Among the great advice my father gave me as a child -- besides never buy tires at full price -- was that the only thing lower than a car dealer is a used car dealer, and car dealers are scum of the earth. To paraphrase -- the only thing worse than a bigot is a black bigot... And to take it a step further would be to include a black bigot who drapes himself in the cloth and hates in the name of the Lord. And, yet, there is Donnie McClurkin who's planning an SRO three day stand with the brother who would be president, Barack Obama. A lot of folks are calling McClurkin anti gay or a gay hater or a straight out homophobe 'cause he says that he's in a "war" against homosexuality, and homosexuality is a choice and gays can be fixed. A lot like, I'm sure, Ann Coulter would tell you Jews can be perfected -- and while we're on the subject of the absurd, the Patriots can be beaten because their passing offense really can be stopped. Anyway... With Obama coming under fire for including a hate monger in his Compassion and Unity tour, McClurkin shot back at all the anti-hata haters and said that his comments were taken out of context. A lot like, I'm sure, Bill O'Reilly will tell you his comments are often taken out of context. McClurkin feeling that gays can be perfected does not come from nowhere. According to McClurkin, as a child he was raped by a male family member, which so affected him, he "became" a gay man for some 20 years before religion helped "straighten" him. I want to stress very, very emphatically that a young person being molested by ANYONE is beyond humorless. It is sick and depraved. But as far as McClurkin becoming gay as a result, then later having ministry cure him, well... A lot like, I'm sure, Ted Haggard would tell you a little church can cure you of the need to have your gay masseuse sell you a little meth. According to a piece in the Chicago Trib, McClurkin now says he is straight and that his ministry is open to those who say they no longer want to live as a gay person. What he doesn't do, he says, is crusade against homosexuality. And for the record, my house is open to all people who no longer want to be redheads. If you're a redhead, then get the F out! But I'm certainly not crusading against redheads. And this is the guy Obama's gonna share a stage with? In an official statement Obama has said that he "strongly disagrees" with Reverend McClurkin's views, yet he still intends to share a stage with him. But, Barack, you can't say you strongly disagree with the head of the Klan, then invite him on stage just 'cause he knows his way around a Johnny Cash song (no disrespect to the late Johnny Cash or his family, just the first singer who popped into my head).
Advertisement