Who is it in these articles I keep reading who have declared racism in America a thing of the past?

This past summer, Stella Harville brought her fiancé, Ticha Chikuni, a native of Zimbabwe, to church.  She accompanied him on the piano as he sang. Then this happened…

Via Kentucky.com:

A small Pike County church has voted not to accept interracial couples as members or let them take part in some worship activities.

The decision has caused sharp reaction and disapproval in the Eastern Kentucky county.

Melvin Thompson was the pastor at the time, and he told Stella’s father that Ticha was not welcome to sing at the church again.

Thankfully, a new pastor replaced Thompson, but shockingly, in 2011, interracial couples still face blatant racism… in a church of all places. We should have moved beyond discrimination like this by now, but sadly, that’s not the case.

In early November, Thompson proposed the church go on record saying that while all people were welcome to attend public worship services there, the church did not condone interracial marriage, according to a copy of the recommendation supplied by the Harvilles.

The proposal also said “parties of such marriages will not be received as members, nor will they be used in worship services” or other church functions, with the exception of funerals.

Know why? According to Thompson, “To promote greater unity among the church body and the community we serve.”

Nothing says “unity” like segregation. How Christian of him.

Just shameful. Then again, considering the hate directed at President Obama and his family, I guess this should come as no surprise.

Please read more here.

H/t: Think Progress