Would you prefer that McClurkin types OPPOSE and vote against a pro-gay rights candidate?

[calteacherguy]

Poll question: Would you prefer that McClurkin types OPPOSE and vote against a pro-gay rights candidate?

Not everyone is a one-issue voter, you know.

“I believe in his stance. I believe in his platform and his agenda. So when they asked me if I would be a part of it, there was no problem,” says McClurkin, who has performed at both the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention and identifies himself as a Democrat. “We don’t have to agree on everything, but we do have to agree on the main thing: that there needs to be change and I believe he is the candidate to bring it.”

“I don’t believe that even from a religious point of view that Jesus ever discriminated toward anyone nor do I,” he says. “There’s never been a statement made by me about curing homosexuality. People are using that in order to incite anger and to twist my whole platform on it. There’s no crusade for curing it or to convert everyone. This is just for those who come to me and ask for change.”

http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2007/10/no_crusade_to_cure_gays_says_o.html

I AM NOT defending McClurkin's views. Never even knew who he was until this week. McClurkin's not the issue, the issue is larger than that. How "inclusive" are we willing to be? Is excluding people worth potentially losing votes...not just for Obama but for all Democrats? Do we want to exclude, or do we want to persuade?



POLL QUESTION: Would you prefer that McClurkin types OPPOSE and vote against a pro-gay rights candidate?

[LeftCoast]

1. If we're going to shoot for the anti-gay vote, what's next? The KKK vote?

These elections are all about coalition building. I don't understand why Obama wants to build coalitions with any sort of bigots.

[calteacherguy]

4. Is someone a bigot who sincerely believes "God delievered them from homosexuality."

I'm having trouble making the leap. If a person thinks homosexuality can't be part of their personal religious faith, is that bigotry? Especially considering that they themselves are probably gay.

[DURHAM D]

8. He is not telling the truth for one thing - he is a practicing

homosexual. He just denies it to get a gig. That makes him a liar and a false witness.

He is a hypocrite and is being used to get votes from bigots.

[calteacherguy]

11. I think is confused and misguided. He might sincerely believe "God delivered him"

People can convince themselves of some pretty crazy stuff. He may really believe he will go to hell if he has sex with a man or impure thoughts. I feel sorry for him if that is the case.

[DURHAM D]

13. You need to go to bed.

You have shown this evening that you understand little about this issue. Start over tomorrow.

[LeftCoast]

14. Why are you making a special case for anti-gay bigotry?

:shrug:

[Basileus Basileon]

2. Double negative there's awkward.

So I suppose I'll say I would rather them not not support and vote for us, in general. A vote is nice wherever we can get it.

On the other hand, if giving them a platform to spread their hate is necessary to secure their vote, well...if that's the absolute only way we can get their votes, I'd rather not have them, much as I'd rather let the white-supremacist vote stay at home than give David Duke a platform.

[CreekDog]

3. wording should be easier to understand

"Would you prefer that McClurkin types OPPOSE and vote against a pro-gay rights candidate."

Your wording leads to easy confusion regarding your poll question.

[calteacherguy]

5. Duly noted. I need to get some shut-eye. nt

[CreekDog]

6. thanks and you will get more reliable results now.

:)

and i voted no. i would prefer anybody vote for a pro rights for all candidate, no matter what they believe, but i don't want to cater to those beliefs either. that's a good recipe for backfire.

[JDPriestly]

7. I would prefer that Democratic candidates avoid showcasing

individuals who side with Republicans on the phony issues that the Republicans use to manipulate the voters into voting for Republicans and not for the candidates that will best serve America.

[Guaranteed]

9. Heh....well, you're not a supporter of Sen. Clinton, either, right? nt

[sandnsea]

10. Some around here go to churches

that preach against homosexuality. I've never figured out how someone can come here and sneer down their noses at the world and then turn around and join the biggest hypocrites of all every Sunday. Weird to me.

[calteacherguy]

12. I stopped going to church when they became anti-choice rallies. nt

[murielm99]

15. Some of us who go to those churches

work openly and in an outspoken way to change those churches.

[CyberPieHole]

17. I stopped going to church when the parish priest groped me.

I told my parents (I was 10). They reported it. We never went back.

[denem]

16. McClurkin is LYING. He firmly believes in curing homosexuality

Homosexuality is an addiction:

"We do it with the drug addict! We do it with the alcoholic! So why can we not do it with those who have sexual differences? Pull them in, embrace them, love them. Give them the truth of God with the love of God and watch people's lives change. I see it happen all the time. I've got people in the church that I'm still working with who are young and old. They'll say, 'Pastor, it's been a whole month, nothing's happened!' And I tell them it's good and to not even worry about counting the days, take one day at a time. Love God, every day fall more in love with God and you'll find these things falling off of you. And that's how we do it, we do it one day at a time and increase our intimacy with Jesus Christ and we see him change our nature, realigning our passions."

http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/a_pastors_heart/9781/p1/

[cuke]

18. Stupid poll - They're dems. If they don't vote for Obama

then they vote for another Dem - one that doesn't tour with a homophobe

This has nothing to do with getting thse people to vote dem. They were already voting dem when Obama was still in school. This is about getting them to vote for Obama by using a homophobe to send the message that Obama was "one of them"

[LWolf]

19. I would prefer that democrats not invite them into the campaign.

That is a separate issue from their votes. We can hope that many people who hold different views from ours will join in the effort to depose the corrupt republican rule.

That doesn't mean we have to ask them to get on a stage and campaign with us, thus focusing attention on, and associating the campaign with, some of the worst traits in U.S. culture.