If you have a problem with Obama because of the Donnie whoever thing

[Colobo]

Go to www.barackobama.com, click on Blog and feel free to voice your concern, dissapointment, whatever. We don't block oppossing views- in fact, the campaign staff might address the situation if you actually have a point.

Don't be afraid. Voice your opinion where it counts.

[Ninja Jordan]

1. Donnie whoever? wtf

um ok

[Colobo]

7. I don't know who he is and I don't even plan to find out.

I don't care about Gospel singers.

[MadMaddie]

2. My letter to Michelle Obama and the Obama campaign

Hi Michelle,

I am one of the African American Gay voters who was totally in support of your husbands run for the WH.

At this point I cannot support him or you any longer due to your campaign bringing Donnie McClurkin into your staff.

I am a tax paying American and by today's standard very successful. I have been with my partner for 14 years and we are living the American dream.

Apparantly our lives are of no significance to your campaign and the future of America if we don't change our "supposed choice" or because we don't adhere to your religous beliefs. Your campain has become just like the other side: hate gays if they don't change their ways and pandering the religious zeolots.

So now I will actively campain against Obama for President.

Sincerely,
Truely dissapointed

[Cha]

3. Thanks, cause that sounds

really strange hangin' out with that donnie guy.

[incapsulated]

4. Hopefully, they will listen

He has pissed off some of his supporters big time.

Not my fight one way or the other, but it's not worth it for one gospel singer, no matter how popular.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. Very constructive suggestion

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

9. After visiting, some constructive criticism for Obama boosters

I have seen this a few times here, and saw it a few times in comments on the Obama site, offered as a defense of hanging with bigots:

"Barack is running to be President of ALL Americans"

Obama supporters would do well to avoid the line of argument that bigots are just another constituency in Obama's inclusive vision.

I doubt Obama would endorse that characterization of his goals.

[Mike Nelson]

6. Well...

Obama needs to address this, not I.

[Bitwit1234]

8. I don't think it is as much an opposition to Obama

which I do not have, as trying to show the Obama supporters, in my comments in their threads, who constantly and everlastingly on this journals bash Hillary that bashing is so so so republican. Is that what they want to be know as Obama republicans.

[AtomicKitten]

10. I suspect part of the backwash has to do with partisanship and not GLBT issues.

Mr. McClurkin has been received by both Bush I and Clinton White Houses and by Queen Oprah which pretty much puts him smack in the mainstream of entertainers. His personal pray the gay away view of the world is something I vehemently disagree with, but in the words of Noam Chomsky: "If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all."

"Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too." * Voltaire

[incapsulated]

13. None of them were running active campaigns

With the potential, under a microscope, of pissing off their supporters.

[ruggerson]

17. That was ten years before the bigot wrote his book

he wasn't active in the "ex gay" movement then.

And for many of us, this is not about partisanship at all.

Mrs. Clinton doesn't come away unscathed and unnoticed for her public associations with bigots.

This is about deep rooted homophobia and its ongoing reverberations in the democratic party.

[Solon]

18. I believe, vehemently, in free expression...

Even for Donnie McAsshole, and what you say is true, he is "mainstream" all the more reason to confront and denigrate him at every opportunity. Just because he has free expression doesn't mean we must muzzle ourselves. In addition to this, this goes far and beyond just partisanship, my best friend has been through hell because of people JUST LIKE THIS FUCKER, in addition to me having the great displeasure of sharing his first name, and having a last name that starts with the same two letters.

[Tellurian]

19. Heres another Red Flag re Donnie Mclurkin..

The Rev. Donnie McClurkin

"When he is not ministering to congregants at "Perfecting Faith" Church in a former supermarket in Freeport, N.Y., McClurkin performs, occasionally sharing the stage with music stars. McClurkin is a Pentecostal minister and a Grammy-winning gospel singer whose work has crossed over to mainstream audiences."

Gee, weren't those the words of Ann Coulter last week..."Perfecting Jews" to become perfect Christians.
Now we're into perfecting everyone with religion in the hopes of making them perfect enough to become Christians..

The Clintons NEVER hosted or shared a platform with this bigot. The only reason he was ever contacted was concerning faith based initiates period.

H5F9YGWqXAJ:www.socialpolicyandreligion.org/news/article_print.cfm%3Fid%3D2817+McClurkin+performs+for+Clinton&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us" target="_blank">http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache H5F9YGWqXAJ:www.s...

[wndycty]

11. Very good move Katz

[Evergreen Emerald]

12. "we?"

[incapsulated]

14. zOMG, paid operative!!

Could also be speaking for the bloggers, I dunno.

[Evergreen Emerald]

15. well, if she is

and is paid by the post, she must be rolling in the dough!

[incapsulated]

16. I've also been an upaid volunteer

Who worked on campaign websites.

Or maybe she was using the universal "we", lol.

[KittyWampus]

20. haven't you ever actively campaigned for someone before? Try it some time.

[Evergreen Emerald]

24. why so insulting?

I think with the hundreds of posts putting down certain candidates while pumping up others on this forum--it is nice to know if there is an agenda by certain posters.

I don't believe that hiding affiliation is a good thing. And I don't think that asking about it makes me someone who deserves your snotty comments.

[Adelante]

22. What's the problem?

Candidate sites are often online communities and supporters refer to themselves as "we"

[Evergreen Emerald]

25. I am asking--and I think it is a legitimate question

Considering the fact that this forum is bombarded with anti-certain candidate and pro-others, what she meant by "we" is a legitmate question. What is the agenda?

What is the problem in asking?

[Adelante]

27. Suspicion is what bugs me - it's like McCarthy days around here

Is use of the word "we" such an affront?

If somebody's a paid operative, they are not going to tell you, anyway, so what's the point in stirring suspicion of this DUer? It only adds to the ugliness. That's my opinion, that's my problem.

[Evergreen Emerald]

28. it certainly is your problem... And speaking of adding to the ugliness.

[Adelante]

21. Good for you, Katz

[msongs]

23. people who voice their opinion & disagree with you = "haters" nt

[Evergreen Emerald]

26. really?

agree with me or you are a hater?

[Ediacara]

29. Do YOU have a problem with it Katzenkavalier?

You write as though the people upset that Obama's hired an "ex-gay" bigot "have a problem." Are we overreacting like the Obama camp here claimed when he sucked up to apocalyptic fundies a few weeks ago?

I'd like to know how YOU feel about it. It's okay, you can change your mind. I changed my mind about Richardson during the Logo debate.

[Colobo]

32. I really don't know much about the Donnie guy to make a judgment.

Now, if Obama's wrong about having that guy sing in an event, then he's wrong.

[Ediacara]

33. He's a REPUBLICAN, an "EX-GAY," and a BIGOT

What more do you need to know?

[Colobo]

34. If he is all what you are saying

then Obama should reconsider whatever ties he might have with him.

[Ediacara]

36. Obviously he should, but what I want to know is why the hell he wasn't vetted

Or is Obama's plan "attract the 'faith community' at all costs, the rest of the country be damned"?

[Evergreen Emerald]

30. I think there is selective outrage around here

depending on who you are supporting/working for.

[Grandrose]

43. Exactly!

Thank you very much! They doth protest too much, methinks!

[Colobo]

31. First, I'm a male. Second, I'm not a paid operative

or anything of that sort. I'm a supporter of Barack Obama and a member of www.barackobama.com, and given my constant donations and support for the campaign, I feel I have the right to say "we" when I'm referring to Obama's online support community.

[Evergreen Emerald]

35. really?

There used to be a female on DU with a similar name, the ending was different. I just assumed she adjusted her name a bit. I wonder what ever happened to her. She liked cats.

Regarding your response:

1. I was not accusing, but asking.
2. Don't send me mail if you are not willing to recieve it.
3. Thanks for responding.

[dsc]

37. I tried this at 3:17 and still haven't received even one answer

[Think82]

38. disaffected with Hill and Obama? ..........

try this guy out:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3756981

[illinoisprogressive]

39. Obama, unlike some candidates, is not authoritarian. he welcomes opposing views.

[Ediacara]

40. So gays are authoritarians?

That's rich....

[jefferson_dem]

41. Inserting distasteful words in a fellow DUers mouth...

That's rich(er).

I believe the poster is saying that Obama's message board is not censored. All *views* are welcomed, including those who might express displeasure with the campaign, etc. The "authoritarian" label was a (bit hyperbolic to my tastes) reference to other campaign operations. I recall this discussion many months ago. In Hillary's original youtube video message, she disabled the comments function so nobody could reply.

[Ediacara]

42. The post was far from clear

Now that I understand the context, I think I'm going to have to side with Hillary and the "authoritarians." If people want to espouse hateful views (homophobic, virulently anti-Hillary, etc) I don't think it's my responsibility to let them express those views in my face. By "welcoming all views" Obama is a) condoning hate and b) implying that all views are equally valid.