California Says Hell No to Same Sex Marriage
There is so much confusion and apprehension behind these words. First, it’s not my intention to in any way step on Mr. Amani’s toes as I am wading in the shallow end of his pool. Also, I am not a biblical nor a gay rights scholar, so I cannot bring you the depth of thought, experience or knowledge this piece probably deserves. However, as I toggled between subjects for my next delivery to Hoodgrown, this issue stood front and center.
In the weeks leading up to this historical election, I kept up with two races; the Presidential race and Georgia’s senate race. I honestly had no idea Proposition 8, a measure to ban gay marriage in California, was being fiercely and expensively fought thousands of miles from me. I learned later that similar legislation was on two other state ballots, but it is California’s struggle with this issue that captivated me.
Of course, my first thought was why can’t these folks in California make up their damn minds? I thought this was already decided. Didn’t Ellen marry that Porsha girl? Why are they still fighting about this? Again, as someone who has never been to California, I always thought of it as one of the few places in this country where gays could collect and live without all the bigoted rhetoric and restrictions that plague…. well… almost everywhere else. I guess I was wrong.
The most mystifying part of the passage of this proposition was the percentage of the black vote that made it happen. As we were drawn to the poles in record numbers to vote for President Elect Obama, we put our stamp on other races that happened to be occurring at the same time. Its being reported that African-Americans sided with the ban to the tune of 70%. So as we accepted and praised the new day, the change, the hope and all the other awesome semantics that came with electing our first African-American President; we totally shut down those same dreams for another group; a group that is not mutually exclusive to us. In one breath we said “Yes We Can” and “No You Can’t.” The irony of it all is quite disturbing, but probably lost on those who voted Yes.
Look, I don’t know what its like to be gay; just like I don’t know what its like to be an Eskimo. However, I do know that as I walk in my shoes I have no tolerance for unnecessary obstacles in my path; obstacles put there just because I am black or a woman. And I can see past the differences far enough to know that other folks feel the same way. So as throngs of citizens spend their time determining how someone else should live and then funnel millions of dollars into making sure they get a say in how someone else should live, I sit in astonishment.
I mean what kind of issue is this? Seriously. Is this a religious issue? I can understand how a country founded by the religious, but for religious freedom could be a little confused. Is it an ethical issue? I mean they said there was a lot of Mormon money funneled into the fight. I can also see how a group of people who rally for the ability of their elders to marry and impregnate children could be a little confused too. Many a black pastor claimed the proliferation of gay marriages could ruin the black family structure. I’ve always found this a topic worth discussion. However, would that be in the same way addiction, poor public education, an unfair justice system and all the other accoutrements of black life in this country have affected the family unit? And if the marriage ban sticks, do they think gay couples will immediately break up and begin living straight lives? I’m no expert, but I don’t think so. It’s way too convoluted for me to point fingers of blame, but clear enough for me to realize that path of logic is the abyss of oversimplifying.
You don’t have to agree with the “lifestyle”. You don’t have to participate in the lifestyle. You don’t have to know any g2y people. You don’t have to like any gay people. But what you should try to do is realize we all have lives to live and we should all have the ability to live them as close to happily as possible. So while your busy thumpin’ folks over the head with your dust covered, ain’t been opened since May of ‘96 bible; stop coveting what your neighbor has, taking the Lords name in vain and disrespecting your ‘rents.
So as the vote by mail ballots, law suits and appeals start to flood in; I think about those two little old ladies who got married in June and were immediately embraced by the media. The pair had been together for 50-something years maybe? These are the people they are fighting; these two little old ladies who by the estimations of many don’t have the right to live their final days as they please.
Not only is that amazing, but it’s amazingly sad.
Shelz…
Great blog Shelz! And lol @ “…my intention to in any way step on Mr. Amani’s toes as I am wading in the shallow end of his pool.”
Actually, this blogs proves that you are quite deep in my pool! lol!
As has been said by many that black folk are a “spiritual” people. Talking to black people, I think their angst against Prop 8 is rooted in a religious tradition, that holds us bound to those very few scriptures, which “appear” to be a condemnation of homosexuality. The Bible speaks against many things as “sin,” including eating pork, shrimp, not honoring the Sabbath (Saturday), etc. Of course, we have answers for these “sins,” like Jesus did away with the law and so on….says who?
Historically speaking, this same dusty Bible in our homes was used to justify slavery! And indeed, there are seemingly valid scripture to support white people’s dominance over Africans. But, we as a people said, “hell no!” This is not what God wants!
Today, there is a wide body of secular and religious figures who are arduously trying to deconstruct the Bible’s polemic against homosexuality, to the dismay of a long religious tradition that has taught that homosexuality is indeed “sinful.” We hold this law above more egregious acts like “abortion” (murder). Something in us cannot fathom the thought that two men or two women could actually be attracted to each other and still be “normal.”
Many LGBT folk are offended with the term “lifestyle” (as we heteros see it). They say “lifestyle” involves “choice.” And they feel like it isn’t a choice no more than being black is a choice! This is how they were born.
Props to you on this blog! Thought-provoking & sensitive… I’m bewildered (and understanding of that 70% black vote against Prop
Religion is a mutha! …a thing that make you go hmmmm?
ma u know i think u fine as all hell but cali did wut da fuck dey was supposed to do. two niggas shouldnt be gettin fuckin married. two bitches either. fuck wat the stick mouth king khalil says. niggas no dat shit to and dats why dat shit aint go down. u heard me. i said niggas no dat shit to and dats why dat shit aint go down.
imma do my part to get rid of dese homo niggas.
yes we can.
ha@yes we can. not sure thats what Obama had in mind tho… and its not my job to decide whether those folks should get married. folks feel its immoral, but should we be legislating morality? my opinion is just that. my opinion. i dont think my opinion should be law.
hell yea dats wut obama had in mind. change is comin. we gonna change dese faggots into straight niggas again or dey gonna have to go undaground like terrorist. u heard me. i said we gonna change dese faggots into straight niggas again or dey gonna have to go undaground like terrorist.
yes we can
I may be late as hell on this blog however it does amaze me how we as a black community can say “Yes we can” and “um but you can’t” These same people screaming about the family structure are blind. Can you count at least 10 of your friends who had both parents in their lives? It is not my right to tell you no you can’t date that man because he makes more money than you. Or no you are black and she is white and thats not right. So what is different? Oh wait the fact that we can’t procreate there are heterosexual couples who don’t want kids anyway. There are also those who can’t/won’t stop creating leaving me and my tax dollars to care for them….Or is it the fact that one day you may have to sit down and talk to your kids about the birds and the bees ( which that one right there doesn’t make any sense either)
My mother is a strong christian and she embraced every teenager, young adult who parents shut them out. The gave them a place to stay when they kicked them out. We will be judged by the life we lived here on earth. We will be judged ALONE. I’m not sure if you can call up your homeboi to the front of the line and say “Ask Him, he’ll tell you I was good” Can you imagine Jesus comming back screaming “THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT!” Love is the key word. Two people love each other. How can rappers/preacher etc scream one love but hate other people??? I can go on and on but I love my life. I am blessed. B-Girl Popper HazeElements R.I.P my little brother
First, why does that dude keep repeating himself at the end of his sentences? Is that supposed to emphasize the apparent ignorance he is spouting? If so dude, stop it. I don’t need to know how dumb u r twice. The constitution of this country is founded on the premise that there is separation between church and state. Is marriage a legal issue or a moral issue. Well, I’ve been married twice and both times I did not think about how God viewed it or how the government considered me, I got married cause I loved my man. And I think that is why most people first get married. Later comes the “looking out for our future” kind of thing. I said this to say, while I believe love is a “spiritual” issue, in that we connect (if it is right) spiritually. But spirit doesn’t give a damn what package it comes in and neither should we. It is not any ones business who or how I love whoever I love, just that I have the freedom to do it in the way my “spirit ” tells me to do it. Marriage, shack, swing, it is not the business of the church to condone it or the state to condemn it. It is self righteous fuckery and that is that.