Are "The Gays" Obama's Sister Souljah?

It's hard to believe that such a smooth campaign could suddenly be so staggeringly incompetent, so it is hard not to wonder if the McCloset flap was actually carefully choreographed as a way for Obama to demonstrate to the fundamentalists whose support he has so carefully cultivated that he is one Democrat who will not abide "the curse of homosexuality."

On the other hand, it could just be that he and his handlers really don't get it.

What say you?

Le sigh.

Most straight people do not "get it" simply because they are generally on the periphery of GBLT people's lives. They don't get that people like McCloset perpetuate a worldview that is outright hostile to GBLT people's existence. They have no clue how damaging such a view actually is.

I don't think it was a mistake. I think it was intentional. He is courting religious voters. The "heathen and the wicked" be damned!:shrug:

That is bullshit and you know it.

If he truly was giving the finger to the gay community as you suggest by saying "he is one Democrat who will not abide 'the curse of homosexuality.'"

Why would he?

1) Condemn McClurkin's words

2) Add an openly gay minister

3) Do an interview with the Advocate

4) Participate in the gay and lesbian candidate forum

The Obama campaign fucked up but you are manufacturing additional reasons to hate him. He does not think homosexuality is a curse and you know it.

He lied about this. We were told repeatedly this was one singer singing some songs. Now we hear he was the MC. That doesn't exactly scream respect.

ABC News reports that Obama (via video) said McClurkin and the other homophobic performers were among his favorite inspirational talents.

He whispered sweet nothings in our ear while slapping us in the face.

. . .can you really say with a straight face that Obama believes its a curse. That is a yes/no question. No need to for nuance, its a yes/no question. Do you believe that Obama believes Obama is a curse. Yes or no?

but I do wonder to what extent he will tell his base what it is they don't wish to hear in this regard. Will he fight for us.

I don't hate him. In fact, at one time I found his candidacy exciting and looked forward to the prospect of voting for him.

So what do you think we are seeing here? Incompetence or Clintonian triangulating?

. . .the Obama campaign was wrong, I cannot scream that loud enough, but that does not excuse you making up bullshit accusations what so ever.

I asked if that were the message he sought to convey to the fundamentalists he's been sucking up on all these months. Hell, the only thing left for him to do is speak in tongues on the 700 Club. Perhaps that's coming next week.

It probably is a mistake, though. This past week at DU has amply demonstrated that many straights, no matter how they preen themselves on how wonderfully progressive they are, don't have the first clue when it comes to our lives.

I see this as one more in a series of missteps.

I'm not sure that there was any anti-gay agenda at all, but I am sure it was an effort to gain fundie votes.

I'm beginning to think that we ARE Obama's "Sister Souljah". I'm beginning to think that the Obama campaign is courting the evangelicals, who are hostile to the GLBT community. And I'm beginning to think that Obama and his campaign have decided that the votes of the religious evangelicals are more important than those of the GLBT community.

If someone wants to disabuse me of that thinking, beyond quoting the link from the Advocate interview, please do so. But judging from this sorry episode, this is the only conclusion I can come up with.

even to hear his supporters here, the notion seems to be, "obama's not behoLden to the extremists." :puke:

I'm one of Senator Obama's constituents. I voted for him in his Senate race. I support him. I still do.

But as a gay man...this does hurt. If anyone thinks being thrown under the bus...being disrespected like this...is "trivial"...well, try being the recipient of that kind of disrespect sometime. And this isn't just some "fucked up mistake". Some of the heteros on here just will never understand that. And that's sad.

If someone "fucks up", and they offend an entire community, they should apologize. And well...not only was McClurkin NOT dropped from the event last night, apparently he was the MC of said event. A lot has been made of Obama repudiating McClurkin's views. And yet McClurkin was the host of this thing. That's a peculiar way of repudiating someone.

I just don't know how else to explain it. This kind of disregard, this kind of blatant dispect for GLBT people and their lives...by ANY candidate, particularly candidates who say they are for GLBT equality...it is inexcusable.

It's been years since a Democratic presidential candidate treated us this way.