Stronzo, I do think we're on the same page on some level.
I do agree that there's a major problem with the African American community and their perception towards gays & lesbians in this country. That can't be denied because it has always been there for as long as I can remember. However, I can't stand it when certain Facequeens bring up the subject as if they were the deciding factor in the passing of Prop 8.
Loud and clear. Check your pms in a few.
Because as a gay man (and I'm sure you can vouch for this as well), people who don't like gays & lesbians cross all races. It's not as if there's some magical racial demographic that is all loving and all understanding on this issue. I've been attacked verbally and physically by many people of different colors about being gay, and they all have certain characteristics that are the same.
1. They're Heterosexual or identify themselves as one
2. They are raised in surroundings that puts very high regard to religion
When the Facequeens of our world point out the 75% of black people who voted in California for the passing of prop 8, they only point to about 750,000 people. What about the other 4 million plus that voted for it as well? What about their races and why isn't their skin color such a factor? The reality is, we shouldn't be looking at this issue as a racially divided one at all. Looking at most things on a racial scale usually never gets to the real source of the problem. I already listed 2 things that the mass majority of the people who voted yes on the measure share. We should be focused on that instead of putting the magnifying glass on just the African Americans and only fixing essentially 1/4th of the problem.
You have a unique perspective in this VinylBoy to which I am not
personally privy firshand. I have consummate respect for that.
The thing that's gotten me.. I mean really stuck in my craw VB ... is that I realize historically black Americans have had little offered them in the way of community. The early black Church (the white man's religion though it was) became a safe haven. I get that. I'm glad it was there.
But you and I as gay men know that Christianity (as do most religions) corrupt human nature (at least I'm assuming you do by what you write). I'm not anti-Christianity nor am I necessarily anti-religion. I'm anti-STUPIDITY. So wherever that puts me in the religious spectrum I accept that placement.
I have two houses in Massachusetts.
One is very isolated and pretty much heaven (should there be such a thing :wink
on earth.
The other is an 18th century house in a multi-racial neighborhood. It's the oldest house in the city and my other half and I bought it because of it's worn beauty and historical significance. We've owned it just ten years now. We've watched this diverse neighborhood change remarkably in these ten years. I was naive enough to believe (I swear .. no lie) that coming into this neighborhood those ten years ago we'd encounter (since largely the neighborhood is peopled by black residents) an acceptance since both blacks and gays are minorities.
Yup. I was naive. When in my all-white neighborhood no one's ever once yelled "fuckin' faggot" at me. In the city neighborhood I've heard it easily six times. It cuts like a knife as I'm sure you can imagine.
I
hate what white America has done to black Americans to somehow make black males (by the way I've never seen so much closeted homosexual activity in my life since I bought the house in the city) think they have to somehow promote some nonsensical notion of masculinity. Additionally I realize that from a generational standpoint it's white Americans who have relegated black American males to promote UBER masculinity in their ranks.
Please understand me when I tell you I mean black Americans NO offense.. but I gotta tell ya the Prop 8 thing did throw me. Should it be harped on as the sole reason it passed?
No. The Mormons (people who believed Joseph Smith found gold plates in the New York State woods!!
) ought to be held most accountable in my view since they hurled immense amounts of money at its passing. And the Mormons only included black men in their priesthood in the 1970s I believe.
Anyhow check your pm. I do believe we're on the same page.