Harlem pastor James David Manning preaches 'Obama is Evil'
Harlem pastor James David Manning preaches 'Obama is Evil' on church signs, angering local residents
BY Michael J. Feeney
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Originally Published:Thursday, August 25th 2011, 7:06 PM
Updated: Thursday, August 25th 2011, 9:55 PM
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Pastor James David Manning of ATLAH World Missionary Church defends his anti-Obama preaching.
Harlemites have had enough of a local pastor posting signs at his prominently located church spewing hateful messages about President Obama.
Pastor James David Manning has put up "Obama Is Evil" and "He Used Black Vote to Uncle Tom For Wall St." on the towering sign outside the ATLAH World Missionary Church on the bustling corner of Lenox Ave. and W. 123rd St.
A church next to Manning's was so put off by the signs, officials posted their own - to make sure nobody thought their church had anything to do with ATLAH.
"This church is not affiliated with the church on the corner. We Support President Barack Obama," reads a sign above the front door of Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church.
The controversial sign at ATLAH, which Manning changes from time to time, has targeted Obama since he took office - and has become an attraction for pedestrians, as well as tourists passing by on double-decker buses.
"It's not something that represents this community," said Belynda M'baye, 53, who lives near the church and walks past the sign every day. "It sends out a message that all of Harlem is not supporting \[Obama\] and that's not true. I don't think that's the case in Harlem."
M'baye also wasn't pleased to see tourists snapping photos of the sign. "I just don't like that it's so prevalent. He didn't have anything up about \[former President\] Bush," she said. "I would be very happy if it came down. This is actually nicer than what he had before."
An earlier sign read: "A TALIBAN MUSLIM ILLEGALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT USA: HUSSEIN."
Manning hasn't been quiet about his displeasure with President Obama: He and his congregation of about 100 protested outside the President's fund-raiser at the nearby Red Rooster restaurant in March.
In his office, a sign directly behind Manning's desk reads: "Mr. Obama, Show us your Birth Certificate, Please."
And the pastor didn't back down when the Daily News talked to him inside his office.
"It's all right to criticize Obama," Manning said. "That's why I put that out there.
"I don't see anything about Obama that represents he has any concern whatsoever about black people," said Manning. "We need to stop \[the idea that\] just because someone is black they can't do any wrong."
As Manning posed for photos under the sign, he was confronted by a ticked-off resident. "You put that up there?" asked Risden Clare, 32.
Manning responded, "Yes, sir."
"I'm ashamed of it!" Clare told the pastor.
O'Neal Mackey couldn't help from shaking his head as he walked past the sign. "I wouldn't advertise that on a church," said Mackey, 38. "Church is supposed to be about spreading love."
Mary Hidalgo, 33, who lives near the church, called the sign "crazy." But she tried to make sense of it.
"Maybe [Manning] expected more from Obama than what he's done so far," she said. "I was shocked when I saw that. I couldn't believe it. It's very disrespectful."
mfeeney@nydailynews.com
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