Detroit News: Obama/McClurkin incident will drive black gays "deeper into the closet"

[Bluebear]

Monday, November 5, 2007
Deb Price

Sad, disappointed and more than a little hurt. That's how many Americans who are both black and gay sound when they talk about Barack Obama...

Rod McCullom, a popular black gay writer and longtime Obama fan, said the fiasco makes him wonder how hard Obama would push for gay equality as president. "He folded like a deck of cards. If he is going to fold on the campaign trail, why would we not think he'd fold in the Oval Office?" The "Rod 2.0" blogger laments that Obama could have used the controversy as a "teaching moment" to encourage acceptance of black gays in the black community.

Such a teaching moment could have especially helped the many black gays who share their musical gifts in conservative black churches while staying closeted for fear of being rejected. "Mostly what I have heard from black gays and lesbians is disappointment. We had high hopes. White gays and lesbians on the Obama bandwagon jumped off. This was a deal killer," McCullom says.

Black lesbian Pam Spaulding reports that the controversy generated lots of chat at her popular "Pam's House Blend" blog. Spaulding thinks the Obama camp simply did the math and went for socially conservative black voters in South Carolina, where half of the Democrats voters are black. The Obama team feels "it's no biggie for them to toss us under the bus," Spaulding says. "That is what is painful," she adds, noting the incident will drive black gays "deeper into the closet."

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071105/OPINION03/711050303

[closeupready]

1. He doesn't care. As someone here put it, "ha, ha, where you gonna go, losers?"

That's essentially what was said in one of the McClurkin threads.

[sniffa]

3. in one of the threads? try every one of those threads.

i know where i'm going. and i'm not the onLy one.

[closeupready]

19. I'll give you an amen on that. lol

;) (Pukes say Gore lost Florida by how many votes in 2000?)

[Cha]

40. OT but pukes can say

anything and do but Gore won Florida in 2000.

[donheld]

2. Obama needs to have his nose rubbed in this

good and hard.

[Kagemusha]

4. Uh excuse me? Encourage acceptance? Heal the divide? What?

I've been holding my tongue for the entire affair and reading a lot of the outrage and hatred directed at Obama for his actions and for those of his supporters but... I do not get the original post.

What the HELL did this have to do with teaching evangelicals to accept black gays?... I never heard a single, one, tiny, single reference to the need or desire for such a thing. All I heard was about the need to evict black evangelical bigots from the Democratic community, to shut the door and never look back. This was not about acceptance. It was about rejection of people who are odious to gays and lesbians. Has that changed somehow?

I don't think so, but I'm asking anyway.

[yardwork]

6. Are bigots odious only to gays and lesbians?

Are you counting yourself as a supporter of bigots?

[Kagemusha]

8. Gaaaaaa!!! No, I am not counting myself as a supporter of bigots!!!!

I plead with you to actually read my post.

[Bluebear]

9. "It was about rejection of people who are odious to gays and lesbians."

So the question was, are these bigots only odious to gays and lesbians?

[Kagemusha]

13. No, they're odious to people who love and respect gays and lesbians!!

As Obama is today!!

How the hell did you people arbitrarily decide that I must have meant something else when I did not type anything to that effect in the English language!???!

[Bluebear]

"you people"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3679092#3680655

[Kagemusha]

15. There are two repliers to my goddamn post, two human beings

What the hell is wrong with using the plural form!!????

[Bluebear]

18. Nothing, rage on. In fact, throw a glass against a wall, you'll feel better.

Holy cannoli.

[FredScuttle]

24. "you people"

say that out loud to yourself and give it some thought.

[yardwork]

10. I did. "It was about rejection of people who are odious to gays and lesbians. "

That's a direct quote from your post. "This is about rejection of people who are odious to gays and lesbians."

It begs the question. Are bigots odious to anyone other than gays and lesbians, according to you? Are bigots odious to you?

[Kagemusha]

14. AAAAAAAA!!!!

yes, bigots are odious to me goddamn it!!

Down with Obama!! Down with Obama!! Down with Obama!!!!

[yardwork]

16. You're just trying to cause trouble. Pffft.

[mondo joe]

27. Your post made it clear. Anti gay bigotry is only a problem for gays,

according to you anyway.

[Bluebear]

7. You think it's "hatred" directed at Obama??

[Kagemusha]

11. Yes, Obama is considered a racist bigot misogynist, why wouldn't Dems hate him?

Politics of hope my rear end! He won't get elected dog catcher on the Democratic ticket anymore. He's been ostracized from civilized society by the netroots.

So I'm asking, where the HELL did this thing about "healing the divide" come from? It's not about healing the divide - it's about kicking odious pigs like Obama and all his filthy kind, over it!

So where did this "healing" bit come from!?

[Bluebear]

You'd have to ask Rod McCullom, I guess

:shrug:

[yardwork]

12. You are calling Obama an "odious pig?"

That's horrible. You just called Obama an odious pig and referred to "his filthy kind." That's.....awful. Nobody else has said that of Obama.

[Kagemusha]

17. I've had it. I'm sorry. I've had it.

I'm reporting myself to the mods for removal. I'm sorry for bothering you all. I'm not worthy of your attention.

[yardwork]

20. I hope you feel better. Seriously. Take a chill pill or something. Dude.

[closeupready]

21. The primary season is for holding all potential candidates to the fire.

It's a time for the base to say, "this is what we expect of you, this is what we want you to do for us, etc." ALL candidates will be criticized. That comes with the territory.

After the nominee is elected, that's the time to pull together and put differences behind you.

[yardwork]

25. This is much too sensible an observation to get any traction here.

But thank you for posting it.

[pnwmom]

31. It isn't a matter of barring anyone, even bigots, from the party.

No leader of the party can control who considers himself or herself to be a Democrat, and all candidates get support from people who disagree with them on some of the issues. I wouldn't blame a candidate because some of his supporters were jerks, idiots, or even bigots.

If all McClurkin had done was to sing some Gospel music in a choir, I sincerely doubt that this would be an issue. Where Obama crossed the line was in giving a special platform to a bigot. Obama had the homophone on stage as Master of Ceremonies at a fundraising event. And he gave McClurkin time for a 30 minute speech spouting his homophobic views. By making McClurkin the headliner, by putting him up there as MC and giving him time for a sermon, he appeared to actively promote the views of a homophobic bigot, and visibly associated his campaign with them.

Because of his ties and influence with the Black evangelical community,Obama had a chance to positively influence them with regard to GLBT people -- but he chose instead to pander to the negative voices among them. And he still doesn't seem to get it, and that's a shame.

[tigereye]

33. this is one of the best analyses of this situation I have seen so far

thank you pnwmom.

[Cha]

41. Wow! Thanks..I really didn't

even know all that..I still can't believe Obama did that cause I had high hopes for him like a lot of peeps..he's able to eloquently say what is wrong with the bushits' version of our country but this bigot shit won't fly with me.

It's like Obama chose to have "the votes" from the religious bigots instead of progressives.

[Chovexani]

46. Not only does he not get it

None of his koolaid drinking apologists seem to either.

They well and truly don't give a shit about us.

[yardwork]

5. "Disappointed" is a good description of my reaction.

Count me as one of those "white lesbians on the Obama bandwagon" who jumped off.

[William769]

22. Gay African Americans are the real losers with Obama.

But hey got to keep those fundies happy at all costs!

[NMMNG]

28. They are

But hey got to keep those fundies happy at all costs!

Unfortunately that's the trend Buscho started, and some of the Dems have fallen for it, sadly. And when the fundies are happy, human rights suffer.

[terrya]

23. Exactly right

I agree 100%

[PM Martin]

26. The fact that Obama would allow a homophobic bigot into

his campaign says alot about him.
:thumbsdown:

[msongs]

30. obama did not "allow" him in, he invited him and gave him a starring role on the stage nt

[NMMNG]

29. But as long as he gets those votes

It doesn't matter who gets hurt. :sarcasm:

[freestyle]

32. I think being out is a bit more personal than a presidential race.

I really did not give a moment's thought to the views of any politician when I decided to come out. I think the considerations are far more personal and have to do with family, friends, finances, and (for some) religion. I disagree strongly with Pam Spaulding on this, and I think gives away power needlessly. Coming out is deeply personal, and change will certainly move faster when more Black GLBT people do feel empowered to come out. That empowerment happens at a level far closer to people than presidential politics.

Obama messed up, and as a Black, gay man I was disappointed. However, at the end of the day, I will still support him. I agree most with Kucinich and Gravel, but really don't see either one as viable. Hillary Clinton was never an option for the primary. I see her as very militarist and corporatist. I also haven't forgotten that Bill Clinton signed discrimination into law twice, with no protest from Hillary at the time. Biden, Dodd, and Richardson all have their good points, but are also entrenched politiicians. Edwards focus on poverty still keeps him at number two, and I don't think anyone has gone further in repudiating their war vote. Unfortunately, none of our leading candidates support full equality. So, we must go to other issues, and to an opportunity for change. I still see Obama as the best opportunity. I deeply respect all who disagree.

[IndianaJones]

34. Jeez...will you people let it go.

Robert Byrd carries a copy of the Constitution in his pocket.

[NMMNG]

37. Who, exactly, is "you people"?

[IndianaJones]

39. whoever responds to my post. so far, you. nt.

[BlueIris]

35. Kick.

[Major Hogwash]

36. Gee, I wish there was just 1 more right-wing article written about this!

Because I'm sure all the Larry Craig fans would just love to read it!

[terrya]

38. What the hell are you talking about?

Deb Price isn't a right wing writer. Not even close.

[rinsd]

43. Is Larry Craig your oh so creative code word for LGBT DUers?

[AX10]

42. Obama is an ass for allowing McClurkin near his campaign.

[Cha]

44. Yeah, it's a real big

"DUH" moment for him. To me, it's almost surreal as if I haven't been on surreal familiarity for the last seven years.

[Chovexani]

45. That is the real tragedy about this incident

But people give even less of a shit about black GLBT than our white counterparts.

[CTLawGuy]

47. we get it

you don't like Obama.

[Bluebear]

48. That's hardly the point.

I don't like bigotry.

[w4rma]

49. I saw this cowardness in Obama a long time ago. It's why he doesn't get my support.

He does this type of thing on other important issues, also.

[FredScuttle]

52. Social Security, for starters

Why a Democratic candidate decides to embrace RW framing of Social Security as "in crisis" is startling to me

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/057285.php

[defendandprotect]

50. Perhaps it will bring black gays out of the closets fighting back --- ???

[NMMNG]

51. We can only hope it will do that

At least for some.