The tide may be shifting in favor of full equality for gay and lesbian Americans but that still hasn't stopped the opposition from standing in the way of progress. One such organization is the New Jersey based National Organization for Marriage (NOM) currently on a nationwide tour to promote "traditional marriage" between "one man and one woman".
The previous stops have been plagued with low attendance and cries of (false) attacks by gay marriage proponents. Dr. Alveda King, niece of civil rights icon Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has agreed to speak during the Atlanta stop on the tour scheduled for August 7, 2010 at the state capitol.
But it looks as if NOM is saving the coup de grace for the last stop on their hate tour with a special performance by Grammy winning gospel star Karen Clark Sheard. Yep, you read right.
Sheard is known for her amazing vocal ability and multi-octave range. A former member of the gospel group The Clark Sisters, Sheard and her siblings are often credited for blending the sound of popular music with gospel, most notably on the 80's hit "You Brought The Sunshine". Sheard's brand of gospel music along with her daughter's, gospel sensation Kiera Sheard is no stranger to gays and lesbians and can be frequently heard inside gay clubs.
If there was any doubt regarding where Sheard stood on LGBT rights, despite being apart of an industry and a religious denomination overflowing with gay and lesbian people, her upcoming performance in support of stripping a segment of the American population of their civil rights will deliver a strong answer.
It never fails that large (mostly white) anti-gay organizations will always find a person of color to help promote their agenda, and because so many of us think we've already overcome and our rights as African-Americans won't be up for popular vote next we take the bait. Karen Clark Sheard's participation in NOM's hate rally...and that's exactly what it is no matter how they try to disguise it... is a disgrace!
Karen you don't have to agree with gay marriage simply don't have one. You can cite your religious beliefs as reason why you disagree with marriage equality, but your religious beliefs should in no way dictate the laws in a secular society that will create two classes of people, those who have full equality and protections under the law and those who do not.
It's a sad day when a voice that has the power to heal and unite people is being used as a weapon of mass destruction, but of course in the most loving hypocritically Christian way possible. Love the sinner but hate the sin, right?
Sheard is scheduled to perform on August 15, 2010 at 2PM on the Capitol Steps in Washington, DC.
Update: NOM is no longer advertising Karen Clark Sheard's appearance. NOM's website now only lists Deitrick Haddon for August 15.
12 Comments:
A gospel singer that does not support same-sex marriage. This is surprising.
August 06, 2010 7:51 PM
Well at least it wasn't Dorinda lol. But a shame nonetheless. I'm suprised Ms. Donnie isn't singing backup.
August 06, 2010 9:18 PM
It looks like you have great admiration for her, which, given her vocal abilities, is quite understandable.
I love your blog, but I don't understand why, here, you are making this about color. Maybe I read this wrong, but I was under the impression that you depicted her as an innocent voice being used by the evil whites when really, this is only about hypocritical christians (which you also mentioned); a group she made a conscious choice to be part of.
Also, if she's going to perform for an anti-gay group, why promote her performance? I'm a bit confused...
August 07, 2010 11:33 AM
I'm sure Dorinda doesn't think one bit differently. lol They are all Mattie Moss Clark's daughters.
August 07, 2010 1:49 PM
...and the craziness is...if mattie moss wasn't an archetypal dyke...who is?
August 07, 2010 6:58 PM
"...and the craziness is...if mattie moss wasn't an archetypal dyke...who is?"
Rosie O'Donnell? Since Dr. Mattie Moss Clark certainly was not.
August 07, 2010 11:58 PM
this is impressive
August 08, 2010 10:23 PM
GLAD TO SEE YOU ARE BLOGGING AGAIN!
August 10, 2010 3:33 PM
I think that all of us should throw a big boycott of the Karen Clark Sheard...She know that her music is a big part of gay community as well as the D.L/discreet gay community. But for her to do is is a low blow to her career and us. So therefore we should all stop buying and downloading her music.
August 10, 2010 8:09 PM
well looks like u folks can stop being in an uproar... KCS is no longer apart of the line up, she has been replaced by deitrick & damita haddon. so please stop bashing karen, thanks
August 10, 2010 10:29 PM
LOL @ Anonymous. Wait. We, the ones who have been spending our hard earned dollars on her and her sisters merchandise for YEARS, were bashing her???? Wasn't she the one participating in a hate-based rally against US who have given her CASH? There's something ass-backwards about your thought process.
August 11, 2010 1:52 PM
Did she back out? And if so, was it because she just didn't know they were rabidly anti-gay kooks when she first accepted the gig?
Or did they replace her for some other reason?
I'm just tryna find out why she agreed in the first place, and then why did it not happen?
September 02, 2010 12:51 PM
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