Reply #6: That's not true - please don't smear this good man by suggesting he was an anti-gay bigot

[EffieBlack]

"I differ with {Rick Warren} sharply on his position on this issue. I don't think we ought to put into law any discriminatory action against people because of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. I oppose that . . . I've never said I support gay marriage. I support gay rights, and I support civil unions. Like a whole lot of people, I have some difficulty with the term 'gay marriage' because...deeply rooted in my heart and mind, marriage is associated with 'man and woman.' So I have a little cultural shock with that, but I certainly support civil unions, and that gay partners ought to have all the rights that any other citizens have in this country."

http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/Obamas_Inaugural_benediction_pastor_Lowrey_clarifies_stance_on_gay__1224.html

I think that's pretty progressive for a man of his age, time and background. He was always growing, always evolving.

Rev. Shuttlesworth was a great and decent man. He lived a remarkable life. Now is not the time to nitpick whether he was perfect or whether he was as progressive in every respect as someone who came along at a different time and grew up in a different environment. None of us is perfect But I doubt there are many of us who have or ever will do as much for humankind as Rev. Shuttlesworth did.