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Loading ...The Prop 8 effect: Anger between blacks and gays
When Rev. Wanda Washington arrived in Milwaukee to start up a church to serve the city’s Sherman Park neighborhood, she didn’t know exactly what she was in for.
Most recently an associate minister at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, a largely black church that welcomes LGBT members, Washington was surprised to find that in the more conservative African American community of Milwaukee, providing a safe spiritual home for LGBT congregants was dangerously controversial.This past summer, two years after she opened the doors of Grace United Church of Christ, Washington began to receive hate mail, anonymous letters arriving nearly every week telling her that she was doing the devil’s work and was going to hell. Her message of God’s fully inclusive love wasn’t going over so well with some people.
“Some people join because they like my preaching, but then they see who we totally are” – that is, welcoming even to members of the LGBT community – “and they do leave,” Washington noted.
Tensions between the African American and LGBT communities frequently don’t take such concrete forms as hate mail and empty spots in the pews. More often, they take the more subtle forms suspicion, disregard, and missed opportunities.
Next page: The Prop 8 effect
I am a gay white male and I get along with people so long as the liking is mutual. I have black, Latino, Jewish and non Jewish white friends, gay and straight, male and female friends.
There are a lot of blacks and whites who good friends.
Racism of any kind whether from straight or gay of any origin has got to go.
What matters is the behaviors and attitudes of individuals, period. Just because one or two persons of a particular race is bad doesn’t make everyone of that particular race bad. And just speaking for myself.
Chris Sullivan,
I am a proud republican.I work hard and I don’t like my hard earned money being spread around.The thing is. its the gay liberals who are racists, not republicans.In case you missed it, we just elected an AA leader.
Cooperating between the LGBT community and with moderate and liberal faith groups is crucial. I’m gay and a liberal Mormon and I’m tired of being bashed from two sides. And many of my gay friends are also religious or spiritual in some ways, and some are secular, agnostic and atheist. It simply doesn’t matter to me – we’re all in this together. I’m not allergic to unreligious people. Many in the gay community need to get over their allergy of people with religious affiliations. A great deal many religious people (not the ones who make as many shocking headlines) are fully supportive, accepting, including and affirming of LGBT people and do not believe it is a sin, a vice or a curse, and these people are too-often untapped natural allies. We must all work together.
OK, Jeremy
You can’t get over your jungle fever? thats a very dehumanizing statement.This big d…..k is attached to a human being.
Here’s the deal…the blacks have to get over slavery…not a single damn one was born into slavery. Get over it.
As for the number of blacks in prison, parents need to start being parents again and whooping their butts when they get out of line. The Black Panthers also need to step up and stop fighting the whites. If they want what they are fighting for, they need to clean out their own backyard.
As for the Christian’s and feeling like they are being picked on. Get over it and get your Bible OUT of my Government and Constitution. This country was founded on Freedom of Religion. We have a wealth of religious beliefs from Pagaism to Christianity, yet the Bible is a major determinating factor in this country. It needs to stop.
Let’s get back to what this country is…it is a country by the people and for the people…not the Bible Thumpers and their ilk.
To the peoples of varied races, religions, etc…we need to all stand together and say enough is enough, this is our country too! Check out the website AU.org.
look up the definition of racism. That comment is prejudicial but not racist. All comments based on previous experience are prejudicial.
rac⋅ism
/ˈreɪsɪzəm/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [rey-siz-uhm] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
There was nothing in that comment that was racist. It was perhaps a faux pas, to use such language, but innocent. He was stating his preference or taste just as one might prefer tall men over short men… or tan men over pale men… Don’t keep jumping to the racist card it gets you nowhere.
brothers and sisters, it’s called divide and conquer.
Alliances in politics only come from the idea that we have political power to wield.
We don’t.
Political power only comes with charismatic leaders of national import.
We don’t.
And all the other minority groups will not ally with a weak minority.
We are.
Until we get our ass out of the clubs and into the suburbs and residential areas rather than our neighborhoods and downtown, and turn the pride parade from a disco to a revolution, until we stand rather than dance, then we will be left on dung heap of religion, race, ethnicity or creed.
Until we see ourselves as all pink, rather than African, Irish, Latino and all, we will continue to destroy our culture, our people and our place in the sun.
JOE,
Blacks get over slavery? You get over white supremacy. Guess what, white supremacist hate gays too.Bummer!
As an african american lesbian and the daughter of a baptist minister I know that the reason blacks have a hard time w/ same sex marriages is because of their religious beliefs. Our faith is what carried us through slavery and jim crow. When blacks were denied education and the opportunity to learn how to read, usually the preacher was the one in the community who was educated. He (because it was historically a male) was the voice of the community. He was able to speak eloquently and understood issues most in the community could not because of poor education. Blacks put their full trust in their religious leaders and were taught literal interpretation of the bible. They were taught homosexuality is a sin and for them to agree w/ same sex marriage in their minds is a sin. In the LGBT community racism is rampant…so us LGBT african americans are forced in the closet by our black communities, but treated w/ racism in the LGBT communities…healing needs to take place in both…It will take more LGBT african americans like myself to come out and educate our people, and the LGBT communities really taking a look at themselves and seeing what they have done to harm their minority sisters and brothers…real communication needs to place, with the excuses left at the door
That’s right…. blame the victims as usual. I’m expected to support your civl rights, but you can strip me of mine. Now there’s a fair society!
Angelo, Just curious if you think Michael Steele will make any efforts at reaching out to LGBT community? I sure wish we had choices because the Dems and Obama take us for granted, ie, we have no place else to go. We all need more dialogue!
Carolyne – There was nothing in this article about white supremecists. Therefore, nothing to respond to which this forum is for…responding to the article.
Honestly, the skin heads and KKK aren’t even worth talking about. They are a cult, period.
As for your comment, you assume I’m white when in fact I am not. You are right, they hate us as well.
Joe
You said that blacks should get over slavery. That my friend, is what white supremacists believe. I hope you are comfortable being a gay white supremacist
The term “racist” was bandied about so often this last election cycle that it has entirely lost its meaning. Reading some of the comments on here, a person could very easily get the idea that simply not voting for Obama constitutes racism. LOL.
In my lifetime, I have been called racist many times, by people who don’t even know me. I have been called racist for saying my preference of music is rock and roll, but I don’t care for rap or country. Seriously. Called a racist because I don’t like rap. LOL. The person who called me racist didn’t like country either, but that in no way made him racist against white people. Nosirreebob.
I’ve been called racist for using the term “black folks and white folks”, as some of you have done in your comments. Seriously. The person who called me racist was only concerned with the “black folks” part, though. LOL.
Finally, I’ve been called racist because I’m white. That’s right. Seriously. I’ve been told I’m racist because of my race. No kidding. LOL.
The fact that there are racists in the gay commmunity isn’t shocking news. There are racists in EVERY community. Yes, even in the black community……..and I’m sure I’ll be called racist for saying so! LOL.