Take a look at this article. Apparently Prop. 8 opponents are upset with African-Americans for overwhelmingly voting (70 to 80 percent) for Prop. 8 in California, which will amend the state constitution to only allow one-man, one-woman marriage. The following took place at anti-Prop. 8 rallies.
It was like being at a klan rally except the klansmen were wearing Abercrombie polos and Birkenstocks. YOU N*, one man shouted at men. If your people want to call me a F*, I will call you a n*. Someone else said same thing to me on the next block near the temple…me and my friend were walking, he is also gay but Korean, and a young WeHo clone said after last night the n* better not come to West Hollywood if they knew what was BEST for them.
[…]
Three older men accosted my friend and shouted, “Black people did this, I hope you people are happy!” A young lesbian couple with mohawks and Obama buttons joined the shouting and said there were “very disappointed with black people” and “how could we” after the Obama victory. This was stupid for them to single us out because we were carrying those blue NO ON PROP 8 signs! I pointed that out and the one of the older men said it didn’t matter because “most black people hated gays” and he was “wrong” to think we had compassion. That was the most insulting thing I had ever heard. I guess he never thought we were gay.
[…]
“I have received several phone calls from Blacks, both gay and straight, who were caught up in Westwood around the time of that march. From being called ‘niggers’ to being accosted in their cars and told that it was because of ‘you people gays don’t have equal rights and you better watch your back,’ these gays have lost their d* minds.”
UPDATE: PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE FROM A POLICE OFFICER AT THE LA TEMPLE. Peaceful young women trying to remove hateful signs from around the temple were beaten by anti Prop. 8 protesters.
Look, some of this is just anger from fringe groups and fringe people. If you went to many conservative demonstrations, you’d see some crazies there as well, and I wouldn’t want to be judged by their behavior. I believe the vast majority of Prop. 8 opponents are people who sincerely feel they are rallying against discrimination for an oppressed group. I don’t agree with their viewpoint, but I respect them and don’t accuse them of these tactics. But for anybody who thinks all of the fringe types are in the “racist, homophobic Mormon church,” well, read the attached.
Here is another article: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-cannick8-2008nov08,0,3669070.story
I think it bears pointing out something that was discussed on another thread. That is, the increased black turnout for Obama did NOT cause Prop. 8 to pass. Here is the math:
The black vote was 20 percent higher than normal because of Obama. So, if African-Americans make up 6.2 percent of California’s population, that’s an additional 1.24 percent of total voters. (6.2 percent times .2). 70 percent of them voted yes. That’s .868 percent of the vote that in theory would be additional. The measure won by five points. It still would have passed without the additional black vote.
Add to that the additional turnout of enthusiastic white liberals voting for Obama (and voting against prop. 8), and the increased black vote was probably canceled out.
Blaming Prop 8’s passage on African-Americans doesn’t make much sense.
Good point Geoff, although clearly African Americans voted substantially for Prop 8.
I think the contempt for African-Americans is somewhat misdirected on this one. Interestingly, Hispanics voted 3-1 for Obama, and approximately 3-1 for Prop. 8.
Skaught, actually, the figures I saw showed Hispanics voted about 55-45 for Prop. 8.
Another interesting statistic is that homosexuals supported Obama at a lower rate than they did John Kerry.
Aloysius, I’d like to see some proof of that.
With friends and family in California, I watched the recent election battle over Proposition 8 with interest. However, we humans are complicated creatures, so I suspect that for many people (not just me) opinions and feelings about gay marriage are complicated too:
1. As a Christian, I believe that marriage is an eternal institution established by God to be between one man and one woman, and that no government can legitimately alter that.
2. As an American, I believe in democracy and the supremacy of the people. In the U.S., laws are established by the people (through referendums like this one) and through the people’s elected representatives in Congress and state legislatures. The liberal activism of the California Supreme Court offends me.
3. As a person with a close family member living a homosexual lifestyle, I was happy to receive word that he and his long-term domestic partner had decided to marry in San Francisco. Long ago I welcomed his partner in as part of the family, and I love my family member no less because of his lifestyle choices.
I don’t find any contradictions in these seemingly conflicting ideas. As a complicated human being, I can hold these apparently opposing beliefs simultaneously, because they are all grounded in the Gospel of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
For more, please visit the designated conservative at http://dcon2012.wordpress.com/.
Geoff, I’m trying to find the original source now, but Andrew Sullivan reported two days ago that support among homosexuals was Kerry 77% Obama 70%.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/11/lgbt-gop-ctd.html
He’s also posted a few articles that agree with your point that gays are wrongly blaming African Americans for the loss.
Not a Latter-day saint, but a fellow Christian, gets her cross stomped on.
Interesting how the “alternative lifestyle” folks demand tolerance and understanding but fail to give the same. They simply show what an infantile mentality they have.