ALL VOICE BELONG AT THE TABLE: Meet the gay pastor running for Georgia House — Project Q Atlanta

"I just feel like I'm in a good place in my life and career to throw my hat in. These seats don't become available that often. When the opportunity presents itself, I want to be there to be a part of that. It's an exciting time to be in this district."

~(Josh Noblitt)~

Meet the gay pastor running for Georgia House — Project Q Atlanta: Nevermind that Josh Noblitt could also offer state lawmakers an added dose of pastoral patience – he's a social justice minister at Saint Mark United Methodist Church – and conflict resolution – he's a licensed marriage and family therapist. Noblitt, a 37-year-old Democrat, is running for the District 59 seat. State Rep. Margaret Kaiser, the gay-friendly incumbent, says she won't seek re-election in 2016 and instead will run for mayor in 2017.

Noblitt says the open race provides a "launching pad" to continue his decade of community activism in his southeast Atlanta neighborhood as a state lawmaker.

'All voices belong at the table(?)'

Noblitt became enmeshed in public safety issues after he and his then-boyfriend were robbed at gunpoint while picnicking in Piedmont Park in 2010. Noblitt forgave his assailants and held a rally in the park after the incident. The robbery helped spur a town hall meeting with police officials and Mayor Kasim Reed, who later invited Noblitt to deliver the invocation as he re-opened several recreation centers that serve the city's youth.

Noblitt was later appointed to the police department's LGBT advisory committee and helped organize the first-ever NOH8 campaign shoot in Atlanta. In 2012, he was named a grand marshal of the Atlanta Pride parade. He has also served as a volunteer chaplain for Atlanta police and worked for more than eight years in the federal public defender's office.

"I've seen the criminal justice system from the perspective of being a victim of violent crime and serving as a chaplain for the Atlanta Police Department has given me a unique perspective," Noblitt says.

Pair that experience with his leadership role in civic groups – he's served as president of the South Atlanta Civic League and vice chair of Neighborhood Planning Unit Y – and as a gay man, and Noblitt says that gives him the experience to help make Georgia "more hospitable and economically feasible for everybody."

"All voices belong at the table," he says. "I know and have relationships with a broad group of people and I see that as a strength."

***

Victim of hate

Could Josh Noblitt's attack mend the rift between the APD and the LGBT community?

For as long as the case against his attackers lazily lurches its way through the clogged channels of the justice system, Noblitt won't likely have the opportunity to do the same kind of outreach with his perpetrators. "I would love for an opportunity to be able to sit down with each of these kids, maybe even their families, and just hear their story and introduce myself to them and kind of do that exchange. In this criminal justice system, there are some artificial walls that are up that make it hard to navigate without them compromising their rights in the process." He will, however, have another chance for outreach: Noblitt was one of nine people appointed to the APD's newly formed GLBT Advisory Board, a body Officer Powell says will act as her "eyes and ears in the community." Meanwhile, the four minors who were arrested in Noblitt's attack will be tried as adults. All six of the alleged attackers face a minimum of 10 years in prison for armed robbery committed with a firearm.

***

Police advisory board urged to take action

Joshua M. Noblitt. Minister of Social Justice at Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Midtown. Noblitt also serves as a mitigation specialist at the Federal Defender Program, Inc. for the Northern District of Georgia. He has also served on various boards and organizational leadership teams, including the board of directors for the Reconciling Ministry Network, an organization dedicated to full inclusion for GLBT people in the United Methodist Church both in policy and practice. Noblitt was attacked in Piedmont Park in July.

***

Defendants in Piedmont Park gay bashing plead guilty

The attack was deemed an anti-gay hate crime by the Atlanta Police Department at the time. The defendants on Tuesday pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and Sam Johnson pleaded guilty to additional charges of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a robbery. The men faced one to 20 years in prison. Fulton Assistant District Attorney Fasha Lewis recommended 10 years for each.

Sentences handed down by Judge Alford Dempsey:

• Benjamin Johnson, who has been out on bond and under house arrest after serving a couple months in youth detention, was sentenced to five years but instead of serving time in prison, he will be under intensive probation.

• Sam Johnson, Benjamin’s older brother, who has been in jail since the day of the attack, was sentenced to five years to serve 15 months with time served and was to be released later Tuesday.

• Jarvis Johnson, a cousin of the two other men, has also been in jail since July 2, 2010. He was sentenced to seven years to serve two years with time served, leaving nine months to serve.

Before Alford handed down the sentences, Noblitt addressed the defendants in open court.

“I am a gay man. I am also a pastor, a brother, an uncle. I want you to know that,” he told them as they stood before the judge.

“I also would like to know more about your stories. My heart breaks for your families and you all. I harbor no ill will. In a weird way, I care about you all.”

After the hearing, Noblitt said he hoped the young men would examine their feelings toward gay people.

“I’m hoping that by being confronted by someone who is gay and shows mercy, maybe that will be enough — we’ve got to work to change one heart at a time,” Noblitt said.

Caprice Johnson, mother of Sam and Benjamin Johnson, was in tears during the court hearing. She was grateful for the judge’s sentences as well as Noblitt’s mercy and hugged Noblitt tight outside the courtroom. She said she would be happy to have Noblitt visit her home and talk to her sons and said she raised them not to hate anyone.

“We don’t have a problem with homosexuality. We are all one in God’s eyes. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ,” she said.

Noblitt said he had concerns about his attackers going to prison, especially because of their age.

“Time will tell and my hope and prayers are that they will be productive,” he said.

Cases are still pending against three other defendants — Daequan Lewis, age 15 at the time of the crime; Jamal Bryant, 13 at time of crime; and Tyrone Smith, 16 at time of crime. All are charged as adults.

***
"I would like to request your help in getting copies of this file being held under my name with the Emory Police."
~(Simply Jim:  Methodist Fag the Political Catalyst)~

"UH-HUH!  ABSOLUTELY NOT!   NO WAY!"
~(Rev? Josh Noblitt)~

"I even willing to pay for your service through this business of yours outside of the church."
~(Simply Jim:  Ex-Ex-W.A.S.P.)~

"...(silence)..."
~(Rev? Josh Noblitt)~

mit·i·ga·tion

[mit-i-gey-shuhn]

NOUN

1.

the act of mitigating, or lessening the force or intensity of something unpleasant, as wrath, pain, grief, or extreme circumstances: Social support is the most important factor in the mitigation of stress among adolescents.

2.

the act of making a condition or consequence less severe: the mitigation of a punishment.

3.

the process of becoming milder, gentler, or less severe.

4.

a mitigating circumstance, event, or consequence.

"Rev. Dr. Beth LaRocca-Pitts 
(Senior Pastor St. Mark United Methodist Church)
is 
nothing but a Catholic fag hag."
~(Simply Jim:  Anti-Christ, Armilus, Dajjal)~

"SHE'S...METHODIST...NOW!!!"
~(Rev? Joshua Noblitt)~

***

Could not care less 

how 

bounded, centralized, or fuzzy 

our 

Rev. Josh's ecumenical set.

It's not how often you say, "no"; it's how often you say, "yes."

He's stil'a slut.

Not even an ecumenical slut.

***

“A truly virtuous man would come to the aid 

of the most distant stranger as quickly as to his own friend. 

If men were perfectly virtuous, they wouldn’t have friends.”

― Montesquieu

MODESTY IS LEARNED AFFECTATION: Jason Carter (politician) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jason Carter (politician) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: son James Carter (born August 7, 1975)[1] is an American lawyer and politician from the state of Georgia. Carter is the Democratic nominee for Georgia governor in the 2014 election and a state senator. He is the grandson of President Jimmy Carter.[2]

Carter was born at Emory University Hospital in 1975. A 9th-generation Georgian, he is the son of Jack Carter and Juliet Langford, daughter of former Georgia State Senator James Beverly Langford. After graduating from high school, Carter attended Duke University where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in philosophy and political science.

Peace Corps

After graduating from Duke University, Jason Carter served in the Peace Corps stationed in South Africa. He lived in Lochiel, South Africa, where he worked on education issues in rural areas. He learned to speak Zulu and Siswati;^[3] and wrote a book, titled Power Lines, about his experiences there.

Legal Career

Carter later attended the University of Georgia School of Law, graduating summa cum laude with a Juris Doctor in 2004.

In the Senate, Carter authored legislation to require the state budget to be presented in two parts: first, a separate education budget, and then a budget to fund the rest of state government. 

Carter also sponsored ethics reform legislation, including proposals to limit gifts from lobbyists to legislators, to create and fully fund an independent ethics commission, and to create a non-partisan redistricting commission.

In 2012, he was awarded Common Cause’s Democracy Award for his work on promoting ethics reform.

In 2014, Carter voted for House Bill (H.B.) 60, the Safe Carry Protection Act which opponents nicknamed the "guns everywhere" bill.^[17][18]The Safe Carry Protection Act takes effect on July 1, 2014, and permits licensed gun owners to carry guns into many public and private places. The law is supported by the Georgia Baptist Convention which includes 3,600 Baptist churches in Georgia in favor of increased church autonomy,^[22] but is not supported by Catholic or Episcopalian church leaders.

In 2013, Carter commissioned a poll of a potential race against Nathan Deal in the 2014 Georgia gubernatorial election.^[26] He subsequently announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination.

During his campaign, Jason Carter stated he believed Georgia needs to increase investment in education and technical training to help grow Georgia’s film and television industry. He said, “Georgia has seen enormous growth in film and television production, but that success is threatened unless we build the skilled workforce to fill these jobs.” Carter said, “After years of cuts to HOPE and to our schools, industries across the state simply cannot find the skilled workers they need to fill their jobs.”

Recent polls suggest a surprisingly close race given Georgia’s recent electoral history. Real Clear Politics upgraded the race from “Leans GOP” to “Toss Up.”^[29]Carter also outraised the incumbent Deal in the second quarter.

Carter said that people in Georgia have the right to have the Sons of Confederate Veterans-backed license plate, which features an image of the Confederate flag and that he would not try to stop them if elected.

During his campaign, Jason Carter reaffirmed his support for marriage equality, stating, “Marriage equality is something I believe in and have [believed in] for a very, very, very long time since before I got into politics.”

Jason's wife, Kate, is a high school teacher, and former journalist with the Athens Banner-Herald, where she won several awards.^[35] Jason and Kate have two sons, Henry and Thomas, ages 8 and 5.

***

"THOSE WITH A SURPLUS ARE BETTER ABLE CONTROLLING THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES.  THOSE WITHOUT ARE CONTROLLED BY THEM.  ONE IS NOT ALWAYS ABLE EXERCISING GOOD JUDGEMENT."

+

"A TRULY VIRTUOUS MAN WOULD COME TO THE AID OF A DISTANCE STRANGER EQUALLY AS HE WOULD A CLOSE FRIEND.  THEN AGAIN, A TRULY VIRTUOUS MAN WOULD HAVE NO FRIENDS."

+

"THEY SAY IT IS HARD DOING THE RIGHT THING.  IT'S NOT HARD DOING THE RIGHT THING, IT'S JUST HARD KNOWING WHAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS.  ONCE YOU DO KNOW, IT'S HARD NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING."

+

"A GOOD MAN 

(AS WELL AS A GOOD WOMAN LIVING THIS PROGRESSIVE DAY AND AGE) 

IS NOT WITHOUT SIN; THEY ADMIT, THEN EXPIATE."

+

"DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE WRONG REASONS HAS NO MORAL WORTH."

=

"I CAN OF MY OWN SELF DO NOTHING:  

AS I SENSE {TAO~g(CHRiST!ANTi)dOG} I JUDGE 

:AND  MY JUDGEMENT IS JUST;

NOT BECAUSE i SEEK THE WILL OF MY OWN BUT THE WILL OF THY FATHER AND MOTHER WHO HAS SENT ME.