McClurkin Lights a Fire

Keith Riddle is the president of the newly formed Stonewall Democrats chapter here in Charleston, the only in the state. Folks here had been working to get the chapter up for about 2 years, according to Riddle. That is, until Donnie McClurkin, an anti-gay ex-gay, took center stage on Sen. Obama's gospel tour aimed at wooing African-American religious folks. Once McClurkin's views on gays and lesbians came to light, the Obama campaign chose to keep him on the tour rather than removing him. (Obama maintained in an interview with The Advocate, that McClurkin wasn't thoroughly vetted.)

The McClurkin incident blew up in October 2007, incensing the LGBT community across the state. On Dec. 13, Stonewall had their first official meeting here in SC. "McClurkin really got things going," says Riddle. "For both gay Republicans and Democrats. I have encountered members of the gay community who were never really interested in politics that are just passionate about it this time." (Just FYI, the deep South has a history of sweeping 'unpleasantries' under the rug. A common M.O. here in SC regarding being gay is what people refer to as "don't ask, don't tell." To some extent, that appears to be changing. And full disclosure, I lived in SC for 6 years, so I am working with some perspective.)

At the Stonewall meeting, representatives from Obama's campaign said they knew they had made a mistake (reps from Hillary's campaign were present too). Still, Riddle says McClurkin comes up in "every conversation" he has with other gay folks about politics. "Obama never really apologized for that. I do believe that sometimes, it's time to move on," says Riddle. "But people just don't move on that quickly."

In Monday's debate, Riddle, who is a Hillary supporter but also likes Obama, says he hopes to see Obama address "how he's going to encourage the African American church and communities to embrace the gay and lesbian community." Riddle is still trying to get a ticket to the debate in Myrtle Beach. "I was expecting that one of the campaigns would reach out to GLBT leaders to make sure they would be at the debates," he says. "But that hasn't happened."

Stonewall is holding a debate primary viewing party on Jan. 26th at a local joint here in Charleston (Vickery's) where Riddle expects about 100 to 150 people.