I think what Obama has done is really cool: he's got McClurkin between a rock and a hard place.

[calteacherguy]

McClurkin has two choices:

1. Perform at an event in support of a candidate who is a strong support of gay rights and outspoken against homophobia.

2. Cancel

If Obama had forced McClurkin not to perform, he would have lost the opportunity to provide a space for McClurkin to at least implicitly support progressive views on homosexuality, possibly getting people to THINK. Not only that, Obama would be saying implicitly that anyone who shares McClurkin's view that homosexulity is a sin is not welcome in the Demcratic Party: "we don't care if you support universal health care, you'll just have to go vote for one of those Republican candidates. Don't EVER come near us again!"

If McClurkin choses to perform, he'll be playing in support of a strong advocate of gay rights, and by extension be advocating gay rights himself. Sounds like an effective strategy to get folks thinking. And isn't that what we want? Folks thinking?

[AtomicKitten]

1. excellent point, sir

[Bitwit1234]

2. The Saint has struck again.

All wise, All knowing, All doing.

[illinoisprogressive]

3. Interesting article about Hillary and the Rev. harold mayberry who endorsed her.

[Lucinda]

6. How many times are you going to post this?

I saw it the first time. :)

[Bluebear]

4. LOL!!! Yes, I am certain Obama had just this in mind. Brilliant!

:silly:

[More Than A Feeling]

5. Nope its Obama who is stuck

Fire McClurkin and alienate evangelicals, or keep him and alienate gays and their allies. So far, we know who he stands with.

[calteacherguy]

7. There is a problem with your logic.

Fire him and alienate evangelicals, yes, but keep him and alienate gays? No, it would not be Obama who would alienate gays. That's a choice for others to make.

McClurkin is performing in Obama's house, not the other way around.

[More Than A Feeling]

8. How revealing that you don't see the disconnect in

your willingness to absolve evangelicals of their homophobia, but attack gays for standing up for themselves.

[bigwillq]

10. Ding! Ding!

And so would other candidates who align themselves with noted bigots.

edit: I believe you edited your post and I was dinging initally at what you said earlier but I ding at this too. :) My bad! I was suppose to be replying to your oringinal post...where you said "we know where he stands"

[More Than A Feeling]

12. I can't seem to get the grammar right in the post you are replying to

but you all know what I mean!

Thanks for the kudos!

[bigwillq]

13. Don't worry

I am not a grammar nazi! :)

[Solon]

11. Gays are supposed to be quiet and stay at the back of the bus, otherwise they get thrown under it...

duh, that's American politics of today.

[calteacherguy]

21. Obama has done nothing to alienate gays. It's McClurkin who has done that. nt

[Solon]

26. To take your analogy further, McCloset may be performing in Obama's house, but who invited him? n/t

[calteacherguy]

20. I've done neither. We disagree. nt

[JackBeck]

9. And yet we see McClurkin is not the only bigot performing at this concert.

Some of the other performers also share some of his beliefs.

[KittyWampus]

19. Do the other performers make a career of publically stating their beliefs? Do you check

to see the positions of every artist, writer, sportsfigure, musician you admire and support to make sure they've never said anything offensive?

[JackBeck]

23. If any public figure is a bigot, I'd choose not give them my time or money.

So, yes, I check to see if someone is a bigot or not.

As far as my response to this OP, I was pointing out that this man isn't the only bigot performing at his concert.

[IndianaJones]

14. alright....this is ridiculous. nt.

[bigwillq]

15. Yes it is

ridiculous that our Democratic nominees (I am talking to you too Mrs. Clinton) are publicly aligning themselves with known bigots. :mad:

[IndianaJones]

16. You are right. I don't think you will catch me spinning her alignment as "cool" nt.

[calteacherguy]

17. How so?

I'm a Clinton supporter too, by the way.

[IndianaJones]

18. spinning this embarassing situation as a genius move...that is ridiculous. nt.

[calteacherguy]

22. I don't think it was a genius move, and I don't see why it's embarassing situation.

I think it does accomplish good, however, for the reasons I clearly stated in the OP. If I was Obama's campaign manager I would not recommend at this point he bar him from performing at an event in support of a candidate who supports gay rights and disavows homophobia.

[IndianaJones]

24. He is not disavowing homophobia...that would be canceling the bigots appearance. nt.

[calteacherguy]

27. Wrong.

I completely disagree. It's not necessary to cancel the appearance to disavow homophobia. Also, I do not believe McClurkin is a bigot; he's a confused and misguided man who suffered a difficult and confusing childhood, but he's no bigot.

We simply disagree.

[Solon]

30. Yes HE IS, the fact that you excuse it tells me that you sympathize with the bigotry...

that means that YOU are a bigot as well.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

25. Nothing cool about it, on any level

I would say that every aspect of this (including the utterly bogus statement pretending that Obama "disagrees" with McClurkin's views without identifying any view he disagrees with) is pretty much the definition of uncool.

[calteacherguy]

29. Did you read the same statement I did? nt

[Forkboy]

28. I'm getting dizzy from the spin.

If you're not getting paid for this you should be.