What was the church where U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen made his remark about U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn ?

Asked by Yellowdog (12216

) August 10th, 2018

I heard the remarks reported. I’ve read the news.

My question is PARTICULARLY about where this prayer meeting took place. There is no Broadway Baptist Church in Memphis.

The only Broadway Baptist Church is in Southhaven, Ms less than a mile over the Tennessee / Mississippi border.

This is a VERY conservative Southern Baptist church. It has a fairly prosperous school and a nice campus, and is definitely part of the Memphis community. But I find it hard to believe they would host U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, a very liberal Democrat—nor the crowd that laughed when he made his remark.

Details:

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen has come under fire for remarks he made last month in which he wished President Donald Trump would encourage U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn to jump off the Harahan Bridge.

Cohen’s remarks, which were first reported by Huffington Post on Thursday night, came at a community prayer breakfast on July 28 hosted by former Gov. Phil Bredesen’s U.S. Senate campaign at the Broadway Baptist Church in Memphis.

“The big orange president, that’s not somebody from Knoxville,” Cohen said, talking about how the race is expected to be tight. “He’s going to come down here and endorse Marsha Blackburn. ‘Cause Marsha Blackburn, if he says, ‘jump off the Harahan Bridge,’ she’ll jump off the Harahan Bridge.”

The Harahan Bridge spans the Mississippi River between Memphis and West Memphis, Arkansas.

My question is about what church this was at.
Everyone is saying Broadway Baptist—but it certainly is NOT the Broadway Baptist we in Memphis know about.

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6 Answers

Response moderated (Off-Topic)

There is a Memphis Mississippi. Imagine that. http://broadwaychurch.org/ Sometimes racism makes strange bedfellows.

ScienceChick (3653

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I think it was First Baptist Church 2835 Broad Avenue in Memphis. It is known as First Baptist Church – Broad.

flutherother (34531

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I question whether Cohen’s statement is as bad as Trump’s “Lock Her Up” – which referred to a woman who had done nothing wrong.

elbanditoroso (33159

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”‘Cause Marsha Blackburn, if he says, ‘jump off the Harahan Bridge,’ she’ll jump off the Harahan Bridge.”
Does NOT mean “I hope he makes her jump off a bridge.”
It means “She does not think for herself, and will obey any command he gives, even if it ends up hurting herself.”
Seriously, do not pretend you never heard the “jump off a bridge” expression before.

ragingloli (51968

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My question is what the church was, because, in spite of all news reports, it was NOT Broadway Baptist.

@Flutherother is most likely right—Pretty good for someone ¼ the way around the world. First Baptist Church Broad is a pretty big church and probably one of the better known historic Black churches. It has been active in the Binghampton community since the 1890s, and a lot of congretations in Memphis, including the United Methodists, the UCC and the Disciples of Christ congregations and Hope Presbyterian have participated in community events there. I hate to see politicians making divisive political remarks there when the churches have been trying to bring people together for almost 40 years.

I really don’t think the jumping off a bridge comment was that inappropriate but the Fluther-like remarks about Trump I don’t think were appropriate for a prayer breakfast.
If a politician is going to be politicing in a church, it should be about community revitalization and community services. Something the church stands for but really not the politicians

Yellowdog (12216

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