Pastor Tom Brown Compares Himself to MLK...

I know, the headline sounds like a joke. But it isn’t.

Last night on ABC 7 Xtra with Darren Hunt, Pastor Tom Brown and City Rep Steve Ortega were discussing the Domestic Partner Benefits Issue.

It was a thorough beat down and Pastor Brown was actually visibly upset. He also seemed to be walking back the threat of a recall.

Brown was questioned about jeopardizing the tax exempt status of his church by using his church’s website and newsletter for political purposes. Brown on the one hand said that its not a violation if they don’t have political action towards a specific candidate. I think most people recognize a recall against specific members of council would be such an action. And so would endorsing his wife’s candidacy, which was done during the recent city council elections.

He then changes his story to say that the website belongs to him personally and not the church. Funny thing about that, the website has the church address, invitations to attend, video of sermons, etc. from the actually church.

But my favorite part of the discussion is when Tom Brown had the nerve to compare himself to civil rights great Martin Luther King. It came about after several phone calls, emails, and tweets that said Tom Brown was hateful and judgmental. Fellow Christians took issue with his persecution of the issue. He refused to answer those critiques, but at one point he did say that he felt that he walked in the footsteps of Martin Luther King.

A comparison to a civil rights leader, from a guy who is trying to deny Domestic Partner benefits to the gay community. Pastor Brown, you are persecuting a minority. That is the EXACT opposite of MLK.

Preventing them from being treated fairly is NOT being a civil rights leader. That’s like saying the people pointing the fire hoses in the south are the same as the people who had the hoses pointed at them.

Let’s not forget this is the same man who basically said he had to leave Riverside High School and go to Eastwood because it was hard being white at a Latino school. He’s also the same guy who said his wife changed colors for him.

I think we all know how ignorant it was of him to say that he has anything in common with Martin Luther King.