dad, I ain’t got nobody to take to the prom because all the girls in my class are gay. Ain’t but two of ’em straight, and both of them ugly." — Rev. Willie Wilson, pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast Washington DC, sharing more words of wisdom about lesbians "taking over" the community.

Guess what? This man of the cloth is breaking Commandment #9: "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness." Despite his bleating about homely girls and the plight of his dateless son sulking amidst all the black lesbian action going on around him in school, we learn, from the Washington City Paper, that his lonesome son has a girlfriend and has been dating her for a good while. The scoop comes directly from the source: the school.

Rampant lesbianism has not impaired Hamani Wilson’s dating life.

Students at D.C.’s School Without Walls (SWW) have another complaint: They go to class with Wilson’s only son currently in high school, and they say the story isn’t true. Not only does SWW’s student body appear to be largely heterosexual, but Hamani Wilson didn’t need a date to prom-he’s been dating a classmate, Janeese Lewis, for the past year.

According to biographical information circulated during Wilson’s 2002 mayoral run, Wilson-pastor of the 8,000-member Union Temple Baptist Church and key organizer of the Million Man March’s 10th-anniversary celebration, the Millions More Movement-has four children, three of whom have long since graduated from D.C. public schools. That leaves Hamani as his only high-school-aged son.

Hamani and Janeese’s relationship is no secret, according to SWW students. "She goes to [Union Temple Baptist] Church," says Morgan Bowers, a classmate of the couple. "His father knows Janeese.…They’re very close. And why would [Hamani] be looking for a date besides her? It makes no sense."

Oh, it gets better. Remember this little quote from the good pastor?

…"Our girls, some as young as 10 and 11 years of age, are engaging in same sex relations," Wilson writes, citing as evidence an incident in an unnamed "local school" where girls were "asked to report to the gymnasium" so school officials could "decipher how many girls were involved in same sex relations." Those who were, he writes, outnumbered those who had not been "by a 10 to 1 count."

People have no idea what Wilson is talking about. He’s just making sh*t up.

In a recent statement, Wilson posited that a roundup of girls at a "local school" produced a 10-to-one lesbian-to-straight ratio. Asked whether her school has a particularly high number of gay students, SWW Principal Sheila Mills-Harris can’t say: "I have no idea about their sexual orientation, nor am I concerned about it." It’s enough of a challenge, she says, "trying to keep a roof over my children’s head that doesn’t allow the rain to come in [and] trying to make connections with universities so I can offer students opportunities."

…Students also dispute the Rev. Wilson’s claim that the heterosexual girls in his son’s class are homely. "If I was in the junior class, I’d be very offended," says Bartley. "There are a lot of beautiful girls in that class, and I don’t know any of them who are gay." Both male and female students note that Hamani’s girlfriend is considered quite pretty.

Several SWW students suggest another flaw in Wilson’s story: Even if Hamani had been in need of a prom date, they don’t think he would have said something like that. "I can’t see that kind of character coming from him," Bartley says. "He was always respectful."

"He’s never said anything rude or derogatory to anyone.…He’s a cool kid," says Bowers, who believes the Rev. Wilson probably made the story up, using his son as a prop. "That’s so sad."

So, we have the big-mouth, bigoted pastor caught breaking one of the Ten Commandments he holds in such high regard. It should be noted that homosexuality isn’t on that top 10 list, so I think he’s looking a tad unholy right now. See you on the Hell Express, Willie.

Some questions…

• how will his flock feel about this? After all, a good number of them cheered Wilson on as he spewed his sex-drenched hate in the sermon.
• will the mainstream media cover this meltdown? 
• will Dems call out this fool and denounce the message of intolerance?
• will the AmTaliban and the GOP step forward and claim Wilson (and other homo-bigoted black pastors of the faith-based payout below) as a brother in arms?

Bishop Harry Jackson of the Hope Christian Church in Lanham, MD has gotten into political bed with Ken Mehlman and the GOP with his Black Contract With America (and received $824,000 in the runup to the 2004 election). Bishop Sedgwick Daniels of Milwaukee’s Holy Redeemer Church of God in Christ buys into Bush’s faith-based initiatives and "values." Homophobe Rev. Dwight McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, TX is on board with the Bush American Taliban agenda, and Philadelphia’s Rev. Herb Lusk, pastor of the Greater Exodus Baptist Church has had his coffers filled with a cool million to run faith-based initiatives by the Administration.

We’ll be waiting for the answers.