Twisting and Turning in the name of Truth

The Gospel According to Obama, Part 2

Embracing The Change, the Obama presidential campaign Gospel concert concluded earlier this week with dualing viewpoints from opponents and supporters of, featured Grammy Award winning singer, Donnie McClurkin(pictured).The entertainer who has been the center of controversy and much debate surrounding his expressions on homosexuality was kept on the bill despite calls for his exclusion from the program. McClurkin made his observations about the situation at the conclusion of his set. Stating the following:

"They accuse me of being anti-gay and a bigot," McClurkin said. "We don't believe in discrimination. We don't believe in hatred, and if you do you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's the whole premise of God. That's the whole premise of Christ is love, love, love. But there is a side of Christ that deals in judgment, and all sin is against God."

In a previous post, I pointed out that Mr. McClurkin has the right, if we still embrace free speech, to make his assertion that his "cure" experience is his own and only his. He is not the first individual to make the case that his faith or religious connections has been instrumental in making a change in his life. Personally, I don't take much stock in his pronouncement that sexual orientation is by choice. On the other hand, I've heard too many stories of angst and turmoil from a variety of folks who have had to deal with this dilemma across the board. Futhermore, I've witnessed the aftermath of those who deny their authentic selves by conforming to parameters that many times lead to drug abuse, strained family dynamics, alcohol abuse, self medicating, low self esteem and in extreme cases, sucide. There are a many statistics, studies and experts that concur these scenarios are pivitol tipping points in the coming out process. I said then and I stand firm on the position that his absolution from gayness whether steeped in statements that are deemed homophobic shouldn't deter voters from the big picture of the presidential campaign. Along with most Americans, I'm concerned with living wage issues, universal healthcare, national infrastructure and immigration policies to just name a few. If Mr. M worked out his issues, then find. I prefer to stay issue focused and without a doubt on point!

Singing for our Supper: The Center for Artistic Revolution will present the fundraiser "Say it Loud! Sing it Loud!" at Vinos, 923 W. 7th, 6 p.m. The evening will feature area artist(as of post time) including Will Dunn, Mr. & MS. DSRA, The Mob Kings, DYSC, and many more. Admission is on a sliding scale, $6.00 - $12.00 Here's the go to info:
Center for Artistic Revolution, CAR
P.O. Box 2300 N. Little Rock, AR 72114
(501) 244-9690
ArtChangesU2@sbcglobal.net






Eighty Cents on the Dollar: I hope by now you've heard the KUAR program, Yesterday, Today,Tomorrow on Homosexuality with locals offering their opinions ranging from coming out to gay spending habits. It was cited that most gays maintain disposable cash reserves of at least "80 cents on the dollar." However researchers, New Dimensions and the Asterix Group has compiled data that doesn't support this claim and finds that it's a cultural urban myth purpertated by media sources. I found the report fascinating reading and ripe with curious observations that dispel many perceptions about people of color in the GLBTQ mix and other thought provoking notions. It 's quite lengthy but worth a look over for your FYI. It can be found at: http://www.asterixgroup.com/



Circiling the Waggons: Here a poll, there a poll, everywhere there's a poll on something and the polling has begun on the Arkansas Adoption ballot issue coming next year. The results cite a slim majority of Arkansans - 53 percent - favor laws that would prohibit gays and lesbians from adopting or serving as foster parents, per a poll conducted by University of Arkansas researchers show. The university's Survey Research Center conducted the Annual Arkansas Poll by randomly surveying 754 adult Arkansans by telephone Oct. 7-18, and the poll's margin of error is 3.5 percentage points. The poll found that 53 percent of Arkansans favor laws that would prohibit foster parenting by gays and lesbians, and the same percentage favor laws that would prohibit adoption by gays and lesbians. Forty-two percent of respondents said they opposed such laws. The remaining 5 percent either did not know or refused to answer. Wire services quote proponents as being optismistic. "This is good news for our effort," said Jerry Cox, executive director of the Family Council. The conservative Christian group is seeking to place an initiated act on the 2008 general election ballot that would prohibit unmarried couples from adopting or serving as foster parents in Arkansas. The approved proposal is worded differently from the poll questions - it would apply to all unmarried couples regardless of sexual orientation - but Cox said in a News Bureau story written by John Lyon that the poll results bode well for the proposal's chances. He noted that in last year's poll, which contained different questions, 66 percent of respondents said they personally disapproved of gays and lesbians serving as foster parents but only 46 percent said they favored a law to ban gays and lesbians from being foster parents."It appears public support for our initiated act is growing," Cox said. Janine Parry, associate professor of political science at the University of Arkansas and director of the poll, questioned how good the news really is for the Family Council."I would think that when you start out on something like that, in terms of your own resources and what it is that you're going to have to mobilize, you'd probably want to see something other than such a tight split," Parry said. In response to other poll questions:-16 percent said gay couple should be allowed to legally marry.-27 percent said gay couples should be allowed to form civil unions or domestic partnerships but not legally marry.-51 percent said there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple's relationship. In 2004, Arkansas voters approved by a 3-1 margin a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. I'm always a bit leery about polls and their apparent results. But overall they have there usefulness and don't appear to be going away any time soon. Well if you can't beat em, then you join them. See our poll question in the sidebar to voice your opinion. If you would like to see the actual poll numbers and supportive info, here's the link:
http://www3.uark.edu/arkpoll/2007/2007%20Arkansas%20Poll.htm

WORLD AIDS DAY, DECEMBER 1, 2007

WHAT WILL YOU DO TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS??