Barack Obama Campaigns with "Ex-Gay" Donnie McClurkin

The 2008 election cycle cruises into a fresh round of gay-bashing. On the same weekend the Republican presidential candidates pander to the Christian Right and attempt to cast themselves as "true" social conservatives, the Barack Obama campaign announces a gospel concert tour across South Carolina to create some much needed traction. The line-up is disturbing.

Gospel acts including Mary Mary, Donnie McClurkin and Hezekiah Walker, Byron Cage and the Mighty Clouds of Joy are scheduled to appear.

"This is another example of how Barack Obama is defying conventional wisdom about how politics is done and giving new meaning to meeting people at the grassroots level," Joshua DuBois, the campaign’s religious affairs director, said in a release. "This concert tour is going to bring new people into the political process and engage people of faith in an unprecedented way."

This has already been nicknamed the "gay-bash" tour because three of the acts are on the record for rebuking the "gay lifestyle." Mary Mary, the enormously popular duo, has a large gay following but has compared gays to murderers and prostitutes. Hezekiah Walker is a minister of the Pentecostal faith, traditionally inhospitable to gays, and, heads a Brooklyn mega-church well-known for its anti-gay views. Walker was also the subject of an unfounded gay rumor that has become urban legend.

The piece de resistance: Donnie McClurkin, the famously "ex-gay" gospel singer who emerged from sexual abuse and 20 plus years of "active" homosexuality to evangelize against the gays. "What makes his otherwise inspiring story so troubling is that he is now violating young people in much the same way that he was violated," Keith Boykin pens one of the most definitive profiles of the "ex-gay" evangelist: "By teaching young people that they can pray their way out of who they are, he is essentially creating a generation of newly confused adolescents." The New York Times reports the gospel tour but does not mention McClurkin's back story—an odd omission because several of their top political reporters are gay.

McClurkin has performed for Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush—the "ex-gay" gospel singer is seen below over the shoulder of Erica and Tina Campbell of Mary Mary—and belongs to the anti-choice and anti-gay, black mega church wing of the Republican Party. He has also campaigned for the President.

Hillary Clinton is leading with black voters by more than 24 percent in South Carolina so the gospel tour has the potential to be a shot in the arm for the Obama campaign. It also has another potential: To capitalize upon the entrenched homophobia in the black church. "Bush masterfully tapped that homophobic sentiment in 2000 in part with McClurkin," Earl Ofari Hutchinson notes in the Huffington Post, describing the gospel tour as a "gay bash tour." And "even more masterfully in 2004 again with McClurkin and the top gun mega black preachers in Ohio and Florida. He tapped it so masterfully that Bush's naked pander to gay bashing with the GOP spawned anti-gay marriage initiative in Ohio" and helped him win re-election.

McClurkin and his defenders will argue he is simply a performer and there is no overt political or moral message to his appearance. Not true. By definition, gospel music is "spreading the message", and, McClurkin's revisionist ex-gay and anti-gay messaging is well-known and well-received by the black religious community. Does this mean Obama endorses the "ex-gay" movement? Probably not, he's been fairly strong on gay issues (PDF) and belongs to a progressive, pro-gay denomination. On the other hand, don't expect the senator to cancel the tour because he desperately needs black support if he is hopes to win in South Carolina. Unfortunately to make this happen, he's throwing gays under the bus that chauffeurs his gospel tour.

More BARACK OBAMA.
More RELIGION.
More POLITICS.

Obama Should Repudiate, Cancel Gay Bash Tour [HuffPo]
Donnie McClurkin Profile [Keith Boykin]
Mary Mary on Their Gay Following [Jas Cannick]
Obama's Gospel Tour [NYT]

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Comments

[Luther]

Ugh, well, I wasn't going to vote for him to begin with, and, this is just one more reason to ignore what he has to say. Mary? Those two trifling, little talent hypocrites need to put a sock in it, and as for the so called "ex gay," all I have to say is whose zooming who? Thiose urges are still there, with or without the "ex" in front of his name. This is yet another way they are skirting the real issue, these alleged Christians, that are facing the black community.

Children, ya'll can try to sing about how bad it is being gay 24/7, but, gays aren't the reason the hood is so bad, and, the emphasis needs to be on other things, like all those church going women with baby daddies and no husbands. harsh words, but, the emphasis on gay alone just blows my mind, can't find 2 black churches on a Sunday that isn't having some nitwit sweating up a storm about Sodom and Gomorrah and how its ruing the black community, weird and as sick as the white "evangelicals."

[derrick]

>>>This is yet another way they are skirting the real issue, these alleged Christians, that are facing the black community.

Great point. It's very convenmient to hang out with people who bash gays and say that you don't "endorse" what their message. The implication is that Obama is an upright Christian man who shares their values.

[greg g]

I'm disappointed in Barack. It's a wink and a nod. "I share your beliefes, my brothesr and sisters."

[Tony R]

Disappointed is an understatement.

[freeleo]

I was on the fence but now Mrs Clinton will be getting my vote.

[ATL Kid]

Freeleo, I'm with you 100 percent. If Hillary had done this, we would call the lynch mob. Why aren't the other black gay bloggers talking about this?

[Derrick from Philly]

What bothers me is that black gays (not dls or closet cases) I mean REAL GAY GAYS are the cornerstone of black church music. I can't stand church people any more, I'm sorry. I don't hate them, I just can't stand to be in the same room with them. My family has some, but I try to stay away from them--well, I mean, after I fix my plate then I get away from the buffet table and them.

[carl]

Excellent point, Derrick. That's probably wht the comments are kind of quiet on this one. Black gay men are the bedrock of these choirs and gospel groups and refuse to stop helping the church bash gays.

It's just silly to buy a Mary Mary CD or pay to see Donnie McClurkin, allow them to say these things, and then pretend it doesn't happen.

[jayden]

I was for Obama, but now Hillary gets my vote. I damn sure ain't voting for any of those republican candidates. Plus I figured Obama wouldn't win anyway. (Sorry but the truth hurts!)

[Erich H]

^^Why aren't the other black gay bloggers talking about this?

What black gay bloggers? Most want to be gossip sites or borrow stories and photos from here.

[johnny]

In a list of sad things about this story, possibly the saddest is that the Obama campaign has a "religious affairs director" in the first place.

Talk about a cushy gig.

[rob a]

It's very obvious why most black gay bloggers and are not talking about this. As Derrick from Philly said, the church queens are helping the deacons and reverends bash our people.

Silence kills.

[ralphie]

Obama is triangulating, he's trying to get the best of both worlds. Hang out with the church folk and give teh gays just enough attention to feel special. It is not working for me.

[Me]

Well, any chance he had of getting my vote just went out of the window. Old HIlls ain't looking so bad after all.

[BL]

You'd better preach, Derrick from Philly.

[Darian]

Thanks for posting this story Rod. As for all of the comments regarding other black bloggers who haven't written about this story I can only speak for myself and say that I hadn't heard about this until I read it on Rod's site this morning. Anyone who has ever visited my site is probably well aware of the disdain that I have for Donnie McClurkin and his message...just do a search and you can read for yourself.

I don't think we're being quiet on this issue. Rod just happened to write about it first. God forbid we all hop on his story now since "Most want to be gossip sites or borrow stories and photos from here". -Eric H

[Derrick from Philly]

You know, I've looked at the pictures of Klae Scott (right above this thread) for about the umphteenth time today. We ought to send Donnie pictures of Klae. Donnie will get the "spirit" all right, and a wet spot on the pants of one of his Armani suits...not to mention the silk thongs. Hell, the wet spot could be in the back of the pants...nothin' wrong with that, we're all "family".

[West Side Poz]

Erich, the comparison is a little unfair.

Bloggers can discuss whatever they want and Rod and Keith's site are the largest GBM blogs, so, it's comparing apples to oranges. True, a lot of the GBM oriented blogs do veer toward the gossip, eye candy and porn stuff .. buit isnt that the same across the gay blogosphere?

[freeleo]

Let's stay focused brothers. This is about Barack preparing to sell SGL people down the river to gain the church/conservative vote. Now that we have been made aware of this situation it's up to us to disseminate the information to all like minded people. (Thank you Rod. You are a good send.)

[Andy in Seattle]

I'm reading a lot of "I'm moving over to Hillary from Obama" talk... but what if they both end up on the Democratic ticket? And the Clintons, with all of their past triangulation and poll-watching, have been quite fast in leaving queers in a lurch, (DOMA, Dont Ask/Dont Tell/Dont Pursue). And, yes, even if Hillary has changed her mind on those issues, I don't trust that for the sake of political expediency, LGBT people will be told to siddown and shuddup to get the Democrats elected.

One of the things that had attracted me to the Obama campaign was his message of hope and inclusion, his willingness to buck the expectation and not look so calculating or expedient. This is a disappointment, and upon reading the news, I immediately fired off emails to the campaign.

I encourage all those who disagree with this misstep to let the campaign know about it, even if you plan to vote for Hillary or Edwards or whomever. If we don't flex our political muscle (by letting candidates we are here, queer, and not taking it anymore), they will continue to toss us aside without hesitation, Republican AND Democrat alike.

[Xavier Greene]

Here, here, Freeleo. The issue at hand is Barack Obama's association with an ex-gay and anti-gay revisionist. How will he respoond to that?

Andy makes good sense. We need to hold off support unti its much closer to the election.

[chris-leo]

nope. ....not having this, AT ALL..

HILLARY in 2008!!!!

[Myra]

Talk about the lesser of two evils, Clinton who is as robotic and fake with her answers on issues as Romney, and Obama, no clear message until now, and, its not a good one.

The public does not win with either. And, the turnout will probably be low, and 4 more years of the ilk of the GOP.

And, just how does one stop being gay? Mad scientist/preacher with a bible beat down? Or naked pictures of women? Sounds as silly as his believing he is "cured."

[Franklyn Smith]

I'm really liking Obama but his campaign is not disciplined. What's happening is many people who were not strong Hillary supporters are realizing that her campaign is more disciplined and stays on message.

Obama has to pick up his game.

[Aaron Coleman]

I just canceled my connected to Obama on MySpace, due to the story.
I suffered a homophobic pastor for almost 4 years, and one day, had had enough, and walked out of the choirstall, and never returned.
Just got wind of a church stage production, being done locally, where the protagonist is a church lady gone awry (ala Tyler Perry)...she's a "pimp". Lord, today!
I'm really so tired and over "the black church" in America, with all its' hypocrisy, and Donnie McClurkins, Mary Marys, and Bishop Longs(to name a few). Heaven forbid.