Reply #25: Thank you very much.

[yardwork]

As a lesbian, I have really tried not to be an asshole about this issue. I've tried not to fall into politics of divisiveness. I don't intend to come off as demanding that any candidate show special favoritism to any demographic group.

The McClurkin issue has really upset me, mainly because many straight posters on DU have dismissed concerns about the incident in insulting, demeaning terms. Those of us who raised concern about the incident have been told that we are engaging in "faux outrage." We've been told that we are secret Hillary supporters. We've been told that we're hypocrites for pointing out one example of homophobia while supposedly "ignoring" others. We've been told that "90% of Christians in the United States would drop their support for Obama if he apologized." We've been told that "scientific studies" prove that gay people make up only 1.2% of the population, so we don't matter anyway. We've been told by posters that their Christian beliefs demand that they consider gays to be an abomination. We've been told that that attitude is not bigotry because their religion requires it. And, over and over and over, we've been told to "get over it."

The McClurkin incident itself, as bad as it was, pales compared to the insulting way in which people's concerns about it have been mocked, ridiculed, and dismissed.

Returning to the incident itself, I am discouraged that so many supposedly progressive DUers dismiss it or compare it to simply having homophobic people working for one's campaign. Obama did not merely "ask McClurkin to sing." Obama invited McClurkin to headline and emcee a major campaign event, and allowed McClurkin at least a half hour to speak to the crowd, during which he repeated his oft-repeated belief that being gay is akin to being a murderer, and that only through the intercession of God can gay people be saved from eternal damnation.

If ANY other minority were attacked in this way, nobody on DU would question the outrage.