How Obama Bolstered Prop 8 Advocates

Some pundits are suggesting that the high turnout of African-American voters helped assure the passage of California's discriminatory Proposition 8.  Blacks voted for the measure overwhelmingly 70%-30%, while whites narrowly rejected the anti-gay initiative, 51%-49%.  From ABC's Political Blog:  Yes, black Californians who voted for Obama also supported the gay marriage ban by a wide margin... and some may find irony in the idea that as Sen. Obama took a major step forward for civil rights breakthrough his candidacy helped fuel at least in part the restriction of another group's civil rights.  Obama didn't take a hard line against the proposition, routinely stating that he did not support Proposition 8 but personally doesn't believe in gay marriage.  (As Church Lady might have said, "Well isn't that speee-cial?")  While it was politically advantageous for Obama to take this stance during his presidential campaign, it was also disheartening to gay and lesbian Americans.  Every time I heard the President-elect speak about LGBT issues, which he did with some compassion, he inevitably finished up by pronouncing (usually loudly) that he did not support same-sex marriage.  At televangelist Rick Warren's highly publicized fundie forum, Obama said, "I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman.  Now, for me as a Christian, it's also a sacred union. God's in the mix."  I took this to mean that, in Barack Obama's view, the 27-year committed relationship I have with my partner is essentially godless, and therefore spiritually inconsequential.  (His remarks also gave short shrift to millions of gay and lesbian couples who indentify as Christians.)  And if I took it to mean that, I'm certain that the majority of black churchgoers who heard him speak those words drew similar conclusions.  From Pam's House Blend:  ... if someone wants to talk about the reason WHY so many black people voted "yes" on 8, that would be a different story.  We could have a civil conversation about that, because that's asking questions of those who voted "yes", not of some fictitious "community" that's easy to place the blame on.  We should also talk about why so many old people voted "yes", why so many religious people voted "yes".  You get the point.  We should be looking at what factors cause people to forget freedom and equality.  I'm certain that "blackness" is not one of those factors.

The reason why some gays find the disproportionate number of African-Americans voting for Prop 8 so galling is because it seems logical to assume that the black community - and indeed all people of color - would be more likely to understand what it feels like to be discriminated against.  And it's hard not to feel slighted by their lack of empathy. 

Barack Obama's faith-based approach to the issue might have played well to African-American churchgoers already targeted by Yes On 8's deceptive ad campaign - but the election is over now, and I'll be curious to see what steps (if any) our new president takes to secure legal rights for all those "unsacred" unions held together by sheer love and determination - and without the benefit of marriage licenses.

Comments

[Lauren Johnson]

>>>The reason why some gays find the disproportionate number of African-Americans voting for Prop 8 so galling is because it seems logical to assume that the black community - and indeed all people of color - would be more likely to understand what it feels like to be discriminated against. And it's hard not to feel slighted by their lack of empathy.<<<<

I cant believe that some people are shocked by this. These types of ballot measures have been going on for how many years with African-Americans voting this way? Many people ( including myself ) saw this coming... when we tried to point this out we generally were shunned out, called "racist", considered "boat rockers", and told this will never pass since its Califonia and not Jesusland. Sometimes it really does suck to be proven right when you dont want to be.

For those that are still stunned by this and cant figure out why African-Americans voted for Prop 8 the way they did.... I suggest talking to some GLBT African-Americans and see just how against the black community is for GLBT rights and the struggles they go through to not only be an outcast to society in general but by their own race as well.

The California GLBT community will soon be forgotten by the DNC and President elect Obama now that the election is over, nor will they be remembered until it comes time to make finacial contributions for 2010 and even 2012. Perhaps the California GLBT community should forget about those two by not contributing and abstaining from voting in US Congressional races in California the DNC and Obama consider "safe" in 2010 to return the favor? Wouldnt Pelosi especially just love that?

But then again, the average American voter has a short memory. I am sure those in Washington who want our votes and money, but not our issues are counting on just that.

[Max P.]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Lauren.

[Ramsey]

I just wrote a lengthy and detailed report on the history of the black community and gay marriage.

http://socialdysfunction.ramseyisler.com/2008/11/09/blacks-hate-gay-people-maybe-maybe-not-facts-and-figures/

In short, it shows that if you compare a number of factors, including results from other gay marriage bans, blacks weren’t any more in favor of bans than whites. In fact, in many cases they were slightly more in favor of gay marriage.

[Lauren Johnson]

The spin and deflection begins... Next we'll here how the Mormon Church was only protecting the sanctity of marriage and children. ;)

[Maria Montano]

While I was very sad about prop 8, I think the analysis of the media in portraying it as Obamas fault for it passing, or saying it was because of the high African American turnout is false. Have a look at Nate Silver (data crunching genius in my opinion) had to say about it:

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/11/prop-8-myths.html

I agree with his conclusion that overall its more of a generational issue, and as the younger generation takes over as a majority in the near future we will see these marriage bans over turned.

[ClubPenguin]

In short, it shows that if you compare a number of factors, including results from other gay marriage bans, blacks weren’t any more in favor of bans than whites. In fact, in many cases they were slightly more in favor of gay marriage.