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Blacks, Homophobia and Prop 8
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Commenter Martin wrote in the following on another thread:
A few things:
1.) Here are the SUSA poll numbers which do, indeed, show an appallingly high level of support for Prop 8 among black folks.
2.) If you look back, I never argued that blacks were going to be particularly supportive of Prop 8, so much as I noted the relatively small number of blacks in the electorate of California.. Blacks make up around 7 percent of Cali's pop--there are roughly double as many Asian-Americans (a lot of whom oppose Prop 8) in Cali as there are African-Americans, and many more Latinos (a lot of whom support Prop 8).
3.) Brothers we have a problem: All of the demographic points aside (controlling for income, religion, education etc.), it's very difficult to not be disturbed by all of this. It's sort of sick actually--all our experience with discrimination in this country hasn't made us any wiser. Right, it didn't make the Irish any wiser either, I got that. But, I once heard Bill Cosby say something that rang emotionally true for me, and I'm going to paraphrase. I'm black--I rooted for Doug Williams in the Super Bowl--not John Elway. I want what's best for my team. I want us on the right side of history.
Also, this is one of the reasons why we, as black folks--and frankly me as a black person--should resist the temptation to get all self-righteous about white racism. I still think that if Prop 8 passes, black folks won't be the decisive factor. But, you know me, I'd rather us not even be in the conversation.
TNC
I'm gonna have to side with Sully on the black homophobia argument.on CA Prop 8 shows that African Americans are the largest non-political/non-theological demographic in support of Prop 8 - larger even than the at-large over 65 population.
I look at all of these pro-8 arguments and they look exactly the same as the arguments used to oppose interracial marriage. Maybe the move in CA should have been to put up a competing amendment banning both gay and interracial marriage, just to drive the history lesson home.
A few things:
1.) Here are the SUSA poll numbers which do, indeed, show an appallingly high level of support for Prop 8 among black folks.
2.) If you look back, I never argued that blacks were going to be particularly supportive of Prop 8, so much as I noted the relatively small number of blacks in the electorate of California.. Blacks make up around 7 percent of Cali's pop--there are roughly double as many Asian-Americans (a lot of whom oppose Prop 8) in Cali as there are African-Americans, and many more Latinos (a lot of whom support Prop 8).
3.) Brothers we have a problem: All of the demographic points aside (controlling for income, religion, education etc.), it's very difficult to not be disturbed by all of this. It's sort of sick actually--all our experience with discrimination in this country hasn't made us any wiser. Right, it didn't make the Irish any wiser either, I got that. But, I once heard Bill Cosby say something that rang emotionally true for me, and I'm going to paraphrase. I'm black--I rooted for Doug Williams in the Super Bowl--not John Elway. I want what's best for my team. I want us on the right side of history.
Also, this is one of the reasons why we, as black folks--and frankly me as a black person--should resist the temptation to get all self-righteous about white racism. I still think that if Prop 8 passes, black folks won't be the decisive factor. But, you know me, I'd rather us not even be in the conversation.
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