Human Rights Campaign lets Obama off with slap on the wrist

[geek tragedy]

Which he deserved, at the very least.

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/10/big_gay_group_condemns_obama_for_campaign_event_with_antigay_singer.php#comments

“I spoke with Sen. Barack Obama today and expressed to him our community’s disappointment for his decision to continue to remain associated with Rev. McClurkin, an anti-gay preacher who states the need to ‘break the curse of homosexuality.’ There is no gospel in Donnie McClurkin’s message for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. That’s a message that certainly doesn’t belong on any Presidential candidate’s stage.
"I did thank him for announcing he would be adding an openly gay minister as part of the tour and for his willingness to call on religious leaders to open a dialogue about homophobia. We hope that Sen. Obama will move forward and facilitate face to face meetings with religious leaders, like Rev. McClurkin, and the GLBT community to confront the issue of homophobia.

“We also call on all of the Presidential campaigns to look within their ranks of supporters and make the same commitment to engage in a dialogue among differing views around issues of equality and fairness for our community.”

Obama dodged a bullet with that one. "Disappointment" is a lot better than "condemnation" or "demand." This means the issue will blow over, Aravosis ego-driven tantrums to the contrary.

Now, Obama campaign: Use google. For everyone who comes in contact with the Senator.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Dhalgren]

2. Senator Obama has dodged nothing. He obviously doesn't "get it".

[silverweb]

3. Good.

I've basically stayed away from this controversy, but I'm very glad it's pretty much over and happy with HRC's handling of it.

Obama was between a rock and a hard place on this one, but I think what he was trying to convey in the way he has handled it is something that he's verbalized many times already:

Obama wants to be President of ALL the American people, not just the ones who vote for him, and he wants his administration to be inclusive of EVERYONE, not just those who agree with him on all the issues.

Thus, he has singers singing, despite their very opposite views on homosexuality. It makes sense to me.

Sometimes we have to temporarily bury the hatchet on one issue (however important that issue is to us) in order to work together on other things, you know?

[yardwork]

10. So, I guess we'll see Obama reaching out to the Klan next?

I assume Obama wants his administration to be inclusive of everyone - white supremacists too, right? Holocaust deniers ok with Obama? Rapists, murderers, child rapists - all those people gotta be included in the Obama campaign too, I guess?

[silverweb]

19. That's really reaching.

The performers aren't being allowed to make policy, they aren't giving speeches or sermons, and they aren't being asked for their opinions.

They're popular singers in their genre who are being invited to sing. Period.

They've expressed differing opinions on a sensitive matter; but to equate a difference of opinion (no matter how sensitive) with criminality ('rapists, murderers') is just foolish.

What you're making is a reductio ad absurdum argument that is just as ridiculous as the RW claim that allowing same-sex marriage will lead to inter-species marriage and other nonsense.

[yardwork]

36. If Obama stands up with members of the Ku Klux Klan on stage, they're not making policy either

Your argument is illogical. You say it is ok for a politician to campaign with an individual who makes a career out of being a bigot, because that means that the politician is reaching out to bigots. Then, when I point out the other types of bigots that Obama could reach out to as well, you respond by calling me names and attempting to bully me into not expressing my opinion.

That's typical of the kind of response people receive when they stand up for their rights.

edit - spelling

[alteredstate]

25. Wow,

[silverweb]

28. No kidding.

This is why I've stayed away from this controversy until now. I thought the HRC statement ended it, but I guess I was wrong.

I guess you can't please some people any of the time unless you please them all the time.

And that's just not possible.

[yardwork]

38. HRC does not speak for me. Why should their statement "end it?"

If a Jewish rabbi said that it was ok for someone to be a holocaust denier, would that "end it?"

[alteredstate]

30. Yeah! I'll bet he reaches out to the Klan next!

[Baby Snooks]

41. Everyone but the pedophiles...

Everyone but the pedophiles. Giulianinazi already has laid claim to them.

[IndianaGreen]

24. Exactly, why don't we just appeal at Holocaust deniers while we are at it?

Sometimes we have to temporarily bury the hatchet on one issue (however important that issue is to us) in order to work together on other things, you know?

We can also appeal to those that think that the Confederate bars and stripes should fly on the statehouse. We can also work together with pedophiles, I mean, there are so many of them. If we just could ignore that one issue we could build a majority that will last for decades.

:puke:

[silverweb]

27. Reductio ad absurdum ... again.

You must have a very select circle of people you work/associate with, and carefully review their attitudes to weed out the undesirables on a regular basis.

I suppose sitting down to talk with adversarial nations is something else you don't think Obama should even consider ... until they come around to our way of seeing things first, that is.

[yardwork]

37. Obama invited a bigot to be the highlight of his campaign stops.

You are the one being illogical.

There is no difference between Obama inviting a homophobic bigot to stand up on stage with him and inviting a racist bigot to stand up on stage with him.

[DemFemme]

4. Possibly they didn't want to be called on their previous inaction on Hillary's homophobic reverends

Good for Obama for being inclusive. Maybe this is what the black community of faith
needs to face their history of homophobia.

More info on Hillary's homophobic endorsers and HRC's silence on the matter:

http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/10/24/162436/74

[davidinalameda]

17. the Mayberry thing is such a red herring

no where in that article, and I've seen that article for the past few days, does it say that he endorses her

NOR does it say that she is touting his "endorsement" which I've seen other Obama supporters claim

I'll also vote for Obama if by some chance he's the nominee but there is no way I'd consider supporting him in the primary

he's shown that he wants the support of bigots

[KittyWampus]

18. No, it's not a red herring. It just illustrates how some DU'ers are capable of selective outrage.

Hillary attends a fundraiser organized by homophobe Rev. Rivers and is seated next to him at the dinner table.

For instance.

Where was the outrage then?

And my main point in bringing that up is that, like it or not, there's a significant segment of the black community that shares much common ground with the rest of us on the left but sadly happen to also be homophobic.

Some people seem to believe that these blacks should not be reached out to or worked with. That before you can interact with them on an other issues, they must capitulate their homophobic views beforehand.

And that diplomacy is analogous to Bush saying Iran has to swear off nukes before he'll negotiate with them.

[davidinalameda]

20. are you talking about a 2005 fundraiser

that was thrown for a youth charity that he runs?

that's a bit different from him appearing with her at an official campaign function

[KittyWampus]

26. no, it's really not different. Hillary, a Senator soon to be running for POTUS,

attended a fundraiser homophobe Rev. Rivers held for black youth.

Again, MY point is that there is common ground with blacks who are generally liberal and vote Democratic but who also lamentably are homophobic.

MY point is that if Obama shouldn't share a stage pandering for votes with McWhatever, then Hillary shouldn't either.

Or is it okay for pols to appear with those who support similar causes but differ on something important like civil rights for gays?

[yardwork]

39. I agree with you on all counts.

If Obama gets the nomination, he'll do it without my support now. I won't send him a penny and I won't vote for him in the primary. He's off my list.

I'll vote for Obama if he is the Democratic presidential nominee, because I intend to vote for whomever gets the Democratic nomination, but he'll have to get there without my support now.

[DURHAM D]

5. Another point to consider about McSinger -

If Obama dismissed him from the event McClarkin would get a lot of publicity and promptly go whore himself out to the top bidder among the Rethug candidates - probably Mitt.

Whichever candidate picked him up would get a lot of mileage out of him and would also pick up fundie votes.

[DemFemme]

7. Good points. n/t

[terrya]

6. And Barack Obama's words about GLBT equality now ring hollow.

They're just words. Empty, useless words.

Speaking only for myself....don't even bother trying to get our vote, Senator. It's just all bullshit.

[sniffa]

8. good for you

if onLy the uppity queers wouLd Let it go now.

[geek tragedy]

9. The HRC is letting it go.

If people don't want to vote for him, I'm not going to talk them into it.

[yardwork]

11. HRC is held in contempt by a lot of gay people for this exact reason.

HRC has a history of being "centrist" - meaning right-wing.

[cuke]

12. "if onLy the uppity queers wouLd Let it go now. "

How hypocritical is it for you to deny that your OP is an "uppity fag" post, and then agree when sniffa call him an "uppity queer"?

[geek tragedy]

14. I wasn't agreeing with the person, who was OBVIOUSLY

being sarcastic.

[cuke]

15. Sure you weren't

I believe you

[Cameron27]

13. I don't think he dodged anything

and I don't know why it was so goddamned important to keep a gay-bashing bigot on his tour.

[IndianaJones]

16. there seems to be an obsession with Aravosis. nt.

[MADem]

21. He didn't dodge a bullet. The real shit hasn't hit the fan yet.

You are fantasizing if you think otherwise. The crap hasn't even started to rain down.

[Colobo]

22. Let's see what happens.

[illinoisprogressive]

23. Ah, but the bots throw tantrums that make Aravosis look laid back

[Bluebear]

31. "The bots" LOL my god you are ridiculous with that.

[terrya]

32. Do you ever really think before you post?

That "bots" crap is like a broken record.

[William769]

29. The damage has been done.

It got the attention it needed to get now individuals in the GLBT community can decide for themselves.

[jefferson_dem]

35. You call it damage...I call it opportunity.

Either way. It's time to move forward.

[ellacott]

33. The most important part has been missed

"I did thank him for announcing he would be adding an openly gay minister as part of the tour and for his willingness to call on religious leaders to open a dialogue about homophobia. We hope that Sen. Obama will move forward and facilitate face to face meetings with religious leaders, like Rev. McClurkin, and the GLBT community to confront the issue of homophobia.

The most important thing is an open dialogue. I'm actually surprised this has never been done before.

[jefferson_dem]

34. It's long overdue.

People can pretend McClurkin's views are rare, in certain communities especially, but they would be wrong. It's time to work toward mending these divides. This is a good start.

[killbotfactory]

42. It hasn't been done because anyone who tries it is accused of being a bigot

or pandering to bigotry.

[Freddie Stubbs]

40. They have recognized the fact that Obama may very well be the next President and

don't want to p*ss off the next President. Especially considering that this issue is not really resonating with voters.