Proposition Hate.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. I am from Jamaica, one of the most homophobic places on the planet, and my daddy was a preacher, so don't ask me how I got to this place, and developed this mindset. A mindset that says in spite of the fact that I don't equate the LGBT movement with the civil rights movement; it doesn't mean that I don't see the nobility of their cause, or the fundamental unfairness of those who would oppose it. I can understand how someone who is Gay could feel as strong as they do about their civil rights as citizens. It is, after all, their struggle and their humanity that is being questioned.

So let's talk about Proposition 8 out in California for a minute: This ballot proposition which would amend the California state Constitution and make it illegal for two people of the same sex to get married. To be more specific, the language says that it's purpose is "to eliminate rights of same sex couples to marry." Interesting. To "eliminate" the right of two adult individuals to marry each other. Two adult individuals! And here is the kicker: this proposed ballot amendment did get a yes vote; so now it is alright to eliminate the rights of same sex couples in California to get married.

Now here is the irony: This little ballot initiative could not have won a YES vote without the overwhelming support of the African American community out in Cali. Seems the pim....I mean the preachers told their congregations in no uncertain terms to vote YES for this amendment, or California would become a modern day Sodom & Gomorrah. But this one we wouldn't destroy with fire and brimstone, this one we would destroy with the power of the vote. Nope, can't have those Gay sinners defiling our precious institutions, that's the preacher's job.

[Non monolithic alert!] But black folks, how soon you forget. Here is the other bit of irony: the very LDS church you teamed up with to get this amendment passed didn't even consider your black asses good enough to be priests in their own church just a few short years ago. Now here you are teaming up with them to support bigotry and discrimination. Sorry family, I will have to part with you on this one. I don't care how many of you came out and pushed YES for proposition 8, that shit was just wrong. And I know that there are certain complexities within the LGBT community (such as the treatment of LGBT minorities by whites in that group), which needs to be addressed ( see "dark moon's" comments about this issue on the thread a couple of posts back), but that's for another time. The crap that is going on now is all that I am concerned with.

Over seventeen million dollars? Wow! Bigotry is sure getting expensive these days. Whatever happened to the days when you could just cut up some sheets, hook up a make shit cross and just burn the motherfucker? I guess times have changed. But field, the people voted for it, what's your problem, don't you believe in democracy? From the early 1600's to 1865 A-merry-cans universally accepted slavery, but that didn't make it right. Oh come on field are you equating slavery to two men or women not being able to marry each other? They can still have civil unions, why do they have to call it marriage? I guess, and we can all still drink the same water, what's wrong with separate drinking fountains?