WASHINGTON (AP) — A gospel singer who says God delivered him from being gay was removed from a concert lineup at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial after a request from Washington’s mayor.
The Washington Post reports singer Donnie McClurkin was scheduled to perform at the concert Saturday evening to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Several gay rights activities objected to his participation ahead of the event.
Doxie McCoy, a spokeswoman for Mayor Vincent Gray, says the Grammy-winning singer decided not perform because the purpose of the event was to bring people together.
But in a video statement, McClurkin says he was “asked not to attend” and was uninvited from the concert. McClurkin says there should be freedom of speech “as long as it’s done in love.”
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Information from: The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com
