Post by PaulsLaugh on Apr 21, 2023 16:13:19 GMT
His name is Jackass.
BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - A photo showing a Baptist preacher wearing Blackface that was posted on Facebook in Feb 10, 2017, has suddenly emerged from depths of a social social media timeline and has ignited a viral outrage.
Sherman Jaquess is the pastor of Matoaka Baptist Church in Ochelata, Okla. who lives in Bartlesville, who posted these photos.
Jaquess posts videos of his sermons on the church’s Facebook page. His spoke about his controversial posts in an April 19 sermon.
“I just want to publicly say I don’t have a racial bone in my body. I’m not racist at all,” said Jaquess. “There wasnt anything racial about it. I was singing Ray Charles, Seven Spanish Angels and I said, ‘I love Ray Charles music. How can you portray Ray Charles if you’re not a black man?”
“We at Rural Oklahoma Pride have viewed the images in the incident of what occurred at the Matoaka Baptist Church and are unable to comprehend the level of suffering and anger that Pastor Sherman Jaquess has caused the people of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
We believe that this pastor should be directing and leading acceptable, respectful, and appropriate activities for his congregation to partake in, not activities that are discriminatory. We have seen racism and intolerance against people of different ethnic backgrounds."
-Rural Oklahoma Pride-
Jaquess may not believe he is racist, but the pastor has been outspoken about public drag queen performances in Bartlesville.
Oklahomans for Equality in Bartlesville is another organization to speak out against Jaquess’ posts.
“This is beyond thinking this is acceptable. Further, the “preacher” is “preaching” against drag,” the Oklahomans for Equality in Bartlesville stated in a social media post.
Another photo that Jaquess posted that is receiving incredible backlash is a photo of Jaquess dressed up as a Native American Women.
However, Jaquess states that the photo is not considered drag.
“One night we had cowboys and Indian night. I dressed up like a Sq&*%. I had a full Indian looking dress on. I had a wig braided. That wasn't a drag queen performance that was a theme night at falls creek and I was fully clothed and I did nothing sexual or lewd. That was a theme night at Falls Creek,” said Jaquess.
According to the National Center of Equality, “Drag is a type of entertainment where people dress up and perform, often in highly stylized ways. The term originated as British theater slang in the 19th century and was used to describe women’s clothing worn by men. Today, many prominent drag artists are still people who identify as men and present themselves in exaggeratedly feminine ways as part of their performance.”
Matoaka in the Ocheleta, Baptist church’s name actually has a connection to one of the most well known woman in history, Pocahontas.
Matoaka is Pochahontas’ “more private name,” according to the National Women’s History Museum website.
Matoaka or Pochahontas is also believed to have saved an Englishman’s life called Captain John Smith. In Captain Smith’s writings, he claims that when he was about to be executed, Pochahontas rushed in and lay her head near his to prevent it from being crushed by rocks. Although, this incident has been debated over centuries, some historians believe that it was actually a tribal ritual of adoption, since following this event, the Powhatan tribe refer to Captain Smith as their own.
Rural Oklahoma Pride organization states that members of the LGBTQIA and drag communities, are aware of homophobia, racism, and xenophobia. However, what they stand for is acceptance, love, respect, and compassion for individuals living in our communities.
FOX23 reached out to Jaquess and did not hear back. If Jaquess does respond in the future, we will update the story.
www.fox23.com/news/okla-baptist-preachers-blackface-social-media-post-spreads-viral-outrage/article_5f6f4470-dfdf-11ed-b93b-97652377ec23.html
Sherman Jaquess is the pastor of Matoaka Baptist Church in Ochelata, Okla. who lives in Bartlesville, who posted these photos.
Jaquess posts videos of his sermons on the church’s Facebook page. His spoke about his controversial posts in an April 19 sermon.
“I just want to publicly say I don’t have a racial bone in my body. I’m not racist at all,” said Jaquess. “There wasnt anything racial about it. I was singing Ray Charles, Seven Spanish Angels and I said, ‘I love Ray Charles music. How can you portray Ray Charles if you’re not a black man?”
“We at Rural Oklahoma Pride have viewed the images in the incident of what occurred at the Matoaka Baptist Church and are unable to comprehend the level of suffering and anger that Pastor Sherman Jaquess has caused the people of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
We believe that this pastor should be directing and leading acceptable, respectful, and appropriate activities for his congregation to partake in, not activities that are discriminatory. We have seen racism and intolerance against people of different ethnic backgrounds."
-Rural Oklahoma Pride-
Jaquess may not believe he is racist, but the pastor has been outspoken about public drag queen performances in Bartlesville.
Oklahomans for Equality in Bartlesville is another organization to speak out against Jaquess’ posts.
“This is beyond thinking this is acceptable. Further, the “preacher” is “preaching” against drag,” the Oklahomans for Equality in Bartlesville stated in a social media post.
Another photo that Jaquess posted that is receiving incredible backlash is a photo of Jaquess dressed up as a Native American Women.
However, Jaquess states that the photo is not considered drag.
“One night we had cowboys and Indian night. I dressed up like a Sq&*%. I had a full Indian looking dress on. I had a wig braided. That wasn't a drag queen performance that was a theme night at falls creek and I was fully clothed and I did nothing sexual or lewd. That was a theme night at Falls Creek,” said Jaquess.
According to the National Center of Equality, “Drag is a type of entertainment where people dress up and perform, often in highly stylized ways. The term originated as British theater slang in the 19th century and was used to describe women’s clothing worn by men. Today, many prominent drag artists are still people who identify as men and present themselves in exaggeratedly feminine ways as part of their performance.”
Matoaka in the Ocheleta, Baptist church’s name actually has a connection to one of the most well known woman in history, Pocahontas.
Matoaka is Pochahontas’ “more private name,” according to the National Women’s History Museum website.
Matoaka or Pochahontas is also believed to have saved an Englishman’s life called Captain John Smith. In Captain Smith’s writings, he claims that when he was about to be executed, Pochahontas rushed in and lay her head near his to prevent it from being crushed by rocks. Although, this incident has been debated over centuries, some historians believe that it was actually a tribal ritual of adoption, since following this event, the Powhatan tribe refer to Captain Smith as their own.
Rural Oklahoma Pride organization states that members of the LGBTQIA and drag communities, are aware of homophobia, racism, and xenophobia. However, what they stand for is acceptance, love, respect, and compassion for individuals living in our communities.
FOX23 reached out to Jaquess and did not hear back. If Jaquess does respond in the future, we will update the story.
www.fox23.com/news/okla-baptist-preachers-blackface-social-media-post-spreads-viral-outrage/article_5f6f4470-dfdf-11ed-b93b-97652377ec23.html
