Blacks and Gay Marriage

Jasmyne Cannick and Jamie Kirchik go at it over how much of a priority gay marriage should be for the gay rights movement. Hmm, I think--just off the top--I'm with Jamie--it probably should be a big priority. I'm not married. Been with the same woman for ten years now, and we've got a beautiful black boy who's gonna turn eight this year (Maybe I'll throw up a picture, if I can find a good one). But we both have our qualms about marriage and weddings, which I'd gladly expound on in another thread.

That said, I think marriage is such a core institution in this country, that it's hard for me not to see why it's a top priority for so many gays. Segregation affected every black person in the country. The North didn't have signs, but there is a long history of housing covenants which enforced segregation. Anyway, I think gay marriage is a similar issue--it bans all gay people from an institution that's central to American life. That said. People need to stop putting words in Jasmyne's mouth--at no point in her piece does she claim that gay marriage is racist.  Fight her on the merits--or lack of merits--of her argument. Strawmanship only makes it look like you have something to hide.