"... Human Rights Campaign's Joe Solomonese ... said he hoped 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."
Now the senator's campaign is trying to show that he's doing just that. An open letter signed by 16 LGBT and black religious
leaders says that Obama is reaching out to bring blacks and homosexuals together."
Here's the full quote in context from Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. from the Olivet Institutional Baptist Church Chair, Obama National
African American Religious Leaders Working Group in Cleveland, Ohio, for those interested:
"A few things are clear.
First, Pastor McClurkin believes and has stated things about sexual orientation that are deeply hurtful and offensive to many
Americans, most especially to gay Americans. This cannot and should not be denied.
At the same time, a great many African Americans share Pastor McClurkin's beliefs. This also cannot be ignored.
Finally, we believe that the only way for these two sides to find common ground is to do so together.
Not at arms length. Not in a war of words with press and pundits. Only together.
It is clear that Barack Obama is the only candidate who has made bringing these two often disparate groups together a goal.
In gatherings of LGBT Americans and African Americans of faith, Obama has stated that all individuals should be afforded
full civil rights regardless of their sexual orientation, and that homophobia must be eradicated in every corner of our nation.
If we are to end homophobia and secure full civil rights for gay Americans, then we need an advocate within the Black
community like Barack Obama.
At the same time, while Obama has said that he "strongly disagrees" with Pastor McClurkin's comments, he will not exclude
from his campaign the many Americans including many in the African American community who believe the same as Pastor
McClurkin.
We believe that Barack Obama is constructing a tent big enough for LGBT Americans who know that their sexual orientation
is an innate and treasured part of their being, and for African American ministers and citizens who believe that their religion
prevents them from fully embracing their gay brothers and sisters. And if we are to confront our shared challenges we have
to join together, build on common ground, and engage in a civil dialogue even when we disagree.
We also ask Senator Obama's critics to consider the alternatives. Would we prefer a candidate who ignores the realities in the
African American community and cuts off millions of Blacks who believe things offensive to many Americans? Or a panderer
who tells African Americans what they want to hear, at the expense of our gay brothers
and sisters? Or would we rather stand with Barack Obama, who speaks truth in love to both sides, pulling no punches but
foreclosing no opportunities to engage?
We stand with Senator Obama. We stand with him because of the solutions he is proposing for our nation. We stand with him
because of his character and his judgment. But the most important reason we stand with him is because today, as he has
done all along, Barack Obama is causing us to stand together.
That's the kind of President we need, and we are proud to support him.
Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr.
Olivet Institutional Baptist Church
Chair, Obama National African American Religious Leaders Working Group
Cleveland, Ohio
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/10/25/obama-campaign-releases-o_n_69892.html
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