A response to the L.A. Times' Jasmyne Cannick about Prop H8

[1/10/08: In this article I berate Jasmyne for voting yes on 8. To clarify, she actually claims that she voted no but didn't feel the need to even casually discuss it with black folks - which I believe to be equally complacent.]

Jasmyne A. Cannick of the LA Times writes:

I am black. I am a political activist who cares deeply about social justice issues. I am a lesbian. This year, I canvassed the streets of South Los Angeles and Compton, knocking on doors, talking politics to passers-by and working as I never had before to ensure a large voter turnout among African Americans. But even I wasn't inspired to encourage black people to vote against the proposition.

Yes Jasmyne, because you speak for all gay black people. First of all, you don't. Secondly, why would you have to be inspired to vote against Prop 8 and its inherent social injustice in the first place? With same-sex marriage legal in California up until November 4th, why would your default position be to think that we should place a ban on it? What if Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation and then had that will overturned by the tyranny of the majority? 'Oh, sorry, you're not free; we were just kidding.' That's how gay married couples now feel.

Why? Because I don't see why the right to marry should be a priority for me or other black people. Gay marriage? Please. At a time when blacks are still more likely than whites to be pulled over for no reason, more likely to be unemployed than whites, more likely to live at or below the poverty line, I was too busy trying to get black people registered to vote, period; I wasn't about to focus my attention on what couldn't help but feel like a secondary issue.

Nobody asked you to put money, time, or energy into the Prop 8 campaign. We simply asked you to not help take our rights away by simply voting no. There was a day when you as a black woman could not have married a white man, let alone a woman, but apparently that thought never crossed your mind, nor the thought that with discrimination against gays being what many consider the last acceptable form of bigotry, getting rid of it once and for all would actually boost the social standing of all minority groups. Thanks a lot.

You also didn't consider that Barack Obama was going to be the inevitable winner of the presidency since about the time of the bailout last month. Apparently, that wasn't enough for you. Has your racial agenda overwhelmed your lesbian agenda or what? Your true problem though is that while you're spouting off about how the campaign against 8 didn't do enough to convince you that everyone should have equal rights, you should have known that they are one and the same. Watch the following video from leaders of the black community in Oakland who seem to agree with me.



Did you also see the proponents of Prop 8 (did you notice how 'pale' their spokesperson was?) attempt to again transform a civil rights argument into a religious one? But wait, I was told repeatedly that the Prop 8 people weren't religious zealots. I was told there was separation of church and state. Apparently, I was misinformed on both counts as the will of the duped voters overturned this most fundamental Jeffersonian doctrine of faith and government. And once again, Jefferson was a devout Christian who advocated for a secular republic. So what message does that send exactly?

You also didn't consider the fact that this initiative was put on the ballot by forces whose only goal is the intentional division and conquering of the electorate. The strategists behind Prop 8, Republicans all, hate you too. And they like to tinker with the constitution. Congratulations. You gave them exactly what they wanted and they'll probably be coming for you next. Happy now?

And then there was the little white lie... about a black guy... to both African-American and Latino voters, who according to your commentary, have more important issues to worry about. Do you really think the GLBT community doesn't also share your concerns about the economy, national security, or health care? Do you really think that we gay activists gave up all of our other issues this election cycle for what you seem to consider the 'secondary' issue of marriage equality? The operative word there is 'equality' for if civil unions actually were 'separate but equal,' I likely would have voted yes on 8 too! Just remember: Republicans love it when minorities turn on one another, especially when it was all their idea in the first place. I see they have you right where they want you.

Again Jasmyne, thank you so much for such militant complacency towards a fellow socially-oppressed community, but you don't have to worry about a backlash, do you? African-Americans have full protection under the law, overly aggressive police practices not withstanding (DWB), and well, we gays still don't in many, many places. Did you know that 30 states don't even have job protections for GLBTs?

But wait, aren't you supposed to be a lesbian as well? It's kind of hard to tell through all that complaining about the lack of outreach by No on 8. Wow! The gall they must have had to assume that as a lesbian, you didn't need to be 'reached.' You don't understand that they never saw you for the color of your skin to begin with, just like Dr. King would have wanted. Please pardon them for their ignorance.

SMS