Comments on: let us accept responsibility for our own future (my views on Prop 8)

By: Alix

Alix — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:21:58 +0000

I in know way believe these people are bad people, I just think that they are close minded and ignorant. Sounds harsh, but I find it hard to believe that if they educated themselves that they would feel the same way they do now…

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:16:17 +0000

I worked with an absolute sweetheart of a man (who happened to be black) and a nicer person you’d be hard pushed to find. He and I spent a hot Summer in each other’s pockets. He was incredibly knowledgeable about a whole range of topics, he told me the true story of the Black people, gave me books by J.A. Rogers, told me about Medgar Evers, we laughed, we sat, we drank tea. he opened my eyes to so much. He was liberated about everything you could imagine, so accepting except where gay people were concerned. He surprised me because he had a vitriolic hatred towards us queers. I didn’t understand it then and I don’t understand it now. His soft open face became hard and unkind when it came to talking about gays.

By: tegrah

tegrah — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 04:23:48 +0000

Thanks for your comment to my post Straights Only. I feel your post as well. Glad to feel some solidarity out here.

By: abg

abg — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 04:33:40 +0000

Hey Toni! Yes, Obama is against same sex marriage, but he did oppose prop 8. He is for civil unions and believes same sex couples should receive the same legal benefits as a married couple…I suppose it depends on what we seek from a marriage…

By: Toni

Toni — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 04:18:04 +0000

I’m an American living in Canada.

I’m not sure about in the States…but as soon as Obama won, the news stations here had video collages and a brief history of “civil rights” featuring MLK, Rosa Parks, and then led that into Obama.

Of course, a black president is awesome — and shows major progress in civil rights. Too bad about Prop 8 — it shows there is still a lot of mis-guided hate and Obama is not the happy conclusion of the civil rights movement. There should be more public outrage about Prop 8 — it’s a constitutional amendment that takes away rights rather than protects them.

Also… Obama is quoted as saying that he doesn’t believe in same-sex marriage, and that marriage is between a man and a women.

Sigh.

By: abg

abg — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:45:53 +0000

Hey Glennis!

I believe prop 8 wouldn’t have passed without the black vote, while you’re right that it doesn’t do any good to play the blame game, it does highlight a huge issue in our community. It’s as if it aired our dirty little secret to the world.

By: glennishamorgan

glennishamorgan — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:33:12 +0000

I am really feeling this post. Not all but, the majority of Black folk are so closed minded. It’s truly sad. I just talking with a blog buddy about this. She was saying that now everybody is trying to blame the pass of prop 8 on the black community. Even though I don’t think it’s an issue of playing the blame game it is very true that the majority of the black community are extremely homophobic

By: abg

abg — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:03:48 +0000

I love that everyone here feels so passionate about this. I’d love to have someone from Cali give their viewpoint…I know I have some lurkers…Cali, you out there?

By: tami

tami — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:18:17 +0000

@ abg…EXCELLENT post and Amen!
@ steadycat…you are so right!

I am black, a woman, a christian and a lesbian! I remember watching a Noah’s Arc episode where one of the characters wanted to marry his partner in the church he has a been a member of for a quite sometime. The “issue” went before the church board. One of the board members said that the Bible says ” “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” And one of the gay men responded “the Bible also says you shouldn’t eat shellfish, but that doesn’t stop you from stuffing your face with shrimp at the church fish fry”. It was funny the way he said it, but so so very true!

The problem with christianity and homosexuality really is this…it is much easier to accept something as true (especially when it doesn’t affect you) than to face the inconsistencies and actuall study the bible in its historical context. It’s true ignorance is bliss!

You know, there are some people who think that if you allow gay marriage there will be less eligible black men to marry. As crazy as that sounds, some people believe it. Which says that they would rather have someone forced to live a lie, than be happy being who they are.

We have a big problem in the black community, in regards to homosexuality. Much of it stems from Biblical views of homosexuality being a sin. But even if you follow that logic, it will contradict the stance that christians have on other things. For example, if homosexuality is a sin and divorce(and remarriage is a sin) and no sin is greater than any othe sin…then why are pastors performing 2nd, 3rd and even 4th marriages? Why are they getting divorced and remarried themselves? After all, sin is sin, right. But no one wants to talk about that. And when you bring this up, they don’t address it…they revert back to well, it’s a sin or God made Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve and so on…

So this is no doubt a difficult issue that we must face in order to move forward.

By: abg

abg — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:55:54 +0000

@Mermaid- It’s not an IF, 70% of black voters said yes to Prop 8

@Diva- I wish people would stop picking and choosing which parts of the bible they want to follow…And that whole DL crap, that’s my entire point. That wouldn’t exist without our own homophobia. They are feeding it and making it stronger…