Thoughts from Sunday's vigil - that little story we never notice

A couple of hours ago, I took part in the South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement's vigil that was held outside Columbia's Township Auditorium.

The vigil was held to voice disappointment with Senator Barack Obama aligning himself with gospel singer Donnie McClurkin through a series of concerts.

McClurkin, in the past, has claimed to have been "delivered" from homosexuality. He has also gone on record comparing gays to pedophiles.

I am pleased with what happened. We had a small but determined group who used dignity and order to get our message out. It is interesting as to the spin that may be put out by the anti-gay industry, as well as the media, about the controversy.

No matter how many times it was emphasized that none of us care about McClurkin's personal decisions regarding his orientation, folks have continued to claim that we are angry at McClurkin's belief that he is "ex-gay" rather than his statements against the lgbt community.

But I am not upset over that. I am a very cynical person about such things.

However in this controversy, there was another story that will probably not see the light of day.

A black woman who stood in line for the concert marched over to us and declared:

"God made man for woman and woman for man."

She said a couple of other things of a Biblical nature (how homosexuality is ugly in God's sight, blah blah blah), but I tuned her out. I have learned that little trick over the years.

The ironic thing is that if this vigil was held in the 1950s, the subject would be about segregation and her role would be played by a white person claiming that the "separation of the races" was Biblically mandated.

The other ironic thing was that as she went on her tirade, I recognized a few of the faces going into the concert as those belonging to gay black men I knew.

As more attendees went in, I recognized quite a few more gay black men.

And let me tell you from the start that these men were not going into this concert looking to embrace McClurkin's message of being "delivered."

These men probably went in, clapped loudly, danced in religious ecstacy . . .

and then went back home to their psychological closets.

And that puts things in perspective.

The woman who came at us preaching probably thought she was doing God's will.

But who exactly did she think she was helping?

Certainly not those gay black men who stood in line for the concert.

If anything, her words told them that they have to choose between their lgbt orientation and their ethnic identity; an vicious and harmful lie.

For every so-called religious statement coming from her mouth, I could hear closet door after closet door slamming shut.

I could see even more black gay men (many of them married) trolling down the streets in the darkness of the night looking for a physical fix because they have been bamboozled to think that a quick thrust in the dark is all they deserve as gay men.

I could see more black women assembling themselves in "down low spotter groups" and doing inane things like checking their men's underwear for blood.

And I see the HIV/AIDS rate in the African-American community going sky high.

South Carolina's lgbt community took a stand today against ignorance and lies.

However in the middle of it all, God's Word was used as a whip to beat someone down, a chain to keep someone in a place that others thought he or she should be.

And to me, that's just sad.

This woman will probably go back to her church and claim that she stood up for God; as if God was just waiting on her to save Him.

Meanwhile, the gay organist will most likely play his usual song. The gay men in the church choir will probably sing as excellently as they do every Sunday. And those other gays and lesbians who attend her church will stay in their private miseries.

From what I understand, Mr. McClurkin distorted the issue at the concert.

He claimed that the issue was one about his personal decision to be "ex-gay" and did not address his comments linking homosexuality and pedophilia.

I am not surprised. Mr. McClurkin has continuously shown himself to be a huge charlatan. Why should he change? After all, lying in the name of God is very lucrative.

As to be expected, the audience gave him a loud applause.

And these are the same people who will, in the future, scratch their heads and wonder just how HIV/AIDS has become a scourge in the black community.

I have to ask myself

How can so many of my black brothers and sisters come so far and yet still be so far behind?