Tags : None

image

No-on-8's white bias

The right to marry does nothing to address the problems faced by both black gays and black straights.


By Jasmyne A.
Cannick
November 8, 2008

http://www. latimes. com/news/opinion/la-oe-cannick8-2008nov08,0,3295255. story

I am a perfect example of why the fight against Proposition 8, which amends the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage, failed to win black support.


I am black. I am a political activist who cares deeply about social justice issues. I am a lesbian. This year, I canvassed the streets of South Los Angeles and Compton, knocking on doors, talking politics to passers-by and working as I never had before to ensure a large voter turnout among African Americans. But even I wasn't inspired to encourage black people to vote against the proposition.


Why? Because I don't see why the right to marry should be a priority for me or other black people. Gay marriage? Please. At a time when blacks are still more likely than whites to be pulled over for no reason, more likely to be unemployed than whites, more likely to live at or below the poverty line, I was too busy trying to get black people registered to vote, period; I wasn't about to focus my attention on what couldn't help but feel like a secondary issue.


The first problem with Proposition 8 was the issue of marriage itself. The white gay community never successfully communicated to blacks why it should matter to us above everything else -- not just to me as a lesbian but to blacks generally. The way I see it, the white gay community is banging its head against the glass ceiling of a room called equality, believing that a breakthrough on marriage will bestow on it parity with heterosexuals. But the right to marry does nothing to address the problems faced by both black gays and black straights.
Does someone who is homeless or suffering from HIV but has no healthcare, or newly out of prison and unemployed, really benefit from the right to marry someone of the same sex?

Maybe white gays could afford to be singularly focused, raising millions of dollars to fight for the luxury of same-sex marriage. But blacks were walking the streets of the projects and reaching out to small businesses, gang members, convicted felons and the spectrum of an entire community to ensure that we all were able to vote.


Second is the issue of civil rights. White gays often wonder aloud why blacks, of all people, won't support their civil rights. There is a real misunderstanding by the white gay community about the term. Proponents of gay marriage fling it around as if it is a one-size-fits-all catchphrase for issues of fairness.


But the black civil rights movement was essentially born out of and driven by the black church; social justice and religion are inextricably intertwined in the black community. To many blacks, civil rights are grounded in Christianity -- not something separate and apart from religion but synonymous with it. To the extent that the issue of gay marriage seemed to be pitted against the church, it was going to be a losing battle in my community.


Then there was the poorly conceived campaign strategy. Opponents of Proposition 8 relied on an outdated civil rights model, engaging the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People to help win black support on the issue of gay marriage. This happened despite the warnings of black lesbians and gays that it wouldn't work. While the NAACP definitely should have been included in the strategy, it shouldn't have been the only group. Putting nearly a quarter of a million dollars into an outdated civil rights group that has very little influence on the black vote -- at least when it comes to gay issues -- will never work.


Likewise, holding the occasional town-hall meeting in Leimert Park -- the one part of the black community where they now feel safe thanks to gentrification -- to tell black people how to vote on something gay isn't effective outreach either.


There's nothing a white gay person can tell me when it comes to how I as a black lesbian should talk to my community about this issue. If and when I choose to, I know how to say what needs to be said. Many black gays just haven't been convinced that this movement for marriage is about anything more than the white gays who fund it (and who, we often find, are just as racist and clueless when it comes to blacks as they claim blacks are homophobic).


Some people seem to think that homophobia trumps racism, and that winning the battle for gay marriage will symbolically bring about equality for everyone. That may seem true to white gays, but as a black lesbian, let me tell you: There are still too many inequalities that exist as it relates to my race for that to ever be the case.
Ever heard of "driving while black"? Ever looked at the difference between the dropout rates for blacks and for whites? Or test scores? Or wages? Or rates of incarceration?

And in the end, black voters in California voted against gay marriage by more than 2 to 1.


Maybe next time around -- because we all know this isn't over -- the gay community can demonstrate the capacity and willingness to change that America demonstrated when it went to the polls on Nov. 4. Black gays are depending on their white counterparts to finally "get it.
"

Until then, don't expect to make any inroads any time soon in the black community on this issue -- including with this black lesbian.


Jasmyne A. Cannick is a writer in Los Angeles.
jasmynecannick. com.




My 2 Cents on the Gay Marriage proposition

by Davey D

What an interesting turn of events regarding Proposition 8-which was on the ballot here in Cali and banned same sex marriage. This is a perfect example of a couple of things that all of us can learn from...

1-Assuming that you know everything about another community when you don't.

2-Reaching out, building bridges and forging strong ties with your allies

Lemme say for the record, I have never had a problem with Gay folks getting married. In my mind people are people and deserve all the rights afforded any citizen. I stand by that even as many who share my Christian religion says being Gay is wrong in the eyes of God. I stand by this even as some outspoken people in leadership position have asserted that Gay Rights is not the same as Black rights, Chicano Rights or women's rights etc etc etc. I stand by that even as many from all sorts of backgrounds have asserted that being Gay is a lifestyle, being Gay is a choice and being Gay is unnatural and being Gay is a sickness. I unequivocally see Gay marriage as a civil rights issue and anyone with an ounce of sense should not have been voting against it.


Lemme also say for the record the No on Prop 8 ran lousy ass campaign. Lemme repeat- Whoever ran this campaign did a lousy job in terms of outreach and making sure that various communities were approached and bridges built. Blame is being erroneously being placed on the African American community for voting a whooping 70% to ban gay marriage with many expressing shock and outrage as to how Barack Obama was elected as the first African American Black president and thus folks should've seen his accomplishments and ability to overcome discrimination in the same light as the gay rights struggle. Many have concluded that the African American community is homophobic as if we are the sole owners of this position.


Sorry folks but it's not that cut and dry.


Here's a few things to think about. First of all here in Cali there is a large progressive community that includes African Americans who absolutely have no problem with supporting Gay Marriage. I'm not sure if those individuals and community taste-makers were tapped and asked to be part of the No on Prop 8 campaign. And when I say key taste-makers I'm talking about folks who had good inroads into the Black church and civil rights community.
Up until a month or two before the election we kept hearing that No on Prop 8 was ahead in the polls by as much as 15-20% points, meanwhile Barack Obama was embroiled in major battles in swing states. Many activists and progressives who would've stomped for No on Prop 8 left Cali and parked themselves in Ohio, Nevada, Colorado and other places.


When I saw advertisements for the No on Prop 8 campaign I hardly ever saw Black folks speaking out.
I saw way too many commercials with Senator Diane Finestien even though the No on Prop 8 folks have a lenghty list of endorsers, many of them Black who could've been included in commercials-can we say Congresswoman Barbara Lee? Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown? Reverend Cecil Williams from Glide Memorial Church? Cornel West? Cynthia McKinney? Hell I didn't even see prominent Black gays and lesbians featured? Was there out reach to them?

Where were the No On Prop 8 commercials on popular outlets frequented by African Americans like BET or TV One? Like I said all I saw was Dianne Fienstein and her frequent presence suggested that the No on Prop 8 people were reaching out to white moderates and conservatives. It must've worked because the last time gay marriage got voted on (Prop 22 in 2000-the defense of Marriage Act) it got beat down really bad.
Maybe the improvement amongst white voters was due to the Feinstein and Ellen Dengenres ads.


After witnessing feverish opposition from all those religious folks including a cadre of Black ministers from Ohio who lined up to support George Bush of all people back in 2004 over the Gay Marriage issue should've sent a strong message to the No on Prop 8 folks that they needed to do some serious out reach and make sure a strong message about Human/ civil rights was being sent to the community.


Lastly, for those who are still enraged over Gay Marriage-What's REALLY eating you? Is it really religious beliefs? Are we this upset when people get married having 'committed other sins' like sex before marriage? or co-habitating with one another? Should we be marrying folks who had kids out of wedlock? 40 million dollars was spent to 'protect' the sanctity of marriage-That's pretty laughable in a place where the divorce rate is over 70%. That ain't Gays causing those high numbers.


Some people try to tell me gay marriage is unnatural, but isn't that what they said about mixed marriages not too long ago when that was illegal? There were all sorts of laws with severe consequences for race mixing with people citing religious and cultural concerns. What's interesting is that to this day there are a number of religions who won't marry you if you come from a different faith. We still have people who have serious hang ups about mixed marriages and relationships where they cite cultural concerns.


In anycase I encourage folks to keep on marching and kicking up dust. Those barriers have got to come down once and for all. And for Godsake please diversify the movement..




Return to Davey D's Hip Hop Corner