Obama and the Gospel According to McClurkin

One of the things I love about this job is what I get to learn. Those of you who know me at all know that I have a strong point of view. Usually, when I decide on a topic, I have a pretty good idea how I want the article to turn out. Since I've started doing this, however, there have been many instances where I've had my mind, and even my heart, change direction unexpectedly. This is one of them.

Barack Obama has come under fire for including anti-gay gospel singer Donnie McClurkin on his campaign tour through South Carolina. My colleague and host of The Young Turks on Air America Radio made some excellent points, from a different angle, in this article. I encourage you to read it. For a pretty thorough cataloging of McClurkin's remarks from ClayCane.net, click here.

So, I went into this expecting to revile McClurkin and chastise Obama for triangulating. Then I read this article from Ebony.

You see, Donnie McClurkin was raped, first when he was 8 years old, and again when he was 13. I'm guessing, too, that nobody intervened for young Donnie. I doubt he was afforded crisis counseling or other types of professional help. His only comfort was likely from his church.

Then, I read Donnie's comments. First, let me say I condemn them, and I will come back to that later, but it's not the kind of hateful rhetoric that I had prepared myself for. It was all pretty garden-variety stuff you'd expect to hear from anyone who takes the Bible a little too literally. He even says he doesn't believe in discriminating against gay people, but that he believes it's a sin. I'd take that from just about every Republican leader in a heartbeat.

Obama has also repudiated the remarks, and included an openly gay minister on the tour. That, plus the substance of Cenk's argument, almost buys Obama a pass from me. Here's what I wish Barack would say, but they are my words.

Donnie, I love you. You're a fellow human being, and you seem to have loving intentions. What happened to you was horrendous, I cannot even imagine what it did to you. I also know that what happened to you does not define you or nullify your ability to think for yourself. If I was a praying man, I would pray for your soul to find peace. I would also pray that your God would touch your heart and open your eyes to see the great harm you are doing. Did you know that the suicide rate among gay teenagers is four times that of heterosexual teens? By attaching shame and condemnation to gay people, you are contributing greatly to that sad statistic. Your influence is disproportionate, since your message reaches so many, and you attempt to serve as a mentor and spiritual advisor.

I hope that Donnie has a change of heart, and I hope Barack Obama is sincere in hie rebuke. Maybe at the right moment during the tour, Barack can use some of his famous oratory to change Donnie's mind, and the minds of others in the church.