I have read several diaries on Daily Kos recently attributing the passage of Proposition 8 to African-Americans. I have generally kept quiet, save a comment or two. I am getting quite angry and am not going to keep quiet anymore.
It is very unfortunate that Proposition 8, as well as Amendment 2 here in Florida and wherever else such legislation has passed, passed. It is down right terrible that the rights of Gays/Lesbians are being discriminated against. This is a fight that proponents of Civil Rights, ALL civil rights should be fighting for. Whether I approve or disapprove of same-sex marriage is totally irrelevent to me. What is relevent is that the right to marry should be given to all adults who choose to do so. That being said, I am having a very hard time with those who feel the need to specifically point out African-Americans when discussing the passage of this legislation. This is not a racial issue. If it were a racial issue, than it should be pointed out that a hell of a lot more Whites voted for Proposition 8 than did Blacks, simply by virtue of the number of Whites compared to the number of Blacks. If every single eligible Black voter in California voted for this proposition, it still would not pass if Whites voted against it. I am pointing this out because I feel that too much of a generalization is being shown when discussing this proposition. I don't live in California, so I have no control and no voice into what goes on there and I find it very offensive when people decide to use that broad brush and discuss what "African_Americans" did. I do not know a whole lot about California, however I was able to find this bit of information:
[edit] Racial and ancestral makeup
According to the 2006 ACS Estimates, California's population is:
58.9% White American
35.9% are Hispanic or Latino (of any race)[18]
12.3% Asian American
6.2% Black or African American
3.3% mixed
0.7% American Indian
In terms of number of individuals, California has the largest population of White Americans in the U.S., an estimated 21,810,156 residents. The state has the fifth largest population of African Americans in the U.S., an estimated 2,260,648 residents. California's Asian population is estimated at 4.5 million, approximately one-third of the nation's 14.9 million Asian Americans. California's Native American population of 376,093 is the most of any state.
According to estimates from 2006, California has the largest minority population in the United States, making up 57 percent of the state population. Non-Hispanic whites decreased from 80 percent of the state's population in 1970 to 43 percent in 2006.[19] While the population of minorities accounts for 100.7 million of 300 million U.S. residents, 21 percent of the national total live in California.
Like I said, if every single Black voter voted yes on this issue, it still would not pass without Whites, Hispanics, and Asian Americans voting for it. I understand what the Gay/Lesbian community is going through. I, as a Black woman understand it better than most. What I don't understand is the sweeping generalization that is being used for Black people. In California, Blacks are the fifth largest group of people.
Reaching out to ALL people and educating ALL people will help to further this cause. Singling out any specific group can only do more harm than good, because that group is sure to get offended. I am all for Gay/Lesbian marriage and yet I am very offended by some of what I am reading.
I firmly believe that the problem is generational as well as religious. It is not racial, so please don't make it out to be racial.
There are plenty of Black folks who are supporting you.
Single fingers on a hand do nothing. Ball them together and they make a mighty fist....