Georgia Faith Leaders Call Out Trump’s Broken Promises and Cruel Policies
While Eric Trump stumped with Evangelicals in Forsyth County with little social distancing and few masks in Forsyth County, Georgia Democrats and faith leaders from across the state called out Donald Trump’s broken promises and absolute failure to lead the country out of the COVID-19 crisis, which has disproportionately hurt Black and brown communities in Georgia and across the country.
“This is an election for the soul of this nation,” said Dr. Charles Goodman, a member of faith leaders of Augusta, GA. “It is very critical for our community to have people who want to walk in liberty and freedom for all. One thing we believe as faith leaders is that you can live in understanding both aspects of the tension in our nation. We can support law enforcement but denounce police brutality, we can support the sanctity of life, but also believe that people should have the choice of their bodies. This is a critical election and I encourage all my Evangelicals out there to read the entire Bible. Jesus talked about love, peace, unity and right now the only way we can move forward is not with a divided nation but a unified nation. We stand in support today for Joe Biden, a person we believe can help us down that road.”
“As a result of Trump’s repeated attacks on the Affordable Care Act, it is disproportionately affecting our Black and brown communities,” said Reverend J. Ricardo Smith of Athens, GA. “The decision to repeal the Affordable Care Act will put millions of people with pre-existing conditions at risk. In Georgia alone, 1.8 million people who could lose their coverage or watch the cost of their coverage skyrocket to where they cannot afford it. As a result, it creates a domino effect: the effects of food security, effects on unemployment, and more. These are not ways of equality and inclusion. As people of faith, we are called upon to heal the sick and uplift the poor. This administration has shown a gross inability to lead in that area.
“I am appalled that Donald Trump did not recognize the severity of this virus and he failed to tell the truth.” said Reverend Leela Waller, survivor of COVID-19 and pastor in Marietta, GA. “Every day when I hear someone say the virus isn’t real, I want to scream because I know. I heard the people on the COVID floor, I thought I was taking my last breath, but thanks be to God, I am still here fighting for a new president who has love and humanity in their heart. This president cannot have love and humanity because he was never brought up in it. I came this morning to say: it is time for a change, it is time for someone to listen to others and help us fight this crisis.”
“Something concerning as these Evangelicals go and meet Trump’s campaign, is that if your biblical interpretation is correct, it should guide your political affiliations,” said Dr. Addison Canidy, one of the faith leaders in Atlanta. “When you think about their biblical interpretation and political affiliations, we see his supporters are aligning themselves with someone who puts children in cages and lies to the American people as it pertains to the seriousness of COVID-19… If you are aligning yourself to someone who is antithetical to who Jesus is, that means you should take a better look at your Bible.
