Obama condemns homophobia in black community in historically black church.

[GarbagemanLB]

Obama says in the speech: "We have scorned our gay brothers and sisters instead of embracing them," and "the scourge of anti-Semitism has, at times, revealed itself in our community," and "for too long, some of us have seen the immigrants as competitors for jobs instead of companions in the fight for opportunity."



http://www.observer.com/2008/obama-addresses-homophobia-anti-semitism-and-xenophobia-among-black-americans


More pandering from Obama. :sarcasm:

[Cant trust em]

1. but but but Donnie McClurkin.

[Guava Jelly]

2. Good for him

:thumbsup:

[Zuiderelle]

3. Why can't he just state unequivocally that he supports FULL EQUALITY for gay Americans?

Why?

[redqueen]

5. Nuance?

Cause people have jumped all over Kucinich for years for being so blatant about things, because that 'scares away moderates & independents'?

Just guessing... :shrug:

[Zuiderelle]

10. Yeah, I suppose that's a good guess. Too bad our equality is so unimportant.

[redqueen]

13. Yeah, that's why Kucinich is so successful... he talks about important and controversial issues

in very blunt terms.

Works like a charm!

[Zuiderelle]

18. I think Obama could stand for equality without risking his campaign.

[GarbagemanLB]

22. I wonder if Hillary spoke out against DOMA or Don't Ask Don't Tell.....my guess is no.

[Zuiderelle]

23. But we're talking about Barack here, not Hillary.

I would say the same thing about her if she publicized comments meant to appear to be supportive of gay Americans and came across so noncommittally.

[GarbagemanLB]

26. You forget that this was in a black church. Sorry, but this cannot count as 'pandering'.

[Zuiderelle]

27. Everything a politician does is for public consumption, not just the audience they happen to be

addressing.

[LTR]

16. Definitely nuance

Believe it or not, black congregations often tend to be pretty conservative socially. Not very accepting of homosexuals.

The message needs to be tailored to the particular crowd.

[TTUBatfan2008]

14. Why can't Hillary?

[mopinko]

15. if what you mean is gay marriage, perhaps

it has to do with the fact that he respects the division between the federal government and the state governments. it is an issue that has traditionally been decided at the state level.
it'll suck to have a president who actually knows the constitution, and respects our system of government.

[Zuiderelle]

19. That's a copout. Marriage is a federal issue.

[izzybeans]

4. This is how you talk to adults. You don't baby them with their own

wet dreams.

It takes real courage to stand in a public forum and question the bigotry of your public and it takes real skill to do it respectfully and successfully.

[Zuiderelle]

12. It takes real skill to never commit to anything regarding gay rights, and yet sound like you support

us.

[izzybeans]

25. Ah huh.

And standing up in a hostile forum is sooo much like not supporting gay rights.

[RememberWellstone]

6. Hmmm

Why is this important for him now? There's something going on with Obama and gay issues. I'm not sure what it is.

[GarbagemanLB]

8. This was in January. I just posted it because of this Meeks bullshit.

[readmoreoften]

7. Yes, it's called triangulating. I hang out with an anti-gay crew, but I can throw a carrot in a

speech. Gotta get those gay votes back. He took out a gay ad in Dallas too.

It's a nice sentiment. I'll need more to take him seriously after Caldwell and McClurkin. I've never seen photos of him with gay people at parades like Clinton. That would make me feel more comfortable than comment in a speech. If you want to put up some photos of Obama hanging with us, that might help your case.

[Lucky 13]

9. He just did a fundraiser with GLSEN...

... in NYC. There must be pics from that. Anybody?

[blm]

17. Who LED the Party for last 15 yrs as it was rolling over for antigay pushes from the RW?

.

[democrattotheend]

21. Didn't Bill Clinton encourage Kerry to throw gays under the bus in 2004?

Wasn't that the phone conversation that got leaked?

[blm]

28. Yep - but I also believe that was Clinton wanting to mess up Kerry than actually believing that

it was a good idea to do it. I'm sure he knew Bush had the election process rigged and that he needed Kerry neutralized for any 2008 run.

You can bet Kerry is fully aware of this, and why he has been coaching Obama for a long time now, but doing so quietly until his public endorsement.

[SoonerPride]

11. Obama is far better than Clinton....really

The commitment to push civil unions at the federal level "immediately" is fairly unprecedented, as Jennifer Vanasco pointed out. That puts him far out in front of Hillary or John Edwards, who have stayed very very vague on what exactly "civil unions" means to them. Obama is talking about the federal government treating state-issued civil unions the same as it does state-issued married licenses. That would represent huge progress.

http://citizenchris.typepad.com/citizenchris/2007/11/obama-and-gay-m.html

[GarbagemanLB]

20. So true. He actually is brave enough to stand up and give a message that might provoke an audience.

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

24. this won't win him votes in PA either. kudos, Barack. that's principle.

[mdmc]

29. hard thing to discuss within the black community

:patriot:

[GarbagemanLB]

30. Amen.