So if she stood up there and said "Black people shouldn't be allowed to marry" you'd have written the same article
defending her?
The above is a comment posted on CNN commenter Roland Martin's article about Ms. California's anti gay marriage answer at the Miss Usa competition. Roland addresses how people are funny actin and claim that we all want someone to "keep it real and honest" but when Ms. California gave her honest opinion she "gets attacked at every angle for it." Roland proceeds to call Perez Hilton a "drama queen posing as a wannabe journalist who ratchets up unimportant material for publicity."
Wow.
Okay. So now I kinda agree with the whole funny actin people part. Our society is filled with flip-floppy, fickle, hypocritical, gullible people. We claim to want one thing, but can't handle it when we get it. We stand up against one injustice, but feed into others. It's sad but I get it. BUT there's a huge difference in wanting full honesty from a person and not agreeing with the underlying message beneath that honesty. I applaud Ms. California for having the balls to represent a state filled with the most gay people per square inch and still give the answer that she gave. Kudos to YOU Ms. CA cuz honey trust and believe that WE (pointing to all the gay cali folk and straight allies) are evil-eyein you like crazy rite now & i know it makes you uncomfie. So yea, claps & whistles for being brave & honest. But that doesn't stop me from despising her take on the issue.
Now relating it back to that comment in red up above, i really really wish people wouldn't even go there. Roland Martin is a seemingly straight black man in America. Being gay is not an attribute of his. He has never been persecuted for it. He has never struggled with it. This doesn't mean he hates gay people. It does mean that he identifies with being black and does not identify with being gay. Duh. They are two entirely different things. One is sexuality, the other is race. One some people believe is a choice (ridiculous as it sounds), the other is obviously not a choice and can not be dodged or covered up unless you have the $$$ for bleaching treatments. (I don't reccommend) Black people have fought through loads of crap for hundreds of years and will continue to fight through loads of crap for hundreds of years. (No, President Obama & Michelle can't fix it all no matter how much I love them.) Gay people have fought through our own brand of crap for hundreds of yrs and it shows no sign of stopping. It may not be as heavily documented, as easily accessible, or on such a mass level as the degradation of an entire race BUT there's no denying that gay rights have been severely stifled. So each group of people (blacks, gays and Lord help those of us who are black AND gay) has the right to feel angry and passionate about our own causes. So why do some feel the need to mix and mingle them? They have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Im a young, black, liberal lesbian and I believe in many causes across the board. They all mean something to me, they're all worth a fight and all the problems that come along with being young, black, liberal and a lesbian piss me off. I will not push one down for the other. I will not tolerate being persecuted for being gay while fighting against racism. I wont say that the black struggle is the same as the gay struggle. Each one holds its own weight and importance on a social and a personal level and I will give both issues the respect they deserve. Why can't others do the same? What are your thoughts?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
When it comes to civil rights, I do believe that being black and being gay is the same thing. Throw in being female, or disabled and you have a room full of people that are constantly discriminated against. Like you said, those are all things that people didn't chose.
Gays are really behind with their civil rights. It irritates me when straight black people can't see how parallel the struggle is.
Thank you Alix! "It irritates me when straight black people can't see how parallel the struggle is."
It more than irritates me! Of course they are not the SAME, but you used the perfect word...PARALLEL. It really frustrates me. Sigh.
And good for Miss California for being honest, but I still don't get how she can emphasize American states having the RIGHT to CHOOSE, when individual American CITIZENS can't CHOOSE themselves. Oh, the irony. If you don't believe marriage should be between same-sex people, then YOU don't marry someone of the same sex! Arghhhhh. I don't believe in marriage, does that mean I go around petitioning saying that no one, straight or gay, should get married? Absolutely not.
Wanda Sykes was on Ellen talking about how she never had to "come out black". She's a jokester, so ofcourse she mad it funny...but that is so true.
I think it's all a civil rights issue. While the black and gay struggles have differences. I would think that of all people, black people would understand what it is like to be discriminated against because of who you are and who God made you to be.
The struggle is so similiar. I will never agree with those who claim it's an entirely different thing. It isn't, especially when you represent BOTH communities being represented in the struggle. They are different, but parallel. In fact, you have inspired a short blog for me. Thank you!
I'm with Alix and Knowledge on this one...
"When it comes to civil rights, I do believe that being black and being gay is the same thing. Throw in being female, or disabled and you have a room full of people that are constantly discriminated against. Like you said, those are all things that people didn't chose.
Gays are really behind with their civil rights. It irritates me when straight black people can't see how parallel the struggle is."
"he struggle is so similiar. I will never agree with those who claim it's an entirely different thing. It isn't, especially when you represent BOTH communities being represented in the struggle. They are different, but parallel. In fact, you have inspired a short blog for me. Thank you!"
That's exactly how I feel. I don't ever want to feel like I have to choose! Just like during the beginning of this past election. When Hilary was running for pres. I identify as a feminist and all as well as a Black WOMAN but, I did not want to feel like I had to choose. The election shouldn't have been about race or gender any damn way. but, that's a whole other can of worms.
Post a Comment