Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: The Prop 8 vote was always complicated
Better Jennifer than me. Writing about the Proposition 8 vote and race is tiring because some people have weak reading comprehension skills. Ever since marriage rights were taken away in California, I’ve “learned” the following about myself: 1) I hate whites, 2) I think all white gays are racist, and 3) I’m an excuse maker when it comes to homophobia in the black community.
None of those truthiness ditties are true, but they have been thrown out here in the 365 neighborhood because I’ve questioned CNN’s exit poll that 70 percent of black California residents voted yes on Prop 8. Others have also pointed to the poll’s flaws, from numbers guru Nate Silver at 538.com to political analyst David Binder (who did polling for President-elect Barack Obama’s campaign). Ahh, but to point to these perspectives is just excuse making. My “brothers and sisters” (who knew Ma was so busy!) screwed gays over. I’m a racist whose character is questionable. Meh.
Yesterday’s released study by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute, written by Patrick J. Egan and Kenneth Sherrill, points out that a yes vote on Proposition 8 was mostly pushed by age, faith, and political perspective. The study mirrored Binder’s unofficial numbers that black support for Prop 8 was between 57-59 percent. This high support however makes sense when religion is factored in.
“…Controlling for frequency of religious attendance helps explain why African Americans supported Proposition 8 at higher levels than the population as a whole. Among Californians who attend worship at least weekly, support for Proposition 8 was nearly uniform across all racial and ethnic groups.”
This new study gives no one a pass. This new study gives no one a pass. Let the choir hear this for the last time from me: this new study gives no one a pass. Homophobia, no matter who espouses it, needs to be exposed for what it is: prejudice. However, we really can’t fight our enemies if we don’t know who they are or how to counteract their rhetoric. And yes Virginia there are going to be people with black faces who are anti-same sex marriage. Get over it and stop being shocked (shocked!) that some blacks sound like those whites back in the day wringing their hands over interracial marriage.
Tiger,
Missed your New Year’s wishes. My mistake. Old age has officially set in!
Thanks. Same to you and yours.
Sincerely,
James
James in his own words:
“Everyone here has suggested, rightfully of course, that homophobia in the black community needs to be talked about and defeated. No argument from me. But the past week has shown the flip side of that coin: Racism in the gay community requires the same vigorous conversation.”
James – here you suggest that the majority of gay people are racists, you make a direct comparison to the majority of blacks in California – who did vote in a homophobic way. You suggest that racism is as rampant in the gay community as homophobia is in the black community. Show me one single time the majority of gay people have voted to strip the constitutional rights of black people from them. Show me one poll James, just one – from anywhere.
The gay community couldn’t be more politically correct. You painted the entire gay community as racist. This does nothing but increase and excuse homophobia in the black community.
70 percent of black voters in California voted for that hateful law, black women in particular were very open about it, CNN stands by it.
Any Gay person with two functioning neurons knows this is the truth no matter how much spin was put after by the politically correct appeasers. Every self respecting Gay and Lesbian is going to believe a legitimate news source like CNN first before they do
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force who like other useless gay groups these days is more than eager to submit to the will of other groups like the NAACP even when it’s at the detriment of Gay people. Their methods of rolling back have gotten us no where but to defeat after defeat so far.
This is the truth no matter how much spin you put to it, so “get over it” Mr. James Whithers. Instead of your tiresome routine of making excuses for homophobic black behavior why don’t you make good use of your time by doing some outreach in the African American community?
Little Red – Get over it indeed. It’s statements like that that give James his reputation. What if I said to the black community in regard to slavery – “get over it?” How well would that be recieved? Slavery was abolished 146 years ago – the vote on prop 8 wasn’t even 146 days ago – yet he will tell us to “get over it.” Excuses and equivication – that’s what we can expect from James.
The photo Withers has of himself on his blogs tells me all I need to know about him.
Most of the posters here seem pretty set on sticking with their blame-the-blacks interpretation even in the face of evidence to the contrary. Here is what a careful analysis of the data has shown:
Black religious folks voted for Prop 8 at the same percentage as white religious folks (ie people who attend church regularly). Black non-religious folks voted for Prop 8 at the percentage as white non-religious folks. The somewhat higher rate of blacks voting for prop 8 than whites is a direct representation of the somewhat higher percentage of black people being regular church-goers than white people.
In other words, religion was a major factor in prop 8 passing. Race was not. This is not about making excuses, but rather about reading comprehension (looking at the numbers and having at least a very basic understanding of statistics).
Those of you who insist on scape-goating blacks for the passage of prop 8: I’m white and gay and completely embarrassed by your statements. You can keep insisting that it’s not racism, but that doesn’t make it true.
Here we go again – Johannes – speaking for yourself might be a good way to start. Putting words in the mouths of others isn’t only impolite, it’s dishonest.
I’m not blaming black people – but I’m not excusing those who voted to take my rights away either.
BTW – religion is just another excuse used to justify homophobia. I remember my southern grandmother saying treating blacks as equals was “against her religion” too. There are plenty of nice religious people who aren’t antigay. Homophobia is homophobia is homophobia. Color it however you want – people voted the way they did and there is no justification for it.
Uh oh. The white gays come in to maintain the Gay Racial Caste System.
No fats, no fems, no blacks, no Asians.
People of color, there are tons of info on Gay Racism out there. Get those links and email them to every news company there is.
Mason – I don’t know where you’re writing from but I used to live in the rural midwest and I now live in Los Angeles, I see nothing of what you describe in your post.
But let’s say you’re on the mark – you like James don’t get this –
TWO WRONGS DON’T MAKE A RIGHT.
Even if every white gay person were a racists – there is no excuse for homophobia.
Are you LGBT person of color who feel like your nothing in the gay community? You can turn it around by making the gay community truly examine itself is through the new activism.
These links…
http://www.keithboykin.com/arch/2005/05/04/gay_racism_in_t
http://www.youth-suicide.com/gay-bisexual/racism-gay-lesbian/index.htm
http://gaylife.about.com/b/2006/05/10/racism-and-the-gay-community.htm
http://www.andyquan.com/X/gam.htm
http://www.colorq.org/Articles/article.aspx?d=2000&x=gayracism
http://www.tatmultimedia.com/Websites/Journal/
Send them to emails in
foxnews
cnn
msnbc
cbs
nbc
abc
You can also use twitter.
You don’t have to be powerless.
Eddie said “And now, you can ask any gay person in this state if black people are homophobic too.”
So much for being “dishonest and putting words in people’s mouths.” I am a white gay person from California and I don’t think that, categorically, black people are homophobic. You don’t speak for me.
I understand why you are angry about prop 8. I am too. I was married and not I’m not. I’m furious about it. But lashing out at another minority group based on a perceived slight that is not backed up by the actual polling data only poisons the discussion and does nothing to move things forward.
I’ve traveled the world and haven’t seen racism in the gay community. Sorry – I don’t see it here in LA either.
At any rate – it’s not a justification for homophobia.
TWO WRONGS DON’T MAKE A RIGHT!
Equivication is not an excuse.
Johannes – there you go again – I’m not angry and I’m not lashing out. The vote was what it was. South Central voted the way that it voted.
BRAVO! Very well said. We need to come together and have the Old Testament banned. The laws/rules in there are old and were replaced by the Birth/Life/Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He never once mentioned any kind of admonition of homosexuality.
That said…I am not a Christian or a believer in any way. I am a bigot. We all are bigots in our own way.
The issue here though isn’t bigotry or fear…it’s ignorance and as long as we give into their ignorant stereo-types in our own community, we are going to be outsiders.
Yes…I’m a bigot against the gay community as well as the wetbacks, asians and blacks.
If you were born in this country, you are an American…period…get over it. If you are coming to this country demanding equal rights…learn the damned language and do it legally.
If you are a fem guy/butch female, that doesn’t mean you have to be extreme in your actions just to get a reaction out of someone. Why do you have to walk down the street during gay pride in nothing but a handkerchief, heels and wig? Why do you have to walk down the street with your breasts hanging out? Drag? Fine. Dykes on Bikes? Fine. Quit giving them cause to hate us.
We need to mature as a community before we can expect the RESPECT we are screaming for…that includes the recognition as equals in a straight world. Stop looking to the black community or religion or anyone else as the reason for your being held down. It’s your own fault.