Barack Obama needs to fire his entire staff and start again.
Rumor has it the presidential candidate’s incompetent staffers rejected at least two popular black gay ministers in favor of their current cracker, Andy Sidden. Via Rod 2.0:
Several sources inside and outside the campaign confirm the names of TWO openly gay black pastors suggested by the National Black Justice Coalition and the Human Rights Campaign were rejected in favor of Rev. Sidden. Those names are: Bishop Yvette Flunder, an outstanding pastor and orator from San Francisco and Bishop Tonyia Rawls of Unity Fellowship in North Carolina.
In addition, Bishop Carlton Pearson of Oklahoma, whose inclusive ministry welcomes the LGBT community, was also rejected. A campaign source says Rev. Michael Eric Dyson, the so-called hip-hop intellectual, reportedly volunteered and was also rejected. Dyson is a prominent Obama supporter and very popular in hip-hop and with youth.
Apparently Obama wanted someone “local”.
Black bloggers are infuriated by Obama’s choice, including Keith Boykin, who says,
I don’t know if the Obama campaign realizes this, but inviting a white gay pastor to speak at a black gospel concert is not a smart move. Whoever is advising Obama really needs to reach out to people in the black community and re-think this whole approach.
Rod of Rod 2.0 says Obama’s decision perpetuates stereotypes of anti-gay black people.
How about we take this to the next level?
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On a somewhat related note, Obama disinvited his personal pastor from his presidential announcement. Why? Because his campaign feared pissing off white people and Jews.
praenomenal
Wait, hu, am I missing something? Diversity does still mean all people not JUST minorities right? What did he do that was so wrong? I was not pleased that he included McClurkin, but isnt there a point where we say, well he is trying really hard?
Matt
I guess the idea is that a gay black minister would have driven home more clearly the idea that homosexuality is not a “white thing” that the black community can go on pretending doesn’t exist in itself. That would have been a politically riskier but braver choice. I agree, though, praenomenal: sometimes the definition of “diversity” can get a little narrowfied.
hisurfer
What’s strange here is that Obama has the most multi-cultural background of any US politician since Alexander Hamilton, and yet his campaign seems to be stumbling the most on issues of race and gender.
And I’m rapidly losing faith in him. This whole Jesus for Obama (or whatever the gospel theme is) turns me off immensely. It smells fake to me.
Rt. Rev. Dr. RES
I have no doubt that Mr. Obama believes that he is a devout Christian. Again I repeat that I do not understand his choice of the United Church of Christ for his communicant membership.
Mr. Obama’s name, his father and stepfather’s observant Muslim faith, and his mother’s cultural Christianity, made him vulnerable for many unfair political attacks from both colleagues and foes.
The centrist and pragmatist has no passionate ideology. Liberals are passionate ideologies and their passion when translated into product serves all mankind. The conservative is the worshipper of dead radicals.
The pragmatist believes that all views are merely subjective and there compromise is always possible. The Corporate Fascists believe in the implementation of their New World Order and they own all significant political parties and politicians. They own them, they own them outright. One false move and the MSM makes them political toast worthy of ridicule or disgust.
Mr. Obama believes that the sin of homophobia is venial and not mortal in nature. He believes that not only lions can lay down with lambs, but that lamb stew makes very good Purina Lion Chow.
Rt. Rev. Dr. RES
erratum….liberals are passionate ideologues….but you knew that LOL
SeaFlood
hisurfer,
I wonder if it could be because he is aware of a much bigger playing field than he imagined? And, I believe some flaws in his thinking are showing up — like him being pro-gay “as white”. I will not lie, I am not so sure he is making a mistake. Quiet as it is kept, there are many B/black people who would prefer to think of homosexuality being providence of whiteness.
I recall many years ago when I lead a roundtable discussion about homosexuality in B/black communities. The (white) BGLA planted a gay white boy who had the “appropriate” “gay agenda” in my discussion. That was where I learned that there’s a natural barrier between B/black gay people talking, not only to other B/black gay people or people of color in general, but that the idea of “gay = white” was not only in the minds of gay white people.
In the end, my table was split.
Rt. Rev. Dr. RES
hisurfer – Maybe the series NOAH’S ARK on LOGO might somewhat balance those thoughts a bit?
I can understand why once emasculated black males, historically speaking, who were put out to stud and “bred for bigness” would someday, after true emancipation, worry about anything that would again reduce them to beta male.
I also believe that there is a socio-economic and higher education factor in this and other populations. The more the educational level, the more aware and informed someone is about the options that exist.
God
Mr. Obama is the devil in an armani suit! He’s no different then the other political hags in Washington, save his lack of experience, and he’s proving this daily. The sadder part of it he’s going to be elected only because of his race not his qualifications.