I myself was put on the U.S. Department of You're Not Helping's watchlist earlier in the week after I said some nasty things on other blogs advocating, implicity, violence against those who supported California Prop 8, especially the LDS. I am now on probationary status I am being monitored for Crimes Against Reason and Logic.
However, I would like to point out that the USDYN's Office of Don't Fuck This Up Now would like to point out that some of the nasty racism from certain white gay people against black people, especially after exit polls revealed numbers pointing to a 70% vote in favor of prop 8 among African-Americans (as to their validity, I cannot vouch and I point out that it took enough people of all races to pass 8). In the collective national vein-popping rage, there has been some very hateful invective. Rod 2.0 also points out that the Free Republic crazies and other right wingers are loving this.
White gay racism has always been with us, just as the racism of every person of differing shades against people who are not like them, regardless of sexual orientation. However, this defeat has brought up the torrent underlying the minds of some folks.
I don't offer an olive branch to those who voted on yes, and I can't simply turn the other cheek and try to love my enemies, but it really pisses me off to see our own community being so virulently hateful. I am no saint, but I am grateful I did not drop the N-bomb. Religion was the largest factor in the Prop 8 win; race was not.
It especially puts black LGBTs in a difficult position. They've faced hate from their own communities, and are facing hatred from white gay people now. One of my favorite bloggers, Pam Spaulding, has been a target of this hatred; so have others like Jasmyne Cannick.
We have allies in every community, and both Truth Wins Out, No On 8 and the People for the American Way have called for y'all to quit it.
2 comments:
Very well said. As trite as it sounds, the enemy here is ignorance and fear. This election, and the votes on measures in other states, just demonstrate how much work we have to do to educate people.
BTW, mark your calendar: KO's Special Comment on Monday will be on the Prop 8 vote.
I have to disagree with you.
As activists, it's their responsibility to address the issue of homophobia in their community.
They never sought permission to address homophobia in their community before No On 8, so the notion that they were waiting for the No On 8 campaign or the white gay activist community for their marching orders is a lame excuse.
Actions have consequences; they have to face the consequences from their lack of action.
That said or wrote, take a looksie at this SF Chronicle piece:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/10/MNU1140AQQ.DTL&type=printable
According to SFGATE.com, "the campaign was afraid it would get smeared by allegations tying homosexuality to pedophilia" if they ran ads discussing children.
Astonishing that something from the 1950's and 60's can still be used as an effective weapon in the present.
Now who do we blame for that? Why the gay community of course for keeping that fear alive.
If there is any good to come of this, it's that people are finally to wake up to the fact that their leadership has failed them and they didn't wait for them to get their shit together.
Because they know they would have kept on waiting.
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