We call on Senator Barack Obama to reject cordially, but in the clearest language the recent endorsement that his campaign has received from Kirbyjon Caldwell, pastor of the Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Texas. Mr. Caldwell is a proponent of "Metanoia Ministries" – a dangerous program that claims to convert gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people to heterosexuality within a so-called Christian framework.
UPDATE - In the past 24 hours, Caldwell and/or Windsor Village have removed the Metanoia link. Hmmmmm.
Let us be absolutely blunt here. The misnamed "conversion therapy" is nothing short of torture. Residential programs such as the discredited "Love in Action" center in Tennessee are, in actuality, concentration camps for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex youth. Although various programs differ, they include "treatments" ranging from isolation, antipsychotic drugs, aversion regimens, to electroshock. Not surprisingly, people going through such programs have extremely high suicide rates, especially young people.
Sometimes you cannot be Solomonic and cut the baby in half. Sometimes a person must choose between two mutually exclusive options. To accept Mr. Caldwell’s endorsement not only makes a mockery of fundamental human rights for Queer people, it gives tacit endorsement to violence again them. Would you, Senator Obama, or any other politician accept the endorsement of a person who advocates violence against Jews or African Americans?
The choice may be awkward because of views towards gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex people within the African American evangelical community as you referenced during the Donnie McClurkin gospel tour; however, the right choice should be crystal clear. A statement to the effect that all people are free to endorse whomever they wish is an equivocation. On this issue, you simply cannot have it both ways.
Today is a national holiday celebrating the work and struggle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to achieve civil rights for ALL people. Senator Obama, we call on you to reject Mr. Caldwell’s endorsement.