An Appeal to Support Obama Despite His "Gay Issue" Problem.

[Bonobo]

Obama is involved in some weird and heavy Black politics that white (and other folk) don't really have THAT much insight into.

I know this is the biggest issue for you and many, but I suspect other issues are important to you as well.

It seems to me, that in trying to gain the votes of a highly important sub-segment of the black population, Obama is "speaking their language" of anti-gay attitudes in a subtextual way (the whole Gospel thing). I do not deny he is doing it. It sucks. But it is not unlike, as another poster far more intelligent than me said, what Howard Dean did in speaking the coded language of the white south when he said we need to get back the confereate flag pick-up truck vote or whatever he said. Naturally it enraged many here as well because it sounded like he was capitulating to the enemy.

This is Obama's thing, though. He is not a homophobe, he is a builder of bridges. He IS a bridge. Seriously. He bridged a couple of really weird unconnected cultures! Hawaii, Indonesia! Black! Muslim! Christian! Rich! Poor! Etc. The guy has worn a lot of hats.

I think, like the bridge he is, he realizes he has to plant some pillars, for stability, into the whole riverbed. The yucky parts with slime on the bottom too! A bridge is a bridge. It can't be a one-sided bridge.

But you got to look at the man's heart if you can. Look INTO it, if you can. I really don't think he is a homphobe. I really don't.

I think he is involved in stitching together lots of disparate elements of our weird, big tent. The very thing you KNOW we have not been able to do until now. But it's happening! He is it! He could be it! Let him be it! Please.

Let him try to be it.




"Look into your heart! I'm pleading with you, look into your heart! I'm pleading with you! Look into your heart!"
(My favorite movie, "Miller's Crossing". Sorry about that.)

[NMMNG]

1. I vote "present"

[Tektonik]

71. i love you

:rofl:

[mac56]

2. Are you saying

that it's necessary to court homophobia in order to reach out to African-American voters? Or at least a sizable portion of them?

Please explain.

[Bonobo]

5. I think reading through and maybe even participating with some of the people

on this thread might help.

Read it all. Maybe we can talk about it afterwards if you are interested. It is the best way I can answer what I mean.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2730380&mesg_id=2730689

[mac56]

11. I don't see the need to read a different thread

in order to understand this one. Perhaps I'll read it later.

For now, though, I still would like an answer to my question.

[FrenchieCat]

21. I know that Obama is not a homophobe...and he is the one running.....

and certainly he never voted or thought of DOMA......

A call for full equality

by Sen. Barack Obama
Published Thursday, 08-Nov-2007 in issue 1037
Gay and Lesbian Times

Over the last several weeks, the question of GLBT equality was placed on center stage by the appearance of Donnie McClurkin at one of my campaign events. McClurkin is a talented performer and a beloved figure among many African Americans and Christians around the country. At the same time, he espouses beliefs about homosexuality that I completely reject.

The events of the last several weeks are not the occasion that I would have chosen to discuss America’s divisions on gay rights and my own deep commitment to GLBT equality. Now that the issue is before us, however, I do not intend to run away from it. These events have provided an important opportunity for us to confront a difficult fact: There are good, decent, moral people in this country who do not yet embrace their gay brothers and sisters as full members of our shared community.

We will not secure full equality for all GLBT Americans until we learn how to address that deep disagreement and move beyond it. To achieve that goal, we must state our beliefs boldly, bring the message of equality to audiences that have not yet accepted it, and listen to what those audiences have to say in return.

For my entire career in public life, I have brought the message of GLBT equality to skeptical audiences as well as friendly ones. No other leading candidate in the race for the Presidency has demonstrated the same commitment to the principle of full equality. I support the full and unqualified repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples. I will also fight to repeal the U.S. military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, a law that should never have been passed, and my Defense Department will work with top military leaders to implement that repeal.
http://www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=10906

Openly gay Latino mayor endorses Barack Obama
http://blabbeando.blogspot.com/2008/01/openly-gay-latino-mayor-to-endorse.html



Obama is best for gay rights

After more than a year of campaigning in the most wide-open primaries in decades, it’s finally time for voters to pick a president. On the Democratic side, the three hopefuls with a viable shot at the nomination have all signed on to almost every item on the so-called “gay agenda.”

That includes workplace rights and hate crime protection for gay and transgender Americans, repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and opposition to a constitutional amendment banning gays from marrying.

The differences that do exist come on the politically dicey issue of legal recognition for our relationships. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards all support repealing the provision of the infamous “Defense of Marriage Act” that blocks federal recognition of marriage licenses issued to gay couples. But only Obama and Edwards support full repeal of DOMA, including the provision that says each state can choose to ignore gay marriages from other states.

Hillary Clinton won’t go that far and has stopped short of criticizing her husband for signing DOMA and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” into law. She and Obama have also declined to sponsor the Uniting American Families Act, which would extend to gay Americans the right to sponsor a non-American partner for citizenship. Then again, Edwards didn’t sign on to UAFA’s predecessor legislation during his Senate tenure, and all three say they support the idea of equal immigration rights in principle.

More: http://citizenchris.typepad.com/citizenchris/2008/01/obama-is-best-o.html

[mac56]

29. I realize you're not the original poster.

My question, still unanswered, is to him or her.

Is it necessary to court homophobia (e.g., reap the benefit from homophobic public speakers) in order to reach out to a sizable portion of African-American voters?

Put another way, can Sen. Obama have it both ways? The text you quoted from Obama says he believes "McClurkin is a talented performer and a beloved figure among many African Americans and Christians around the country."

But, Obama continues, "he espouses beliefs about homosexuality that I completely reject."

Then, Senator, why involve him in your campaign? Are you less concerned about who you may alienate by use of this "beloved figure among many African Americans and Christians"?

[Bonobo]

33. I am sorry. I will gladly answer tomorrow. It's too late at 2:30 for me...

[mac56]

36. Don't bother.

See below.

[FrenchieCat]

41. Uniting means just that......

if you exclude those who believe in most of the democratic tenants except for this or that thing, they have no where to turn but to the Republicans. If they are in, they can be exposed to something different than what they believe. If they are shunned, they will work with the opposite party to destroy Democratic tenants in general.

I believe that many Hispanics are also not as tolerant to Gays....just like Black folks (it is mainly the older folk and the issue of religiosity). If you start to shut out every group unless they totally agree with a 100% of everything, there will be no Democrats left.

I know that Obama does not condone Homophobia, and considering that he went to a Black church today and did make sure to mention that the Black community is not as tolerant as it should be. I think that he is working it from both angles. There are many Closeted gays in the Black ministry, and Obama knows it (in fact, I know a few). I believe that he is working on that whole situation.

For most of this country's history, we in the African-American community have been at the receiving end of man's inhumanity to man. And all of us understand intimately the insidious role that race still sometimes plays – on the job, in the schools, in our health care system, and in our criminal justice system.

And yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that none of our hands are entirely clean. If we're honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that our own community has not always been true to King's vision of a beloved community.

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

Every day, our politics fuels and exploits this kind of division across all races and regions; across gender and party. It is played out on television. It is sensationalized by the media. And last week, it even crept into the campaign for President, with charges and counter-charges that served to obscure the issues instead of illuminating the critical choices we face as a nation.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/rospars/CGxG9#comments

[Bonobo]

22. Not all answers are simple.

If reading another thread to gain insight is too much work for you
, you are not really that interested in the answer, I think.

[mac56]

34. Or perhaps you've realized you're trying to defend the indefensible.

I asked you a question about your original post.

You attempted to "bait-and-switch" me to another thread, then insulted my sincerity and genuine interest.

You, my friend, don't represent your candidate very well at all.

In any case, I have no further interest in your point of view.

[Bonobo]

45. Fine.

If it helps at all, you have equally helped me to realize that whoever is sitting at the computer with that name "mac56" is someone that I would not be able to, nor would I wish to attempt to bother to communicate with again.

[Colobo]

3. Obama is the best candidate in both Dem and Rep fields.

[ClericJohnPreston]

64. I thought he was

a Republican....especially watching him reach out to the Republican voters.:puke:

[Maven]

4. No, this is going too far.

This is nothing like the Dean situation. Dean wasn't saying we should appeal to racists by putting a racist front and center. Obama's campaign is using prominent homophobes to attract votes from homophobes. This is dog whistle politics, and it stinks.

The question is, who ultimately has his ear? Who will he be accountable to, and when it comes time to take a stand, whom will he choose? At the end of the day it really doesn't matter if deep down he is personally not a bigot; if you hold the door open for bigots, you cannot disclaim responsibility for their bigotry.

You can't stitch homophobia and gay rights into the same tent. The idea that you can is at best a fallacy and worst an expedient lie.

[Bonobo]

10. Many people who now understand the issues better were once homophobes.

They need to stay in the tent with us until they can be taught, right?

Older folk, older black folk, maybe a lot of them have a hard time with accepting gay people. You must know a lot of people that were reflexively and even angrily anti-gay that learned the better way when someone they loved SHOWED them the way. Right?

Can you not see this like that? As far as the end results, I mean?

[Maven]

23. This isn't group therapy.

This is an election. This is about getting votes.

Merely electing Obama doesn't mean that those people will become more receptive to equal rights for GLBT people. (Particularly if their votes are obtained at least in part by appealing to homophobia!) Just because we vote for the same man doesn't mean there will be any more dialogue between us than there currently is. Notwithstanding Obama's "post-partisan," political escapist philosophy, at the end of the day there's a reckoning - quid pro quo. People give support and they expect action in kind. And what I see clearly is that Obama wants to say he supports GLBTs while giving priority to homophobes. There's your end result.

[Bonobo]

25. Agreed. I didn't mean THIS process would teach them or even that Obama would.

Just that, even if they don't get it now, or even if they NEVER get it, they are not necessarily "evil", just ignorant.

Many of them may even have good balancing qualities. Many will get it someday, many will not.

Maybe your own mother or father or cousin or sister or brother were homophobes. It doesn't mean they will always be homophobes.

But if you can't get their vote, you can't get elected. And then, you can't do nothing about nothing as they say.

[Maven]

30. Evil or ignorant, it really doesn't matter.

What matters is that Caldwell is an agent of mental anguish for GLBT youth and hate perpetrated on GLBTs generally. Using someone like him as a campaigner is simply unacceptable. And it's unnecessary to win.

[Bonobo]

32. Nice sharing thoughts with you.

Thank you for sharing fairly. I am off to bed. It's 2:30 am.

Good night. Let us always try to communicate as PEOPLE with each other. I will gladly reciprocate.

[sandnsea]

6. What coded language

Please post the coded homophobic language that Obama is using.

[Bonobo]

12. He has others speak it for him. You know who.

[sandnsea]

17. No I don't.

Obama does not tolerate homophobia or hatred of any kind and speaks against it on a regular basis. He's the only candidate who goes into churches and challenges them on their intolerance and gay bashing.

[cloudythescribbler]

67. sandnsea -- I'm afraid you're being reasonable in the face of an agenda-driven swarm ....

[oasis]

7. "I don't wanna be the kind of politician that tells you what you want to hear...."

Mr. "Tell it like it is" ran that teevee ad.

[Bonobo]

13. And he does.

[oasis]

26. But in this case he's got to use "coded language".

Mmmmkay.:eyes:

[Bonobo]

27. Sorry if complexity is an "issue" for you.

You don't have to participate, you know.

[sandnsea]

19. And went into Martin Luther King Jr's church

and spoke against homophobia in the black church community.

[ruggerson]

8. This is the most sensible post I've read on the subject from an Obama supporter

You acknowledge what he's doing and you ask for us to ignore it with the faith that if elected, he will push hard for our agenda.

I don't know if I agree with Obama's strategy, and I don't know how much trust I have in him yet, but it's refreshing to have someone honestly lay out, with no bullshit, what is obvious to so many of us.

[Bonobo]

14. Thank you. Please keep an open mind!

[ruggerson]

66. I still have an open mind

about voting for Obama should he win the nomination.

But at this stage of the game, he's going to have to denounce these tactics - they are no longer under the radar screen.

You cannot appear on national television calling for the black church to embrace gays and lesbians at the same time your campaign is co ordinating plans with a Reverend who spiritually and emotionally abuses gay teenagers.

Too much political cynicism - too much cognitive dissonance.

[AGirl]

9. is he like really open minded?

Sometimes people are so open minded they will entertain all perspective and consider everyone’s opinion as legitimate even if its homophobic, I don’t know if Obama is such a person. Do I think he’s a bigot? No. Would he be so open minded that he would entertain racist ideas? No.

Do i think he would always stand up for GLBT rights? No. And Neither will Clinton. I am finding it more and more so that they are both extreamly similar.

[Bonobo]

16. You can only go with your gut!

I'm following mine as we speak.

[AGirl]

18. You might be right

But I am afraid its not so much about being pro gay rights or not, its just about politicians doing what they do best, compromise their ways out of an electoral victory.

[CyberPieHole]

15. Obama is a "bridge" alright. The proverbial "BRIDGE TO NOWHERE."

Sorry but no sale. Why would we allow him to pander to bigots just because they are black and he is "speaking the language of anti~gay attitudes"? Come on, what about Huckabee wanting to change the US Constitution to reflect the bible? That ok with you as well? Please re~read your own post...it is beyond belief.

[Bonobo]

20. I don't think my post should offend you.

I tried hard to be honest and sensitive.

It should not be "beyond belief". I read it many, many times in the writing of it.

If you think that Huckabee changing the Constitution is ok with me, you are too dumb to talk to. If you used that phrase as a rhetorical flourish, you are too crude to talk to.

[CyberPieHole]

28. If you think that Obama's "language of anti-gay attitudes" is a "bridge" between Gays and bigots...

YOU are NOT worth replying to.


*reaches for the iggy button*

[Bonobo]

31. That will save me the trouble. Please put me on ignore.

I don't really want to correspond with you or see your posts answering mine.

Thanks.

[FrenchieCat]

24. How would someone supporting a candidate who was associated with someone

who gave us DOMA and who doesn't want to repeal it?

[AtomicKitten]

35. I think this issue is more complex than people realize.

Obama is involved in some weird and heavy Black politics that white (and other folk) don't really have THAT much insight into.

I actually had it explained to me and I still don't really understand it. There is something very different going on here than most here seem to grasp, but they are busy with torches and pitchforks so probably wouldn't be interested in entertaining the possibility of a different reality.

On edit: A correction. Obama has a consistent and strong pro-LGBT record and always has. I think you are mistaken in your bio info on him.

[Maven]

37. Black gay commentators like Keith Boykin have denounced Obama's use of McClurkin

The idea that we should turn a blind eye to Obama's exploitation of homophobia because it's a feature of black politics we don't understand is both insulting to AAs and just a general copout.

[Bonobo]

46. Forget it.

Clearly I am a dismissive asshat.
I am sorry I wasted so much time and thought yesterday to the matter.

[Radical Activist]

38. Bullshit. Obama has never spoken "anti-gay langauge."

He has always been perfectly clear that he stands against bigotry and he has an excellent legislative record standing up for gay rights.
The guilt by association games are ridiculous. Obama has always been consistent in what he has said in favor of equal rights.

[FrenchieCat]

42. He is even taking his message to the Black churches.......of all places!

Part of his speech today at King's church

For most of this country's history, we in the African-American community have been at the receiving end of man's inhumanity to man. And all of us understand intimately the insidious role that race still sometimes plays – on the job, in the schools, in our health care system, and in our criminal justice system.

And yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that none of our hands are entirely clean. If we're honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that our own community has not always been true to King's vision of a beloved community.

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

Every day, our politics fuels and exploits this kind of division across all races and regions; across gender and party. It is played out on television. It is sensationalized by the media. And last week, it even crept into the campaign for President, with charges and counter-charges that served to obscure the issues instead of illuminating the critical choices we face as a nation.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/rospars/CGxG9#comments

[Bluebear]

39. Southern racists are a highly important sub-segment of the white population

So, you would understand if a white politician had to do a little groundwork and "bridge building" by quoting out-of-context Biblical passages that black people are a result of the curse of Ham. It can't be a one-sided bridge, you know, to reach these people we have to speak their language. Maybe when we get their votes, hopefully win the nomination, then we can go back to try to undo some damage, go ahead and maybe forsake these bigots, unless we owe TOO much to them if they really turn out for us, well, then, you know.

[mac56]

40. perfect response

Thank you.

[Bonobo]

47. Yes, one sentence responses are usually the most thoughtful and insightful ones.

[Bluebear]

60. One sentence response?? Did you bother to read the body of my post?

[Egnever]

43. Appreciate the post but Obama has never spoken against gays

Quite the opposite and he doesn't speak in gospel tone supporting bigotry either. I wish you wouldn't further that meme.

Hell today in martin luther kings church in front of a largely black congregation he said this.


For most of this country’s history, we in the African-American community have been at the receiving end of man’s inhumanity to man. And all of us understand intimately the insidious role that race still sometimes plays – on the job, in the schools, in our health care system, and in our criminal justice system.

And yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that none of our hands are entirely clean. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll acknowledge that our own community has not always been true to King’s vision of a beloved community.

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

Every day, our politics fuels and exploits this kind of division across all races and regions; across gender and party. It is played out on television. It is sensationalized by the media. And last week, it even crept into the campaign for President, with charges and counter-charges that served to obscure the issues instead of illuminating the critical choices we face as a nation.

The mclurkin thing is exactly what he is talking about. The politics of division. The people on here are playing it like a finely tuned fiddle. Its easy to buy into.

[Name removed]

44. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[William769]

48. Not in this fucking life time!

[hiaasenrocks]

49. He isn't a homophobe because there is no such thing.

If people would stop and think what that word is, they'd know, but it's an easy label to apply, so words and definitions and logic have no place in hysterical name-calling political rants. Therefore, "homophobe" will continue to be used.

I will not wait for everyone to admit this, though.

[hulklogan]

50. Next you're going to tell us that there's no such thing as racism, right?

:wtf:

I don't think Senator Obama is a homophobe but he sure seems to enjoy their company.

[hiaasenrocks]

53. Why would I do that? The word "racism" makes sense.

The word "homophobe" does not. Think about the word.

It's a quick and easy label, but it doesn't mean what the label-makers wish it did.

[terrya]

51. No. A flat out no from me.

Enough is goddamned enough. I'm not some goddamned punching bag to battered by Obama over and over and over and over again. It's plainly obvious that while Obama says the nice little things about "gay brothers and sisters", he's willing to sell us out again and again.

No more. No more.

[Bonobo]

52. Understood.

Thanks for not calling me an asshat.

[cloudythescribbler]

54. What you have is a chorus of protestation, twisting around the episode w/McClurkin into claiming ...

Obama or his campaign somehow SELECTED McClurkin BECAUSE he was anti-gay, rather than simply letting him perform/mc after the issue had been raised (the issue was first raised 5 days before the event after it had been advertised etc). One may question his judgment but the suggestion of pandering is simply tendentious. And, as in the Tawana Brawley case (or for that matter, those who claim that the match between the nails in the bomb and in the house in the Bari case was necessarily irrelevant), the choruses of those towing a dubious line is enormous. The constant repetition is BECAUSE of and not IN SPITE of the lack of sincerity driving it. (Yes, the people pushing it SINCERELY believe in something -- namely using this episode as a stick to beat Obama, and to pursue other agendae. THAT they believe in)

And by creating an enormous chorus, a number of sincere individuals, who have observed and/or experienced the vicious anti-gay persecution and discrimination that goes on in this society today, can be drawn into lending it credence. (It's pretty hard to find ANYONE on the left willing to ask about the nail issue with Judi Bari in any serious way, or willing to tell it like it is about the Tawana Brawley case any way you slice it).

[hulklogan]

55. It doesn't matter why Obama chose McClurkin to perform at the event, both options are telling

If he chose McClurkin because of his anti-gay views, then Senator Obama is a cynical panderer. If he chose McClurkin in spite of his anti-gay views, Obama shows that he doesn't really care about GLBT Americans.

Hiring McClurkin was the wrong decision, no matter what language is used to attack it or defend it.

[cloudythescribbler]

57. What if his CAMPAIGN "chose" McClurkin -- popular gospel singer -- & LATER found out he was ...

unacceptable to gay activist groups like the Human Rights Campaign. Although one might doubt his handling of the affair, it is different from the way it is AUTOMATICALLY portrayed by swarms of Obama bashers on DU.

[hulklogan]

63. McClurkin's anti-gay views are no secret

So one can only assume that the Obama campaign knew exactly who he was. Choosing him in spite of his views doesn't necessarily mean that they meant to do harm, but it does mean at the very least that they didn't care about the harm the ex-gay movement does to the GLBT community.

[cloudythescribbler]

68. In an ADVOCATE interview (cited somewhere on DU) Obama said that those who made the invitation ...

had not 'vetted' McClurkin's background. Remember that Thomas Eagleton's mental health history (whether relevant or not is another question) was indeed "well known" in MO, where he was a senator, but was NOT known to McGovern until after he was picked.

You cannot assume absolute knowledge and hindsight in the actions of a sprawling national campaign -- even as you might be outraged that they weren't more careful. The notion of 'vetting' singers and performers to the same degree as spokespersons is one that could EASILY be overlooked.

Human Rights Campaign, according to the tsunami of discussion of this issue at DU (which I have seen to any similar degree NOWHERE else) informed Obama of the problem FIVE DAYS before McClurkin's appearance. Some say that by not DITCHING McClurkin, Obama chose evangelicals over gays, an approach I find not only wrong, and politically unrealistic, but in many ways morally reprehensible. Reasonable persons might differ as to what Obama SHOULD have done, or how he should treat endorsements from people like Caldwell, but this kind of second-link 'guilt by association' is unprincipled as well as unpragmatic.

Again, in the mountains of stuff I have seen, many have ASSUMED that Obama was pandering to the "anti-gay vote" but I see NO SIGN whatsoever of that in the facts, at least those presented. Obama spoke very frankly (or so it seems to me) about what happened in the ADVOCATE.

[redqueen]

56. Who do you really support? (nt)

[yardwork]

58. It's not a "gay issue." It's a human rights issue. No sale.

[jaybeat]

59. Some bridges should not be built

I would not support a candidate who felt the need to "build a bridge" to the white supremacist community.

I would not support a candidate who felt the need to "build a bridge" to *any* religious community who felt that their religious beliefs should guide government policy, or that those beliefs are valid arguments in any public policy debate. See creationism, prayer in schools, banning books that encourage acceptance of GLBT people, Ten Commandments in public buildings, etc.

I would not support a candidate who felt the need to "build a bridge" to those who feel that government should be used as a tool to further enrich and empower the already rich and powerful, or that the private sector can always or almost always do something better than the public sector.

I would not support a candidate who felt the need to "build a bridge" to those who believe that climate change is not primarily human-caused, that we do not and should not make massive changes in how we live and in the greenhouse gases we emit.

I would not support a candidate who felt the need to "build a bridge" to those who feel that we must sacrifice civil liberties and persecute certain ethnic groups to protect ourselves from "terrorism."

I would not support a candidate who felt the need to "build a bridge" to those who feel the solution to the problem of illegal immigration is to build walls at our borders and deport everyone who does not have legal documentation.

I would not support a candidate who felt the need to "build a bridge" to those who feel that the US should maintain a substantial combat-capable military presence in Iraq for years or decades, or believes that it is acceptable policy for the US to preemptively invade any country that it feels might pose a threat to the US or our allies.

JUST because everyone is so TESTY these days, I am NOT saying, necessarily, that Obama wants to build ANY of these bridges.

What I am saying is that some bridges should not be built, in my opinion, and if Obama does in fact feel the need to "build a bridge" to those in the African-American (or any other) community who believe that GLBT people can and should be "cured," then I will not support him, and I don't think anyone else should, either.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

61. Then if he does it again he'll just "squirt a few more"?

:)

[ClericJohnPreston]

62. I'm not buying.

What you're selling, like Obama, "ON FAITH".

By the way, Bernie Burnbaum gets shot by Tom Reagan at the end. So much for false entreaties, huh?

[bicentennial_baby]

65. I'm all set...

I have no use for HomophObama... :puke:

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

69. The Miller's Crossing reference is dead on.

Look what happened after John Turturro made that appeal to examination of ones' heart.

He did the same stuff again!

We heard all this "ignore what is in front of your eyes" stuff with McClurkin, and like Gabriel Byrne, some of us are not so disposed to make the same mistake twice.

[Chovexani]

70. This is too much.

For some of us the "Gay Issue" is not an issue, it means our very lives.

Obama can kiss my black ass. You guys can't spin your way out of this one, I'm sorry.

[FreeState]

72. You could not pay me to vote for Obama in the primaries n.t