Stop Blaming California's Black Voters for Prop 8
This also appeared on the Huffington Post.
Excuse me? I voted against Proposition 8. I'm among the 30 percent of black Californians that did so. And as much as I can condemn the homophobia and intolerance that drove a portion of the 70 percent of blacks that voted in favor of Proposition 8's ban on gay marriage, it's an outrage to lay its passage at their feet. I've read several editorials already about how the ungrateful blacks betrayed gays right after America gave them their first president. I know there are some wounds and frayed nerves right now, but this type of condescending, divide and conquer isn't going to help at all. And it's a gross oversimplification of what happened.
According to the exit polling, there's enough blame to go around. Don't forget the 49 percent of Asians who voted for Prop 8. And the 53 percent of Latinos who fell in line for it too. And then there is the white vote in support of 8. Slightly under 50% percent of them, a group representing 63% percent of California voters, voted "Yes" on 8. Last I checked blacks held little sway over all of those groups.
So who did? For starters, the churches, religious leaders and advocacy groups in support of 8 were a very formidable force. Surveys showed religion played a major role in voter's decisions. Even No on 8 supporters have admitted that their camp was too complacent, arrogant and far too unorganized. I told a friend the day after the election, that I thought the arguments needed to be much stronger to answer the lingering questions Prop 8 boosters had leveled, disingenuously or not. Even I had some personal misgivings before casting my vote against.
Perhaps gay rights activists needed to better explain how a No vote wouldn't force churches to perform gay marriage ceremonies. And how a No vote wouldn't affect schools or teach children about gay marriage. Maybe deeper outreach in the black and brown communities could have changed some minds. What about fostering a stronger dialogue beyond the good side of town and in the neighborhoods where some of the unfortunate prejudice takes root?
No on 8 also needed a better defense against Obama's own stance on gay marriage. He is on record as wanting to allow the states to decide, even though he still supported full rights for same sex couples under civil unions. It's clear that anybody hoping to get elected this year needed a position that was generally acceptable to the red states. And Obama came out strongly against 8. But those nuances could have been much better explained to those who might be excused to follow suit with Obama's somewhat loose position. The anti-Prop 8 forces couldn't just rest on the hope that entrenched and arcane beliefs would be washed away without both a robust defense and offense.
In the coming weeks, those of us who are standing against Proposition 8--including, I'm sure, millions of blacks nationwide--are all going to need unity as we lobby, fight and advocate for either a reversal of this amendment or a new battle in 2010. There are very valid arguments against the presumptuous collapsing of Obama's win and the results of the Prop 8 vote, but we can table that for now. Regardless of your position, making scapegoats of blacks as a bunch of thankless homophobes is hardly playing the best hand.
Comments
I wish that I knew who could address the Christian ideologues of all colors who really made Prop 8 happen.
...His repudiation of Prop 8 could not have been any more lukewarm. "It's unnecessary" is not exactly a strong condemnation.
But yes... The blame-game is counterproductive, and as we seek to make inroads with the California electorate, I think we will find black voters much more willing to hear our message than other social-conservative blocks. So, this scapegoating is really just shooting ourselves in the foot.
This is definitely a teaching moment.
Clinton visited Bryn Mawr to campaign on behalf of universal healthcare (since Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, the Congresswoman from that district, had voted in support of it despite her constituents' opposition). At that time, there were a cluster of LGBA (no trans at that time) student activists held a demonstration less than 6 inches from the walkway he took. I guess one of them must have said something that he found unable to let pass because he turned around and said to the student, "Bullshit!" and sternly indicated that his support of gay rights at that time would have been tantamount to an open invitation to the right wing to undo all gains made by LGBs.
I felt similarly about Prop 8. The timing was unfortunate.
Seriously.
Excellent point of view. EXCELLENT!
In Canada, under the Civil Marriage Act, that extends the right of marriage to same-sex couples, s.3 states: "It is recognized that officials of religious groups are free to refuse to perform marriages that are not in accordance with their religious beliefs."
Canada's history of same-sex marriage is instructive. Various court challenges across Canada were launched in the early part of the decade resulting in decisions by provincial courts of appeal (these are the Canadian provincial equivalents of a state supreme court in the U.S.) that ruled that the common law definition of marriage, defined in traditionally heterosexist terms, violated the equality provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Rather than challenging the decisions to the Supreme Court of Canada, the Government of Canada (then under the Liberal Party of Prime Minister Paul Martin) decided to propose legislation in accordance with the various court decisions (in Canada the definition of marriage is a federal matter). In this way, same-sex couples could marry across the country while religious institutions would not be forced to perform religious ceremonies for them.
Perhaps in a future ballot proposition, there could be an attempt to recover the right to same-sex marriage (assuming present legal challenges don't work) while preserving a religious institution's right not to perform them.
I think the confusion came from the fact that they didn't really want to take sides on the issue, which is a position that I do understand.
When Prop 22 passed 8 years ago, it did so by over 61%. Prop 8 uses exactly the same verbiage as Prop 22, but this time it passed by a narrower margin (around 51%, last I checked).
What this suggests to me is that this is an issue of social change, which takes time. But it is happening.
The statistics you cite are unhelpful and damaging; indeed, I really don't see this as a racial issue at all, but a moral and religious issue.
And let's face it, the California coast is very different than the rest of the state.
Raymond you should've seen this one coming. I opposed Prop 8, but deep down in my heart I knew that at the end of the day the Gay community has ZERO problem throwing us under the bus and demonzing us and boy was I proven right. We were already getting demonized before a single vote was cast. But you know what...it's a lot easier for them to point the finger at US rather than at their own White brother, sister, mother, father, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, friends, and coworkers.
If they want to blame us, then more power to them. They can get in line with the rest of the people who blame all of the world's ills on us. I wish the gay community well in obtaining the rights that I believe they deserve but since Blacks are evil and homophobic I guess there is no point in me even trying to help out.
Whatever anyone thinks about it, same sex marriage WILL became legal and accepted throughout the United States within the next 20 years. Same sex marriage is really a generational issue. Statistically, the younger a person is, the more accepting they are of gay lifestyle. More people than ever knows someone - a friend, a family member, a coworker, etc - who is openly gay because more gay people are coming out of the closet and at younger ages. Most schools today have gay/straight clubs and gays are visible in most parts of popular culture today. Because of this, as the younger, more liberal/open-minded folks become the majority of the voting block in a few years and there will be some monumental legal changes with same sex marriage very soon.
Furthermore, when you look at the age demos for who vote for and against the California proposition, it was divide on age.
Hey, just a couple of years ago no one thought we would have a black president, so those of you who are angry about the Prop 8 decision need not fret; same sex marriage could be just around the corner.
Any civil rights issue does not belong a ballot for the public to vote. Imagine if they had a Proposition "something" on the ballot in the late 1800's. Would the public voted to free the slaves...especially in the South?
As a black woman, shifting the blame on one community is not cool. For starters, those lawsuits that was filed this week is a start.
I hope the adjunction will go through because, like stated earlier, Prop 8 shouldn't have been on the ballot.
These are the first kinds of cracks that will begin to show up in the new Democratic coalition. Undisciplined people who are overly sensitive about being "blamed" for being on the wrong side of an issue are going to lash out. Grow up. Part of being a Democrat is going to have to include having to learn how to be in power. We must learn how to take responsibility for the things we are responsible for and let the things that we are not responsible for roll off our back.
Black voters are going to have to face the music about their inability to see the parallel between their struggle and the fight to be able to express love towards someone of the same gender in the same ways that heterosexual couples can. This is simply a fact. This does not mean however that you are being blamed for the defeat of Prop 8.
anyway, i agree that religion played a major part. it's a sad realization that hard core religious fanatics feel they have a right to impose their beliefs on a matter that affects another group negatively and affects their group none. isn't that a sin?
Better to be thinking: "How do we educate this demographic? Who has the access and legitimacy within these groups?
If Obama speaks persuasively, that would be terrific; he's a wonderfully persuasive speaker. But "all politics is local." We need to be talking about this in all of our communities, not waiting for someone to speak for us on the national stage.
"African Americans were 10% of the voters, and 70% of them voted yes."
Neat trick, considering that blacks only make up 6.2% of the state of California.
Obama believes in a bottom up approach as opposed to a top down approach. What the courts tried to do in California is to overturn the will of the people. From Obama's logic, it would be better if those who want gay marriage would seek first to pursuade the population of their case reather than having the courts impose it on them. All politics are local. Rather than trying to impose our will on others, we can seek to change their minds first. Once their minds have been changed the courts can go back to the business of what they were designed to do. Interpretation and implementation of sound law, brought about through the will of the people; through referendum. An organic approach to change is better than one that is imposed on us.
I appreciate that you voted No on 8, but come on. 70% is completely different from anything near 50, and what happened in those voting booths was an unconscionable, small-minded and, let's face it, hostile act. you don't do that if you have the faintest perspective on civil rights or any kind of an open heart. it is time for the black population of California to look inward and recognize the HUGE problem this culture has with issues of masculinity.
Secondly, the black community knows it has issues with hyper-masculinity. The black community is the one locked up, murdered at alarming rates, abused, etc. Thanks for the concern--as it pertains to your interests only.
Lastly, this is what really irks me: Are blacks alone in this regard? Are there not hyper masculine and homophobic habits in all classes, races, cultures? Are you for real, because of a 20% difference, you're singling blacks out, beyond Asians, whites and Hispanics?
Ask yourself why blacks rate son high on your list of detested groups.
"Neat trick, considering that blacks only make up 6.2% of the state of California."
They were 10% of the voters. Check the exit poll.
Thank you for having the courage to at least espouse a near neutral and insightful critique of the recent 8 debacle.
Unlike most of the gay community, who would rather call us stupid, ignorant or bigoted, you have addressed one of the biggest reasons most PEOPLE in Califronia voted for 8.
I will attempt to state why there was a reverse Bradley effect to Prop 8. From the viewpoint of a: Married, straight, moderate democrat, Catholic, 33 year old college sophmore.
Most people in California and the rest of the U.S. still believe in some sort of deity, no matter how ambigious it might be. We want to protect that right with the same tenacity that homosexuals,(who should have the same rudimentary rights), advocate.
What most straight people are begininning to sense is that tolerance and acceptance are no longer viable positions. Live and let live is no longer good enough. We must now, ouselves believe in, endorse or advocate to the will or viewpoints of secular or homosexual ultra-liberal America.
This postion of a "winner take all" mentality comes from five nacent instances.
1. The field trip to a lesbian wedding. This just the same as a trip to a church has no place in public schools.
1a. The state of Mass. telling parents they have no right to object to ideological homosexuality being taught to elementary school kids. (A Prince marries a Prince) Why, because its the law there!
2. The very hubris statement: "whether you like it or not...." helped polarize people like myself to vote
for 8. I can love you like my brother, no matter what you believe in, as long as I have the to protect my beliefs.
3. The lawsuit against Dr. Benitez when she refused to artificially inseminate a lesbian. Even though she offered a referral to a doctor that would and offered to pay the difference. The lesbian couple did such, delivered and then sued the doctor.
Isn't this insinuating that now Dr's with religious convictions will either be excluded from practice or be forced to suppress their belief set? Isn't that the defintion of an oppressed minority group and the very thing homosexuals stand adamantly against?
4. The Catholic Chuch having to shut down one of the oldest adoption agencies in the U.S. after it was sued by a gay couple under the exact same circumstances as above.
5. The condemnation by the S.F. City Council during session of the Catholic Church for its refusal to broker adoptions to gay couples.
The above referenced instances caused a great deal of concern for the average middle of the road voter.
The underlying concern was the erosion of our beliefs and the concern for our kids. We felt if we didn't stand up now, in the future our beliefs would be decimated. To us the gay community has launched a winner take all campaign, not a battle for equal rights. They have shown this by suing people, launching vituperous assaults from a governement pulpit and not adovacating moderation but insisting on capitulation.
Prop 8 opposition groups failed to adequetly defend these transgressions. Why? Many thought that they couldn't, because that was their goal the entire time.
Both sides need to come together and broker an acceptable accord for all. Polar right and polar left should produce an acceptable middle of the road compremise.
1. Remove the word "marriage" from government.
2. Allow everyone to obtain "domestic partnerships"
3. Protect Churchs from having to act against thier belief set.
4. Teach homosexualtity in schools from a biological postion not a idealogical position.
Do this next time and I'll vote for the gay community and so will most of California.
Thank you for having the courage to at least espouse a near neutral and insightful critique of the recent 8 debacle.
Unlike most of the gay community, who would rather call us stupid, ignorant or bigoted, you have addressed one of the biggest reasons most PEOPLE in Califronia voted for 8.
I will attempt to state why there was a reverse Bradley effect to Prop 8. From the viewpoint of a: Married, straight, moderate democrat, Catholic, 33 year old college sophmore.
Most people in California and the rest of the U.S. still believe in some sort of deity, no matter how ambigious it might be. We want to protect that right with the same tenacity that homosexuals,(who should have the same rudimentary rights), advocate.
What most straight people are begininning to sense is that tolerance and acceptance are no longer viable positions. Live and let live is no longer good enough. We must now, ouselves believe in, endorse or advocate to the will or viewpoints of secular or homosexual ultra-liberal America.
This postion of a "winner take all" mentality comes from five nacent instances.
1. The field trip to a lesbian wedding. This just the same as a trip to a church has no place in public schools.
1a. The state of Mass. telling parents they have no right to object to ideological homosexuality being taught to elementary school kids. (A Prince marries a Prince) Why, because its the law there!
2. The very hubris statement: "whether you like it or not...." helped polarize people like myself to vote
for 8. I can love you like my brother, no matter what you believe in, as long as I have the to protect my beliefs.
3. The lawsuit against Dr. Benitez when she refused to artificially inseminate a lesbian. Even though she offered a referral to a doctor that would and offered to pay the difference. The lesbian couple did such, delivered and then sued the doctor.
Isn't this insinuating that now Dr's with religious convictions will either be excluded from practice or be forced to suppress their belief set? Isn't that the defintion of an oppressed minority group and the very thing homosexuals stand adamantly against?
4. The Catholic Chuch having to shut down one of the oldest adoption agencies in the U.S. after it was sued by a gay couple under the exact same circumstances as above.
5. The condemnation by the S.F. City Council during session of the Catholic Church for its refusal to broker adoptions to gay couples.
The above referenced instances caused a great deal of concern for the average middle of the road voter.
The underlying concern was the erosion of our beliefs and the concern for our kids. We felt if we didn't stand up now, in the future our beliefs would be decimated. To us the gay community has launched a winner take all campaign, not a battle for equal rights. They have shown this by suing people, launching vituperous assaults from a governement pulpit and not adovacating moderation but insisting on capitulation.
Prop 8 opposition groups failed to adequetly defend these transgressions. Why? Many thought that they couldn't, because that was their goal the entire time.
Both sides need to come together and broker an acceptable accord for all. Polar right and polar left should produce an acceptable middle of the road compremise.
1. Remove the word "marriage" from government.
2. Allow everyone to obtain "domestic partnerships"
3. Protect Churchs from having to act against thier belief set.
4. Teach homosexualtity in schools from a biological postion not a idealogical position.
Do this next time and I'll vote for the gay community and so will most of California.
Secondly, the black community knows it has issues with hyper-masculinity. The black community is the one locked up, murdered at alarming rates, abused, etc. Thanks for the concern--as it pertains to your interests only.
Lastly, this is what really irks me: Are blacks alone in this regard? Are there not hyper masculine and homophobic habits in all classes, races, cultures? Are you for real, because of a 20% difference, you're singling blacks out, beyond Asians, whites and Hispanics?
Ask yourself why blacks rate son high on your list of detested groups.
---
When ignorance and intolerance leads you to actively strip the rights of another group, that is the definition of hostility. I find it appalling that you would defend such behavior by citing religious beliefs, as if any belief system can warrant injuring another population. If you want to call my resistance to bigotry an act of "arrogance," so be it.
You have also accused me of self-interest, but in truth I have no interest at stake here other than my belief in a principled and humane California. I am straight and married, but it breaks my heart that many of my friends, black and white, cannot enjoy the same recognition and fulfillment this word brings.
Believe me, I am not laying the passage of Prop 8 at the feet of black people alone. There are homophobes, bigots and intolerant people of every race and creed, and those of us disappointed by this decision have plenty of frustration to go around. Point me toward a major blog post defending such behavior among any demographic and I'll fire away. But for now, your truly absurd conflation of 70 and 50 rates the highest on the bullshit scale, so you get the attention.
And saying African-Americans were such a small minority and didn't affect the outcome of Proposition 8 isn't going to help either; the gay community isn't going find reconciling with black community any easier if they're homophobic and irrelevant. Besides, there are even fewer Mormons in California, yet nobody seems eager to exempt them from responsibility for Prop 8.
I don't think the relationship between the gay community and black community is permanently damaged, but we all have to at least be honest in recognizing that a real problem exists, and we have to see some serious effort made on both sides to fix it.
Exit polling companies usually do not get good sampling of gay voters, but many white gays have supported GOP candidates (think: Log Cabin Club) and voted for issues such as affirmative action, ending bilingual education, etc., which harm people of color. HRC endorsed Republican Alphonse D'Amato, but people still attended the "black-tie dinner." This issue will not go away until black heterosexuals and white gays deal with their respective homphobia and racism.
FYI: I have written about issues of race and sexuality extensively in my professional writing -- and more recently, on my blog. Here's a link to a recent post on Prop 8. Enjoy. http://dissentingjustice.blogspot.com/2008/11/black-californians-and-proposition-8-is.html
Of your 4 suggestions, I think 1 and 2 would solve a lot. But how are churches 'having to act against their belief set'? (#3). And what do you mean by teaching "Teach homosexualtity in schools from a biological postion not a idealogical position?"
Surely you understand that churches exist in a legal context, and cannot interfere with equality before the law. The catholic church is not being infringed upon in any way that I can see.
Nobody is proposing that your church be forced to marry gay people. That is one of the outright lies that were being spread in MA. Fortunately people saw through the misinformation.
Secondly, facts are facts, and even if 100% of the black people in California had voted for Prop 8, it still wouldn't have passed without all the other 'groups' playing their part. Until whites, Hispanics and Asians come around in a majority collectively, gay marriage will remain banned if brought in front of the electorate. Do the math.
Isn't divorce the biggest real threat to the family in our culture? It damages kids who go through it, and it ties up our court systems with the fallout. As a Catholic aren't you threatened since it is so widespread? Doesn't the prevalence of divorce prevent you from exercising your religious freedoms?
And how is this different from gay people?
Then, Consider The Religous Funders and Voters Of YESON8 at the following webistes, & these are just a few of thousands of these type of site that expose religious dirt :
http://www.rickross.com/groups/polygamy.html
http://www.truthandgrace.com/polygamy.htm
http://www.necronomi.com/magic/satanism/Christian-abusers.txt
www.republicansexoffenders.com
http://religiouschildabuse.blogspot.com
_______________________
Now, why do you oppose CIVIL RIGHTS?
It's ridiculous to blame black voters for prop 8's passage, but isn't it legit to talk the fact that they backed prop 8 more strongly than other ethnic groups? and to talk about how/why the groups like equality california need to do a better job reaching out to them in the future, and addressing some of the real concerns you mentioned? I agree that the people spouting about rates of homophobia are out of line - a vote doesn't distinguish between ignorance, intolerance, religious conviction and simple misinformation.
I've been at several no on prop 8 events, and I haven't seen any of the racism people keep talking about.
To uclady who said "I wish the gay community well in obtaining the rights that I believe they deserve but since Blacks are evil and homophobic I guess there is no point in me even trying to help out."
I know this is sarcasm but seriously? This suggests you think most glbt folk hold the divisive view cited in this article. We all need the strength to push past the outrageous blame game of a few and work towards equal opportunity for all.
Curmudgette said...
"Neat trick, considering that blacks only make up 6.2% of the state of California."
They were 10% of the voters. Check the exit poll.
November 8, 2008 5:46 AM
The exit poll is wrong. (Gee. That never happens, huh?) It's all explained right here.
1) If my group was projected to vote 52-58% for something and actually voted 70% for something, I'd want to see more than a CNN exit poll that polled a whopping 2,240 - especially when my group makes up NO MORE THAN 10%.
2) If I had a message that apparently didn't register with 70% of a group, I'd go back to the drawing board and wonder where the hell did I go wrong.