Obama Addresses Homophobia, Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia Among Black Americans

[David Zephyr]

In her "35 years of experience" I never recall Hillary Clinton addressing white churches about homophobia. What a double standard some here have. But then, I may be wrong, perhaps Hillary will begin speaking out about "homophobia" inside white churches, too. OK, OK, I was hallucinating on that one.

Anyway, here is, once again, Barack Obama talking about the problem of homophobia to a black church. Put him on the cross if you want to continue, but you are crucifying our friend. And that is really, really sad.

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In a speech today at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.served as pastor, Barack Obama talked about the existence of institutional racism, the sensationalizing of race "by the media" and the creeping of race as an issue into the presidential campaign.

But Obama's speech will likely be remembered for his calling on the black community to do its part to fight homophobia, anti-Semitism and xenophobia.

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

And while Hillary Clinton, in her speech honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this afternoon at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, emphasized the importance of "doers of the word," Obama made a point to argue of King's instrumental role in enabling the civil rights movement, "he did it with words."

Here's Obama's speech, as prepared for delivery: http://www.observer.com/2008/obama-addresses-homophobia...

[Iceburg]

1. You have an odd way of trying to score points my friend...

...a bit unsettling. Neverthless, Obama's prepared speech stood well on its own. It's a good speech and I applaud him for it.

[terrya]

2. And yet....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4133344&mesg_id=4133344

The words you said are inspiring, Senator Obama. But I beg you...get rid of any people in your campaign who are shills for the truly emotionally damaging, abusive "ex-gay" movement. Please.

[Iceburg]

3. Ya beat me to it! :-) ..... Clean up in Aisle 3

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dbackjon]

5. No kidding. I am so pissed right now.

I also left a nasty message at that terrorist church that terrorist preaches at.

[NMMNG]

7. ....

:spray:

I said the same thing in another thread, albeit slightly less graphically. The intent was the same though.

[Chovexani]

8. Pretty much.

I haven't felt this kind of rage in a very, very long time.

It's bringing out my inner Illyria (Buffy/Angel fans know what I mean).

[terrya]

9. Same here....and he's one of my Senators.

Any respect I've had for him is now irreparably gone. There's no way he can make it up to me now. He has shown that he will insult, he will disregard, he will sell out, the GLBT community and GLBT. Democrats again and again and again. It's plainly obvious now that he values the support of homophobes and hatemongers over us.

[David Zephyr]

10. I imagine you could provide it.

What utterly creepy language you choose. Creepy.

[William769]

11. If the dildo fits...

:rofl:

[TankLV]

13. Absolutelly - I don't see how ANY gay person can support this SHIT..

AS SOON AS OBAMA TRYS TO "REACH OUT" TO RACISTS, THEN WE CAN START THIS DISCUSSION!!!!

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. I think this is fair:

>>>In her "35 years of experience" I never recall Hillary Clinton addressing white churches about homophobia. What a double standard some here have. But then, I may be wrong, perhaps Hillary will begin speaking out about "homophobia" inside white churches, too. OK, OK, I was hallucinating on that one.>>>>

Even more amazingly, she has failed ( to the best of my knowledge) to take public note of the McClurkin affair, much less join the debate. One would think that.... since her partisans ( and others who are NOT her partisans) regard this as THE defining issue for Obama... she'd find the whole thing , at the very least, worthy of comment. Yet she says nothing.

Perhaps she doesn't think it that important. Perhaps she fears being branded a a hypocrite for her own collaboration with homophobes over the years combined with her lackluster support for GLBT rights. More than likely she's focused-grouped the McClurkin thing and concluded that the shrewdest move is to say nothing but have her supporters rage against Obama in progressive venues like this.

OTOH....

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

...if this is the best Obama can do, it's not going to cut it. Lumping homophobia rhetorically with a variety of other undesireable "isms" is not speaking to the point but trying to finesse the issue at hand with symbolism. We're mostly grown-ups on this board and can tell... most of us ... when an issue is being dodged. He needs to specifically speak to the rhetoric of McClurkin, et al and explicitly reject and denounce the "ex-gay" movement, its goals, its practioners, its philosophy. The critics have a point... and not all of them are shilling for Clinton, Inc.

[TechBear_Seattle]

12. Obama addresses homophobia by borrowing the rhetoric of the ex-gay movement

For at least a decade, "ex-gay" and "reparative therapy" ministries have spoken of embracing gay men and women rather than condemning them. Because only by doing so, they say, can we be converted from our sinful, God-hating death-style and brought to the fullness of divine, God-ordained heterosexuality. :puke:

His speech would have been much more credible if he weren't quoting the chiefest opponents of the GLBTQ community.

Edited for clarity.

[adamblast]

14. I'm still on the Clinton/Obama fence...

...but I can't help note how often he's gone farther than Hillary ever seems willing to do. He's made lots of mistakes, including a few that rightly make us wonder how much he really "gets" gay equality.

I agree that including homophobia in a laundry list of bad "isms" like anti-semitism and xenophobia is not any major step, even in front of a church crowd. But it's still something Hillary will never do. Never. At least, until it's perfectly safe, the battle is already won, and it costs her nothing. If she's ever risked much for us, I haven't noticed it.

[Tyler Durden]

15. SUUUURE. I'll believe him.

When he DIRECTLY, EXACTLY, VOCALLY and EMPHATICALLY shows Donnie McClurkin and Kirbyjon Caldwell and all of there bigoted fellow travelers THE DOOR.

Preferably with the tip of a boot.