Human Rights Campaign issues ultimatum to Obama: FIX IT OR ELSE.

[Bluebear]

The nation’s biggest gay rights group is trying to force Sen. Barrack Obama (D-Ill.) to cancel presidential campaign event with a controversial preacher who claims he was homosexual but has been cured.

The Human Rights Campaign has expressed its strong reservations to Obama over his campaign-sponsored tour that features gospel singer Donnie McClurkin.

The influential organization, representing a powerful Democratic constituency, let Obama’s campaign know that it would issue a public demand if Obama did not immediately cancel the event, said a person who had been briefed on the exchange....

“Funny how Obama is a big supporter of civil rights when blacks are being maligned, but not so much when gays are the victims,” Aravosis wrote on AMERICAblog, one of the most widely-read liberal blogs online. “I really like Obama. I’m from Illinois. But this is despicable.”

Earl Ofari Hutchinson wrote on Huffington Post, another popular liberal blog, that Obama should cancel the “gay bash tour.”

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-pressured-on-gay-cure-preacher-2007-10-24.html
http://www.americablog.com/

[terrya]

1. First John Aravosis, now the HRC.

Senator, it's up to you now. It's getting worse and worse.

[MethuenProgressive]

32. I don't think he has the spine to do the right thing.

He's pandering to the evavgelicals, they donate much more money than gays...

[Freddie Stubbs]

34. But wouldn't caving in to pressure show lack of a spine?

[BootinUp]

39. a worthless meme

to be sure.

[MethuenProgressive]

45. "He's pandering to the evangelicals, they donate much more money than gays." Is a "meme"?

You don't know what meme means, do you? :eyes:

[BootinUp]

46. I believe

the post I was responding to was poking fun at the spineless meme used to attack his positions in general. I was not meaning to comment on the Obama situation with that. Sooorry for the confusion. :)

[Colobo]

2. Obama is EVIL!!!

:sarcasm:

[Bluebear]

3. We get it already, you could care less. Obama uber alles.

[Colobo]

5. I want him to drop the tour.

It's not fair for him to be attacked for what some stupid ass fundies say.

[Bluebear]

7. He hired the stupid ass fundies.

He can fire them.

[William769]

36. Not only did he hire them, but he's wanting to make money off them!

[QC]

43. Lay down with dogs, get up with fleas. n/t

[CreekDog]

4. Yeah, the key to tolerance is going after Obama

That will help the LGBT cause as much as Pat Robertson will.

[Bluebear]

6. Sorry, I know this is really getting in your craw. Are we hurting our "cause" as LGBT's?

[CreekDog]

11. my cause is LGBT rights

and yes you are hurting it by hammering Obama for something some other dude said.

and quit taking everything I say as a broadside against gays as if you are the only one who can speak genuninely for human rights for the gay community.

Obama is a good guy with good positions and all this energy is basically just running down his campaign when there are bigger fish to fry on this very issue!

Get the damned stalled human rights leglislation passed, elect more progressives who will support such things. But instead you spend your energy giving ultimatims to Obama.

Poor use of time.

And stop acting like you own the movement, it's everyones movement because it's for everyone.

[Colobo]

14. Standing ovation for you!

[Bluebear]

19. You don't get to lecture me on my use of time & energy

You are really barking up the wrong tree on this one. Go write an email to the HRC and complain. The fact that this doesn't bother you and steams a lot of us does not mean you "own the movement" either.

PS, you don't know the HRC's pull. This is going to get bigger, not smaller.

[William769]

37. Thats funny Obama wants to make money off what the other dude said!

[terrya]

8. There are GLBT supporters of Obama who might be unwilling to send a donation.

Who are understandably upset about this. I mean, hell, why should they?

But hey, if Senator Obama wants that, whatever.

No one is out to destroy him.

[CreekDog]

9. I don't disagree, just don't think it's real helpful

Let's not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

[Bluebear]

10. Well, the HRC is a pretty amazing organization for many of us.

they have been extremely helpful in the past and continue to be so.

[CreekDog]

13. Then apply that standard to Obama

He has been generally helpful in the past and continues to be so.

And I think he can appreciate the evils of discrimination as well as anyone.

[Colobo]

16. You have common sense.

[Bluebear]

18. When he does something about this concert series, I will be thrilled.

Until then I will continue to point out that this is the first time a candidate has reached out to a generally anti-gay constituency as a campaign technique.

[terrya]

23. From what I've been reading...

it's the sheer cynicism of this that saddens me. It may have been a staffer...but it's Senator Obama's campaign. He's the one who will have to decide this. And, as I said earlier...it's still fixable. I hope he does the right thing.

[Bjorn Against]

29. Definately not the first time...

I am 100% behind you on this issue Bluebear, I want Obama to kick McClurkin off the tour and apologize but I do have to take issue to your suggestion that this is the first time this happened. The gay community has been a punching bag for politicians for years now, it goes back well before the so-called "Defense of Marriage Act" which sadly had wide bipartisan support.

I am completely behind you in calling Obama out on this crap, but I don't want to lose sight of the bigger picture and forget that this goes far beyond Obama.

[ruggerson]

15. I don't want to be "tolerated' by anyone

I could care less what they think of me and/or my family.

What I demand is full and complete civil, legal equality.

Nothing more, nothing less.

[CreekDog]

31. Then we agree on this nt

[jefferson_dem]

12. This is big.

There's no better, more reputable, organization on these issues, in my view. I respect their judgement.

[Bluebear]

22. JD, thank you for your respect of the HRC & what it means to us.

Sincerely. I know it doesn't appear so, but please believe that I want Obama to do the right thing on this and make it go away.

[jefferson_dem]

26. We are on the same team, Bluebear.

:thumbsup:

I look forward to when we can put this sad story behind us...for good.

[Cameron27]

17. Aravosis

and HRC. These are big guns, I hope Obama takes them seriously.

[jonnyblitz]

20. Obama needs to LOSE the primary

and SOME of his PATHETIC supporters need to crawl back under their rocks.

[CreekDog]

30. I'm not an Obama supporter, currently undecided, but I'll defend him here

Because the level of criticism of him because of something someone else said is ridiculous when you consider his record.

What Obama will not do, I'm almost positive, is say to people that come from religions which teach that homosexuality is wrong --
Obama will not tell them that their religion is wrong. He may imply it in the sublest, inclusive way in which he communicates, but that probably won't be enough for those who are angry at him here --for an association.

[CTLawGuy]

53. yeah so we can elect someone who supported the worst

foreign policy blunder in US history.

3500 dead soliders vs. 1 crazy nutjob.

[ruggerson]

21. Now that the HRC has weighed in and it's on the Hill

it's primed to turn into a very well publicized media disaster.

Obama should have cancelled this event two days ago, and he still has a window to cancel it now.

[Bluebear]

24. His fans here think we are "bashing" him, unfortunately.

And that this situation is a tempest in a tiny teapot. It is not and it is getting bigger.

[AtomicKitten]

25. I am really happy the Human Rights Campaign has stepped in on this.

And I especially hope Obama is paying attention.

But, just so you know, he will pay no matter what he does. He'll get hit from both sides. He will forever be connected albeit loosely to a sadly confused bigot OR the wingnuts will tar him for kowtowing to the "loony fringe netroots" or whatever derogatory remark de jour erupts from their pie holes.

Say hello to President Clinton. Feh.

[Bluebear]

27. I don't agree, AK. This is fixable.

The wingnuts who would brand him? Screw 'em. They wouldn't have voted for him anyhow. Obama has a very small opportunity frame to make a big and courageous decision here.

[AtomicKitten]

28. fingers crossed

I really want him to do the right thing here and, just so you know, my colleagues and I are hitting his campaign broadside with, um, our suggestion in that regard.

[sniffa]

33. indeed. or he'LL peopLe Like me at aLL of his raLLies

http://news.lavenderliberal.com/

[William769]

35. K&R!

[IndianaJones]

38. that fringe group has no pull. nt.

[DangerDave921]

40. You know what?

I'm getting really tired of all this "Demanding Apologies" every time someone says something you disagree with. Get the fuck over it. We have free speech in this country. And if someone says something stupid or thoughtless or insensitive (be it Imus or Stark or whoever) why does everyone have to get all up in arms about it? We have this mob-mentality lately that we feel we can demand -- even censor -- speech we disagree with.

I'd hate to be in the public eye nowadays. So many cameras, videos, tape recorders. All with people just waiting to pounce if you say even one thing wrong.

I don't want to silence people. I want people to show themselves to be ridiculous with their own words.

[Bluebear]

42. You "Get the fuck over it." Are you gay, by the way?

[bigwillq]

44. You're right

I believe in free speech and if you can have free speech, so can I. And I have just as much of a right to get up in arms about it as you do about the "get the fuck over it" people.

But you (and I assuming you are straight, please correct me if I am wrong) can get married to whoever you want to and have it be recognized nationally.

I don't have that same option. Until I do I will bitch all I want. At least I have that right.

[DangerDave921]

52. Straight versus gay

My post was not in any way related to any straight versus gay issue. Not at all. My point was about how nowadays, everyone seems to think they can demand apologies, demand silence, demand removal of unpopular speech.

But hey -- if you like the congress issuing a proclamation against Moveon.org for the Betray Us ad, then by all means support this kind of indignant outrage. Because that is where we are nowadays. If anyone says anything that could be construed as negative, then the opposite side clamors for apology, firing, silencing, etc.

I want more speech in the public debate, not less. And I'm tired of people having to constantly watch their language for fear of getting censured. That's a big reason why virtually all politicians today are afraid to actually voice a meaningful opinion on anything. Everything is scripted and calculated to be as benign and bland as possible so as not to offend.

[Solon]

47. You can FUCK OFF AND DIE!!!! n/t

[DangerDave921]

50. Thanks!

A nice way to start my morning with a cheerry hope that I die. Well said!

[ronnykmarshall]

49. God damn FAGS!

They should just shut up and listen to a Judy Garland record.

Limp wristed fairies!!!

:sarcasm:

[terrya]

51. We can't be outraged?

How nice.

[bigwillq]

41. It's up to Obama.

Let's see what he does.

[DemFemme]

48. HRC slams Obama while they give Hillary a pass on her multiple homophobic endorsers.

Is HRC Giving HRC a Pass?

by horizonr, Wed Oct 24, 2007 at 04:24:36 PM EST

Following is the text of the email letter I sent to the Human Rights Campaign, after reading the news this morning that the HRC has threatened
the Obama campaign that it will publicly denounce Obama if he does not disinvite black gospel singer and pastor Donnie McClurkin from singing in
his upcoming gospel concert series in South Carolina:

You're Threatening Obama Now? (subject line)

This is unspeakably short-sighted and counterproductive.

I've always admired and supported the work of the Human Rights Campaign, But do you honestly believe that any other candidate in this race has
greater potential than Barack Obama to move this country further along the path toward being a pro-diversity society -- a society that creates more
acceptance and opportunity for everyone, including lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered people?

I urge you in the strongest possible terms to take a deep breath, then take a good, long look at the forest -- instead of the trees.

Of course, if you insist on going down this misguided path, you might consider exercising a little fairness in the matter.

Ever hear of Harold Mayberry? He's a black preacher, too. Like Donnie McClurkin. And he uses his giant 2,800-member Oakland, California, pulpit
to preach against homosexuality.

When asked about this in 2004, Mayberry gave the classic "love the sinner, hate the sin" defense:

I'm comfortable in what I believe in. I'm not rejecting people. As God loves, we love. I don't reject thieves, I reject thievery.

But just this past August, Hillary Clinton met with Mayberry and thanked him for his "commitment to fighting for civil rights and equality."

Ever hear of Darrell Jackson? Another black preacher. Like Donnie McClurkin. In South Carolina. Like Donnie McClurkin. He's a State Senator, too.
And a political consultant. Busy guy.

In fact, just after Jackson endorsed Clinton in February, he admitted that he's also negotiated a $10,000-a-month consulting contract with
her campaign.

Turns out Jackson's not a big fan of gay people, either. Although Jackson abstained from voting on a 2005 bill for a constitutional amendment
banning same-sex marriage in South Carolina -- two of Clinton's South Carolina co-chairs, John Matthews and Linda Short, voted for the
bill -- he indicated in remarks on the Senate floor that an amendment was a moot point, since most people in South Carolina -- himself
included -- already opposed same-sex marriage.

Now, we know how we feel on this issue, and I've allowed my position to be known more than anybody else. I stand here
as someone who is a pastor to a congregation of a whole lot of people, and I've said it to them and I'll say it to anyone else.
My personal moral position is what I believe and what I subscribe to. I don't have to come here and try to legislate it...There
is little doubt in this body what will ultimately happen with that issue. That is a forgone conclusion.

How many times do you think Jackson has uttered -- or will utter -- anti-gay sentiments while Clinton is paying him?

Are you going to publicly denounce Hillary Clinton for her association with -- and endorsement by -- these people?

Or is she getting a pass, because she's "your girl"?

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

[CTLawGuy]

54. great post

the outrage difference between this situation and what is described in your post is VERY suspicious.

[Mr. Sifter]

55. Obama is wrong on this issue.

Is he really this desperate to pander to religious voters that he needs this guy to tour with him? Can't he find someone else?

[Bluebear]

56. Welcome to DU

[William769]

57. This might explain his reasoning.

"According to the CNN poll, Clinton leads Obama among black registered Democrats, 57 percent to 33 percent. Black women are backing Clinton to the tune of 68 percent compared with 25 percent for Obama. Black men favor Obama 46 percent to 42 percent for Clinton. The poll has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 6.5 percent."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/18/roland.martin/index.html