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Obama addresses homophobia, anti-Semitism and xenophobia in MLK Ebenezer Baptist Church speech

by: Pam Spaulding

Sun Jan 20, 2008 at 17:18:11 PM EST


[UPDATE: Here is the video of the speech.]

Today Barack Obama zeroed in on equal opportunity bigotry -- and why everyone should strive to not only elevate the political discourse, but to be honest about the base instincts, words and deeds that divide, not unite.

He delivered this message at the house of worship where Dr. Martin Luther King preached, Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. It was a pointed statement to black parishioners in the pews -- people well-aware of racial politics being played in this political cycle -- but who are also are part of a faith community that has long had a blind spot toward other oppressed groups. He did not hold back:

For most of this country's history, we in the African-American community have been at the receiving end of man's inhumanity to man.  And all of us understand intimately the insidious role that race still sometimes plays - on the job, in the schools, in our health care system, and in our criminal justice system.

And yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that none of our hands are entirely clean.  If we're honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that our own community has not always been true to King's vision of a beloved community.

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

Every day, our politics fuels and exploits this kind of division across all races and regions; across gender and party.  It is played out on television.  It is sensationalized by the media.  And last week, it even crept into the campaign for President, with charges and counter-charges that served to obscure the issues instead of illuminating the critical choices we face as a nation.  

These words are so necessary, but you can best believe he is the only candidate delivering speeches in honor of Dr. King who is willing to say it directly to members of the black community. This topic has always been a perceived as a third rail topic for the other leading Dem candidates, Clinton or Edwards   -- they are, like many whites, particularly if they see themselves as allies, dread being seen as pointing out the evils and hypocrisy of such bigotry in the black faith community, even as wrong and tragic as it is on its face.

I am of two minds of this -- I am grateful that Barack Obama, whose campaign has needed to atone for the triangulation strategy of courting blacks by tossing gays under the bus with the appearance of homophobic "ex-gay" advocate Donnie McClurkin at a gospel concert. He has made public statements distancing himself from this flap and reiterated support for LGBT equality (sans full marriage equality, of course, something none of the top tier have supported).

However, I am disheartened by the burden Obama has been saddled with, as a person of color, to be the sole party delivering today's message. Addressing bigotry in any community that has suffered oppression at the hands of the majority can, and must be done, particularly in a year where we have both a woman and a black man with a credible chance of winning the nomination and making it to the White House.

That we cannot discuss the matter of homophobia or anti-Semitism in the black community bluntly is everyone's problem. This burden and legacy of fomenting bigotry out of fear and ignorance is borne by all of us. If no one takes responsibility, we all fail. And we're failing -- look at how easily gender bias and racial overtones have surfaced over and over in the campaign so far. It's almost reflexive to "go there," the toxicity and effectiveness of stirring those sentiments has been part of the political process by both parties for so long that they are addicted to it.

In fact, I'm sure that the GOP is concerned about the prospect of how far it can go in attacking Obama if he is the nominee, in terms of hitting the third rail too overtly. Similarly, I have no doubt, for instance, if Clinton is the nominee, that while they may wonder how far they can go in dropping the misogyny card. However, the fact that she is a reviled Clinton only adds to her problems in the general election. If anyone can unite the GOP's tattered and frustrated voters, she can.

I have no doubt the baiting will continue, but it doesn't mean that we cannot keep pointing bias out when it raises its ugly head in any community. Sunshine is the best disinfectant. Obama:

So let us say that on this day of all days, each of us carries with us the task of changing our hearts and minds.  The division, the stereotypes, the scape-goating, the ease with which we blame our plight on others - all of this distracts us from the common challenges we face - war and poverty; injustice and inequality.  We can no longer afford to build ourselves up by tearing someone else down.  We can no longer afford to traffic in lies or fear or hate.  It is the poison that we must purge from our politics; the wall that we must tear down before the hour grows too late.  

Because if Dr. King could love his jailor; if he could call on the faithful who once sat where you do to forgive those who set dogs and fire hoses upon them, then surely we can look past what divides us in our time, and bind up our wounds, and erase the empathy deficit that exists in our hearts.

***

Clinton, btw, picked up the endorsement of another pastor in the political black-go-to crowd today, Reverend Dr. Calvin Butts of Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church.

In endorsing Clinton, Butts read a long statement emphasizing his strong relationship with Clinton and his high regard for her experience. ("I, too, join countless Americans in a collective desire for change, and I do so with a vital recognition that change and experience are not mutually exclusive," Butts said.)

...Earlier, in a speech from the altar, Butts seemed to echo a key Clinton criticism of her opponent, that Obama's talent for inspirational speech was not enough to qualify him for president. ("You don't just say, 'save the hospital,'" Butts said. "You've got to work with senators and assembly persons, Chairs of Ways and Means. You've got to put this thing together in such a way because we live in the United States of America. One brother said that if you don't understand that, then maybe you need to live somewhere else.").

Related:

* SC: Black minister serves up a civil equality challenge to Obama
* Yes, this Kerry Swift Boater has no problem 'going there' [on Obama]
* Time to trot out the black surrogates for dirty work
* Filing the edges off of racism
* Andrew Cuomo: 'You Can't Shuck And Jive' at a press conf
* Deb Price on the Obama/McClurkin debacle
* How to blow your campaign, Obama-style
* McClurkin hangs tough at Obama concert

Pam Spaulding :: Obama addresses homophobia, anti-Semitism and xenophobia in MLK Ebenezer Baptist Church speech
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I'm not sure how to approach this
However, I am disheartened by the burden Obama has been saddled with, as a person of color, to be the sole party delivering today's message. Addressing bigotry in any community that has suffered oppression at the hands of the majority can, and must be done, particularly in a year where we have both a woman and a black man with a credible chance of winning the nomination and making it to the White House.

I think, as a white liberal, I'd find it very difficult to come to a black church and tell people of color how they should be behaving with respect to oppression.  I just feel like, haven't white people been telling people of color how they should be behaving for a really long time now?  Is that really my place?

I'm not saying that white candidates should speak out against homophobia.  They most certainly should.  I just don't know how I feel about them coming into a black community and lecturing them on how they should behave.  On the surface, of course you're right-- Edwards, Obama and Clinton should all be doing this, and doing it directly.  And as someone who's not a fan of Obama, I'm very impressed by his words on this topic.

I guess I'm not sure how to approach this.  Your words make logical sense, and from a common sense level, I agree that anyone expressing bigotry has every need to get a solid talking to, but I question how white politicians can address this without being accused of racism.  I question how whites can talk to blacks about bigotry without coming across as patronizing.

Or maybe, as a white liberal, I'm just full of crap, trying to justify my own inaction with respect to this sort of thing.  

I'm only a click away.


but step back and think
I think, as a white liberal, I'd find it very difficult to come to a black church and tell people of color how they should be behaving with respect to oppression.  I just feel like, haven't white people been telling people of color how they should be behaving for a really long time now?  Is that really my place?

Pols and people often speak to audiences and deliver messages they don't want to hear -- men about sexism, pro-choicers about "pro-life" positions, blue collar workers about jobs that aren't coming back, or similar to the above situation, even white audiences about tolerance regarding homosexuality.

I'm not placing all of the burden of the problem on the white pols; as I've said many times on the blog, the black defensiveness (and charges of racism) that occurs in some quarters whenever there is criticism directed at it also shuts down the conversation, and thus the genesis of the third rail of race.

As we've seen, being tagged with the label of "racist" is so inflammatory in today's society (even though all of us are steeped in the legacy of this country's problems with race), that the avoidance of the topic has resulted in denial and aversion that you just don't see in other hot button topics.

That you don't see Clinton or Edwards addressing it reflects the above complexities that cannot easily be undone. My observation about Obama's "burden" is that he alone bears it, but most folks will presume it is his alone to carry because it is too uncomfortable to contemplate diving into the toxic, emotionally charged topic.


[ Parent ]
Thanks for this discussion,
Pam and Julie.  I keep coming back to this blog because of the civilized and heartfelt tone of the discussions.

As for black homophobia, there are many many whites who are virulently homophobic to a far worse extent, and many more hate crimes against gays have been perpetrated by whites.  The reason it pains some of us that black folk can feel the same way, especially those sweet mamas who go to church on Sunday all decked up and seem so delightful, is that many of us have spent our lives marching for racial equality and immigrant rights, and we have a hard time 'being repaid' like that.

Obama's burden is a complicated issue as you all point out, but it is not just that only blacks can scold blacks, but also that he was the one to hold hands with Donnie McClurkin, so it makes sense that we were all eagerly awaiting for him to say something.  Let's hope this goes over well and he can continue to send this message and become a true ally.  If he does I might vote for him on Super Tuesday after all.


[ Parent ]
I thought I had stepped back and thought, but...
As we've seen, being tagged with the label of "racist" is so inflammatory in today's society (even though all of us are steeped in the legacy of this country's problems with race), that the avoidance of the topic has resulted in denial and aversion that you just don't see in other hot button topics.

[nods].

I've been accused of being racist on more than one occasion partially because of this issue itself.  It took me some time to get used to that accusation, but once I realized what it really meant -- that I'm making people uncomfortable and their response is to make an accusation rather than address the topic -- I stopped worrying so much about it.  I've found that it tends to leave people dumstruck when I don't take the bait and try to defend myself when someone accuses me of racism.  Instead I say something along the lines of "I'm sure that I, like everyone, has some racism that affects my viewpoints, but I haven't seen you articulate how it might be affecting my viewpoint on this specific issue.  Perhaps instead of just using the term to apply to me you could help me understand why you think I've said something that's racist so I can learn from it."  The simplicity and utter lack of defensiveness of that response tends to be a bit confounding  at first but tends to lead to more useful discussions.

But, unfortunately, I don't see any politicians today who are capable of rendering such a response, or who wouldn't be actively attacked for it.  We don't leave ourselves room for open discussion but instead focus on accusations and attacks.  I'm not saying that racism isn't serious, but that instead we've created the environment where we can't seem to distinguish between capital R racism ("we don't want black people coming in and devaluing our property") vs. small r racism ("I just don't understand why so many blacks have trouble holding down jobs!").  They're both bigotry but one is out of hostility and intent and the other is based on ignorance.  

That you don't see Clinton or Edwards addressing it reflects the above complexities that cannot easily be undone. My observation about Obama's "burden" is that he alone bears it, but most folks will presume it is his alone to carry because it is too uncomfortable to contemplate diving into the toxic, emotionally charged topic.

You're right.  It's something I wish Edwards would do more of, but I think he's a product of some of the similar reservations that I expressed earlier.  And yet I still have trouble picturing how he could deliver that message without coming across as a condescending jerk.  

I'm only a click away.


[ Parent ]
Bravo...Bravo....
   I applaud you...very well said, very well indeed.

I'd rather be a lion for one day, than a sheep for my entire life.


[ Parent ]
Glad he's taking-on the "burden" in such a way to clearly show where he stands...
My observation about Obama's "burden" is that he alone bears it, but most folks will presume it is his alone to carry because it is too uncomfortable to contemplate diving into the toxic, emotionally charged topic.

I don't really think that it's about whether they'd be willing to take-on the issue, I think it's whether they think the audience would be willing to hear them and accept the message since everyone of them BUT Obama are outsiders to the community in question.

I may be completely wrong, but I'd expect that if Edwards or Clinton came into a black church and delivered the same speech that Obama gave, I honestly believe the majority of the listeners would've immediately taken offense. Whereas with Obama delivering the message, at least the criticism seems to be coming from one of their own. And I believe that's why Obama's the only one of the three who COULD shoulder the "burden" without completely ailenating the very people they're trying to get support from.

It's WAY too easy to dismiss a message you percieve as critical if it's coming from someone who you perceive as an outsider, AND it's human nature to resent said outsider for even DARING to be critical of your community. And I'm sure Clinton and Edwards know this.  


[ Parent ]
one problem...
Google and you'll find plenty of commentary (by traditional civil rights leaders) about whether Obama is truly "black enough" because of his biracial background and lack of political and historical ties to the civil rights movement.

He has been deemed an outsider by that crowd, and I'm sure many others who haven't spoken. The assumption that skin color alone gives him credibility and means he shoulders the burden with risk attached. He can still alienate people who question whether he is "one of them." As we know, in the socially conservative religious black community, there is the ridiculous belief that being gay is a "white man's perversion." Obama's heritage and influences outside of the traditional black American experience can be pointed to as "corruption" of his moral base when it comes to tolerance and acceptance of LGBTs.

Our country is so f*cked up about these issues.


[ Parent ]
Outsiders
Do you think it's also partially because he didn't grow up entirely in this country?  We do seem to have a fear of foreigners and even though he's not one, his background may influence how people perceive him.

I'm only a click away.

[ Parent ]
Generation gap?
Pam, you may have hit it on the head. Obama is too young to have been a Civil Rights Hero(Tm), and has not been groomed by one of the Heros(Tm). There has to be a bit of jealousy and turf-guarding there.

[ Parent ]
i have a suggestion
other candidates should address whoever they consider their 'people' in the same manner as obama just did the ebenezer congregation.  the crowd need not be black, but can be.  has edwards similarily addressed any trial lawyers association or any gathering of unemployed mill workers?  how about hillary at the diner w/the gals?  what women doesn't know repression?  clinton can point to the commonalities amongst women and other oppressed groups and push for some 'do onto others' thought and action.  obama is on the right track with this speech.  others can easily follow suit w/out difficulty if the will is there.

Lurleen on Twitter

[ Parent ]
Good Suggestion
Hillary certainly could / should speak with women supporters about racism / homophobia / xenophobia , etc.  Great suggestion.  On the other hand, I as a gay-white-male am well positioned to chat with my buddies about racism and especially sexism in the gay community.  It's about time, wouldn't you say?

I do not support Obama, but I am REAL impressed with this speech of his on MLK weekend.  Real impressed.  He is uniquely posed to deliver this message, this weekend, this year to the African Americans of the USA.  I am impressed that he decided to do so.

The fight for full LGBT Equality is NOT over.  Be strong and be ready to really fight!  And read my blog in your spare time! http://ravenhurst-ravenhurst.b...


romney
just wondering whether romney (who claims to have wept for joy when blackw were allowed into the lds church) will try to mitigate his daddy-marched-with-mlk lies with a heartfelt address tomorrow to america and our need admit our bigot legacy so that we can move forward together.  any wagers on public expressions of his commitment to brotherhood and the 14th amendment?  ;)

Lurleen on Twitter

" THE FUTURE IS OBAMA"
The old civil rights guard that's supporting Hillary are the one's trying to maintain power. Some 40 years later they all talk about the chance Dr. King gave them, but who is in line behind them,  and who are they giving a chance to.It's not that Hillary has the experience, because what office has she held outside of New York. So does that mean that pillow talk politics counts as experience or is Obama running against Bill's record. Otherwise where is her 35 years of experience coming from. So in the end the democrats will see " THE FUTURE IS OBAMA"

responding to the quotes
I admit, I don['t know about the racist thing...but that quote from Obama, "We have scorned our gay brothers and sisters instead of embracing them", what? Is that supposed to make me believe Obama thinks my 25 yr relationship is equal to hetero ones??? I don';t think so.  The guy gives good speeches.  Actions speak louder than words...he does not think GLBT citizens are anything but second class citizens.

This speech was the voice of truth
His speech today in Atlanta proves that Obama unlike Clinton and Edwards is able to say what needs to be said aloud and a true uniter of America.  His speech is very true about the homophobia in the black community.  I try to fight it everyday with informing other blacks of their ignorance about homosexuality/bisexuality.  

The one thing that this election is that is showing the true colors of many in the Democratic party.  That many within the very party are very much line-in step supporters of certain candidates for no reason other than name rather than track record.  Also it shows how many within the party have huge prejustice and ignorance of certain people: black, white, gay, bisexual, and straight.  


How so?
The one thing that this election is that is showing the true colors of many in the Democratic party.  That many within the very party are very much line-in step supporters of certain candidates for no reason other than name rather than track record.

I see no evidence of this whatsoever.  I don't know anyone who's supporting Clinton just because of her name.  I do know people who are supporting her because she's the first woman running who's perceived as viable in the national election.

Also it shows how many within the party have huge prejustice and ignorance of certain people: black, white, gay, bisexual, and straight.

Really?  How many would that be, exactly?

I'm not saying that these things don't exist, but I've no idea whatsoever how many numbers are involved.  I'm also wondering how you come to your numbers.

I'm only a click away.


[ Parent ]
Shorter...
...Obama was really quite brave in pointing out black hypocrisy in regards oppression.  Quite correct: it's almost an "I've got mine and to hell with the rest of you."

Since my first choice (Richardson) withdrew from the race, it almost is enough to get me to cast a vote for Obama in the MA primary.


Rev. Butts
Someone should ask him if he thinks Obama was hanging out at Harold's Chicken Shack when he was down on the South Side of Chicago or if he was doing civil rights work. Thinking about the answer to that question might clear up his confusion about talk being put into action and who has the ability to do it.  

A Good Speech
I'm really pleased to see Mr. Obama finally standing up for a segment of his following that I truly believe he let down a few months ago with his use of Donnie McClurkin in his campaign. I agree with eveything he said in his speech and feel glad that he finally said it. It was brave of him to do so.

I had already decided to vote for another candidate (don't worry, it will be a democrat) in the primary and will still vote that way. The main reason I have chosen not to vote for Mr. Obama was because of the Donnie McClurkin mess. I've always thought that actions speak louder than words, and that action was a bad one for me. It made me question Mr. Obama's real agenda. It still bothers me.

That being said, I'm glad that he has spoken up because, no matter what, I will be voting democrat in the presidential elections. If Mr. Obama gets the nomination, I can feel a little easier voting for him in November.


Props for the speech, but....

That speech is encouraging.  It prompted me to go to Senator Obama's website for the first time ever to see what, if anything, he had to say about our sorts of people.  I chose the drop down menu, "Issues," but among the twenty listed, didn't see anything about teh L's, G's, B's, or T's, so I clicked on "Civil Rights" and also "Families."  Nope.  Nothing there either.  Maybe I didn't look hard enough?  I'd heard somewhere that we had a "special" section.

Oh well, do candidate websites really matter all that much?  Props for the speech, though.


i've done the same thing.
that is, looking for 'lgbt' in the civil rights or family issues section.  but no.  you have to go to the 'people' section to find mention of lgbt anything.  this to me says that obama doesn't take to heart king's words about an injustice to anyone is an injustice to everyone.  more like - whom does he have to nominally pander to to not get serious vocal opposition from lgbts and allies.

Lurleen on Twitter

[ Parent ]
Agreed...
Wow, one whole sentence with the word "gay" in it.

[ Parent ]
Ah, now I see.

Thanks for the hookup.  We're under People, not Issues.  Even so, perhaps we're just not his kind of peeps. Or maybe he has issues with our issues.

And my FireFox browser keeps crashing after I've puttered around his site for a while.  Perhaps his staff has rigged some gaydar there.


[ Parent ]
Obama Is A Gifted Orator
and I think he deserves a lot of credit for challenging homophobia (and anti-Semitism) among some African Americans. And I think it was important that he addressed gay rights as part of a speech about Dr. King's legacy. After all, Bush and the right have often turned to certain African American leaders to spew that gay rights are not part of  civil rights. It was also important that Obama gave the speech in the South, a region where I think he needed to demonstrate a surer voice in support of gay rights after the McLurkin debacle. That said, it is my fervent hope that Senator/candidate/someday President Obama would take the advice of orator Obama more to heart. As Karen in California points out, it is difficult for Obama to say he is fully "embracing" his gay and lesbian brothers and sisters when he would deny us a basic human right that he himself treasures and when he refuses to acknowledge that laws barring our right to marry offend the U.S Constitution.

yep
...see my comment directly above.

[ Parent ]
Obama's speech
A great speech, by someone who still has more of a great future ahead of him. The oratory, however, somewhat belies his actions. He speaks of including gays in the community of man, but his stance on gay marriage clearly indicates he'll only let them partially in the house.  He's still basing his position on the traditional concept of marriage, when it should be clear to him by now that this is a nontraditional issue, and that the sanctity of marriage is not threatened when a nontraditional couple engages in it, and that traditions often change over time, and the world still goes on.  

Actions not matching his words.
He embraced another bay-bashing minister's support recently.

Also, no white could have given his speech in a predominately black congregation. Too much history of anglo-whites condescendingly lecturing to various races and ethnicities about need to change and what was good for them throughout the last century and a half for anyone to swallow such a lecture from anyone but Obama

I tell you Chica that no greater abomination exists than women denying their spirit of sisterhood and instead becoming the oppressor. -Rebeca, Universidad Complutense de Madrid


[ Parent ]
Obama on homophobia
Actions Do speak louder than words.  After I found out about the Gospel tour in South Carolina I have been e-mailing student groups around the country.  Admittedly I found out late, my Progressive Magazine with an article by Gray and Perks, came the day of the Iowa caucus.  I sent out numerous e-mails to every group I could think of in New Hampshire and continue to do so around the country.  I also use the term "thrown under the bus" in relation to the gay-baiting tactic.  One question might be is why have none of the talking heads on CNN or MSNBC bring this issue up. They vilify Hillary Clinton every day and never attack Barack Obama on any issue.  It's almost as if he is beyond attack.  Now that Obama has secured the majority of the African-American vote he lectures the African-American community on homophobia. Such galling hypocrisy should not go unnoticed or unreported.

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