I will support Obama if he is our nominee

[dsc]

but I am bitterly disappointed in his association with Donnie Mcclurkin. I am trying to imagine the justifyable outrage if Barney Frank cavorted a racist who had a bad childhood. He would, quite rightly, be denounced by everyone. This is no different to me.

I know what it is like to want to change. I know how seductive the snake oil salesmen can be. I also know why I desired that change so badly. It is because of people like Donnie. People who preach and preach that I am evil, deranged, and unworthy of being treated like a human being. For the ex-gay movement, Matthew Shepard was the ultimate ex-gay. He was the final product of the bigotry and hate they need to survive. He was the escalation of the name calling, beatings, and humiliations so many of us took as kids for being gay. And without the name calling, beatings, and humiliations no one would be flocking to the snake oil salesmen.

Obama chose to cavort with this total bigot and provide a platform for him. I can forgive it but can't condone it. In the general election he will have my vote, and if his campaign contests NC he can have my voluntee labor, but he won't have my vote now. Sorry, but I can't condone his platform for Donnie. No amount of horrific childhood trauma justifies lying to gay teens to they can end up as hurt as he is. No amount of votes gotten from concerts can justify giving this man a platform. I wouldn't tolerate this from Barney Frank so I sure am not going to from Barack Obama. I owe no less to the 17 year old I was back then nor the teenagers I teach now.

[jefferson_dem]

1. I appreciate your perspective.

Thanks for sharing it.

:kick: and Rec.

[dsc]

2. thank you

[Didereaux]

3. Obama, can have his 'Kingdom', he can have his...

being the instrument of god! But he CAN'T have it as PRESIDENT! Since the DOJ/Bush get of jail free card & his 'Ihant to be gods etc, with 'Kingdom on earth' speeches in SC...he has shown a side that I will not support, if he wants to be a 'Fundie' then join the fucking Twirly-eyed fundy wing of the Repugs party...but
GET THE HELL OUT OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY!!!!!!

[dsc]

4. kick

[KingFlorez]

5. I don't think McClurkin will be voicing his beliefs

Obama isn't endorsing McClurkin's beliefs, McClurkin is just an entertainer on the bill for the tour. I don't see this as a problem.

[dsc]

6. Let me blunt here

If McClurkin were a racist he would be off the tour in a heartbeat. If he were sexist, off the tour. If he said bad things about Hispanics, Jews, or anyone else off the tour. Yet here he is.

[SteppingRazor]

11. Actually, I don't know that that's true.

Sexism, for example, still gets almost the same pass as homophobia, especially in religious circles. You really think that if a gospel singer said, "I believe that a woman's place is supporting her husband and raising their children," that he would be ostracized?

[dsc]

12. froma Democratic fundraiser, yes I think he would

[terrya]

7. He HAS voiced his beliefs. That's the problem.

McClurkin is a man who has publically stated that homosexuality is a "curse". Come on, by now, everyone here knows that.

Senator Obama should be publically stating that it's wrong to hold such beliefs. Senator Obama should be talking a message of inclusion.

The Republican Party is the party that traffics in homophobia. Every single one of their candidates cater to homophobia and the religious people who preach a message of bigotry and intolerance. Hell, even Giuliani, who allegedly is for gay rights, is pedalling fast and furious away from that. We, the Democratic Party, should be better than that.

[KingFlorez]

8. What I said was, he wouldn't be voicing his beliefs on the tour

I don't think this reflects on Obama in any way, because McClurkin's appearance is strictly for entertainment purposes only.

[dsc]

9. So if Barney Frank were to host a comedy concert

featuring Michael Richards that would be fine? Just as long as Richards didn't say the n word at that particular place?

[maximusveritas]

41. Difference is everyone knows about Michael Richards; Had you even heard of Donnie before today?

Now if the Obama campaign finds out about Donnie's history and doesn't do anything, then the situation might be equivalent.
But this just came out today, so I think we need to give them a little time to find out about it and make the appropriate response.

[dsc]

42. no

but unlike Obama, I am not an evangelical African American, nor am I hosting a gospel concert.

[AtomicKitten]

48. I never heard of him before.

[KingFlorez]

43. You are missing my entire point

What I meant was, just because Donnie McClurkin sings a few songs at a concert, doesn't mean Obama is endorsing his political beliefs. That is the point I was trying to make.

[dsc]

44. and if Richards tells a few jokes

that wouldn't mean that Frank agreed with his racist rantings? Why are they different?

[surfermaw]

10. I will and all should support any dem, with nomination,

Even though we are here battling for our pick for that position, and that goes for any dem. nominee

[AtomicKitten]

13. A pearl wrapped in poo.

Obama chose to cavort with this total bigot and provide a platform for him.

I'll give you snaps for buffering your real message (which is made crystal clear by your characterization utilizing exaggerated, inflammatory rhetoric as noted above) by saying you will vote for Obama anyway if he gets the nod.

[dsc]

14. What part of that is unfair

This concert is clearly extremely important to Obama and he chose a hate filled bigot to headline it. Sorry, cavort with a bigot is absolutely fair, honest, and descriptive. BTW I roundly criticized the man who was my first choice at the time (Richardson) when he said he didn't know if being gay was a choice or not.

[AtomicKitten]

15. I understand and agree with your overall objection to this.

However, you appear to be purposely fueling your own pain by this kind of exaggeration of the truth and reality of this.

Another example:

... he chose a hate filled bigot to headline it.

McClurkin isn't headlining the event, he is among a number of entertainers on the bill.
http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Gospel_Gathering/27552/p1/

[dsc]

16. Your link is about some concert in the UK

nice try.

[AtomicKitten]

19. here's from the horse's mouth

http://www.barackobama.com/media/2007/10/17/obama_launches_embrace_the_cha.php

Nowhere does it state McClurkin is the "headliner."

I have piles of data and clicked on the wrong one. Sue me.

[dsc]

25. You are the one accuse me of making crap up

then you provide a faulty link but it becomes my fault. Must be nice to be you. As to the issue at hand apparently there is no headliner officially but I do wonder how many of the people there have written best sellers, won grammys, and been on Oprah all three of which Mr. McClurkin has done.

[AtomicKitten]

27. If you really think providing the wrong link (and then correcting it)

is "making crap up," then you are erecting some unfairly insurmountable walls in this discussion.

I never accused you of "making crap up." I simply pointed out that your exaggerated rhetoric is fueling you own agitation.

And, yes, I too wish the black community, hell, all of America, was more open to GLBT issues.

[Solon]

20. That "inflammatory" rhetoric is NOTHING to the fucking homophobic assholes...

responding on this fucking board who claim to be Obama supporters. Not you, but others.

[AtomicKitten]

24. that is unfortunate

I apologize for any Obama supporters that choose partisanship over tolerance. This is an imperfect world and elections tend to bring out the worst in people.

Peace.

[Solon]

31. The thing is that I'm more pissed off at Donnie McFuck and Obama supporters...

than Obama himself. He could have made a mistake, whatever, however, I first clicked that thread out of curiosity, and was frankly amazed at the homophobic remarks from Obama defenders. I mean, if DK(Whom I support) did a similar thing, hiring or getting on board with a guy like this, I'd give him what I give Obama now, 48 hours to denounce the ass for being an ass and refuse to participate in the concert. If that doesn't happen, then I would stop supporting my candidate and will call him an ass myself.

[AtomicKitten]

37. I appreciate your effort separating the candidate from the poo.

[greeneyedboy]

39. I agree 100%. Obama needs to clarify his position on whether I am "cursed" or not, ASAP.

This is important. Will Obama throw LGBT people under the bus to win the S.C. primary? If so, to hell with him.

& for the record, I am not on either side of the ongoing Clinton-Obama slugfest. I have a slight preference for Edwards, and a new respect for Dodd, but am not sold on any one person yet and will almost certainly vote for any of the Dem candidates nominated next year. (If they nominate Lieberman as VP again, I may change my mind, but barring any catastrophes like that...)

[ruggerson]

32. Not to be TOO politically correct

but "tolerance" is a really patronizing word in this context.

Better off with "acceptance."

No one wants to be "tolerated."

JMHO. :)

[AtomicKitten]

34. thanks

I appreciate your tolerance of my unbridled opinion which comes at a great disadvantage on this issue because I'm on the outside looking in. I do mean well, though.

[ruggerson]

35. I know you do

:hi:

[AtomicKitten]

36. I'm open to schoolin' any time.

[jillan]

17. I will too - infact I am liking him more and more.

All the candidates are going to slip up and this is nothing in comparison.
While it might be upsetting, it is not a matter of life and death.

[terrya]

18. It's about bigotry and intolerance.

No, this is far from insignificant. This isn't just some "whoops!" moment. Senator Obama needs to deal with this now.

[Solon]

21. Don't you know? GBLT are supposed to get kicked around, its not like they are real humans...

or anything. :sarcasm:

[terrya]

22. Silly me

Thanks for the reminder. Plus, I have to remember how silly and trivial this whole thing is. I'll just watch my "Will and Grace" reruns and not care about bigotry and intolerance.

:sarcasm:

[Solon]

26. You are supposed to be watching reruns of "Ellen", don't ya know...

Didn't you get the Gay Agenda Newsletter #10576 yet?

[terrya]

28. It hasn't come yet!

That darned mailman! :grr:

[ronnykmarshall]

50. Wanna hear an old Judy Garland record?

That's as gay as it gets sometimes.

[jillan]

30. I don't feel that way at all, and I am sorry if I gave you that impression.

[Solon]

33. Well, you aren't winning any friends on the GBLT side of the aisle...

along with their true friends.

[jillan]

38. Not my intentions at all. All I was trying to say was that a vote for

Kyl-Lieberman is alot worse than this because I don't trust this administration.
And if it comes down to Hillary or Obama, I choose Obama.

I wasn't trying to offend anyone.

[incapsulated]

23. I think most people would separate the man from his campaign

All campaigns make mistakes, do something offensive, explain away nasty associations.

I honestly don't think, as President, Obama would be anything other than he said he is, supportive of gay rights and issues.

[Milo_Bloom]

29. He won't have mine.

In the same way and for the same reason neither Clinton, Edwards, Biden or Dodd won't.

When Democrats embrace the gop handbook, they pave the way for future GOP candidates.

For a moment, say Obama wins in 2008, in party, thanks to the "values voters" (aka IDIOTS) he is able to convert with his open embracing of a religious agenda. What happens in 2012? Does the GOP abandon religion or do you think they will run an even MORE religious person to try and win those voters back, so election 2012, becomes about who is the bigger religions nut. Then what happens in 2016? Everyone tries to out religion each other again, building on the previous, until we end up with a priest winning the White House.

One of the reasons I support democrats is BECAUSE they believe in the absolute seperation of church and state. Religion has absolutely NO PLACE in a campaign. Reality is that Al Gore ran his 2000 campaign free of religious overtones and pandering to the religious right and guess what... HE ACTUALLY WON. He got more votes AND if all votes were counted he WON FLORIDA.

In the same way I don't want a candidate who is going to compromise on issues of WAR, because it makes the right position seem tame by comparrison, I don't want a candidate who is going to legitimize the right's mixing of religion and politics!

[MethuenProgressive]

40. Note the DU Double Standard on this controversy?

If Clinton was the Democrat ignoring the outrage over her connection with Donnie the Homophobic Bigot, Democratic Underground would be ON FIRE condemning her.
But no, it's Obama... so DU writes him grants him a pass.

[PurityOfEssence]

45. Me too, but I'm still going to make a stink about the church crap

Close-mindedness and clannish exclusivity isn't a particularly good fit with pluralism and reality.

[illinoisprogressive]

46. i suggest you write the campaign. they welcome criticsm and maybe you

might get an answer and it will surprise you.

[dsc]

47. I posted a blog at his site

at 3:17 and have received not one single solitary response.

[greeneyedboy]

49. (crickets chirping) n/t