Black Support For Prop. 8 Called Exaggeration

San Fransico Chronicle:

Reports of overwhelming African American support for Proposition 8's ban on same-sex marriage were exaggerated in exit polls, a new look at the November election results has found.

"Party identification, age, religiosity and political view had much bigger effects than race, gender or having gay and lesbian family and friends," said Patrick Egan of New York University, who wrote the report with Kenneth Sherrill of Hunter College of New York for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Read the whole story: San Fransico Chronicle

Comments

[vote-obama]

how can total comments=755 but then there are only 4 total pages. something fishy is going on around here.

[jdmba]

Literally, every other comment I submit magically disappears.

Who m o d s this? Why can't H u f f P o publish a list of prohibited words?

[Tanyars5]

i noticed that but I thought it was me...how fast will this story be taken down

[Cybersquirt]

I dunno - why don't they show "deleted posts" in your numbers anymore?

I've given up on complaining. "They" are deaf on this issue.

[jdmba]

You know, I wouldn't have even found this posting if I hadn't been a fan of several commenters. I didn't see any good stories on the cover, so I looked at everybody's comments and ~surprise! This "correction" pushed to the back.

I recommend people fan one another, if they haven't already, just to catch the Huff Po slippin

[jdmba]

You know, I wouldn't have even found this post if I hadn't been a fan of several commenters. I didn't see any good stories on the cover, so I looked at everybody's comments and -- surprise! This "correction" pushed to the back.

I recommend people fan one another, if they haven't already, just to catch the H u f f P o slippin

[jdmba]

I think The Blacks have hijacked another post.

[Tanyars5]

you got that right...ha­hahahahaha­ha....i luv it

[dct1999]

The Blacks are taking over!

[dct1999]

One of my older first cousins is gay. In the 90s he worked for the Gay Men's Health Crisis here in NYC. He quit because of theracism within the organization.

Until gay white people admit that there are numerous bigots within their ranks, they can S...T...F.­..U with their civil rights analogies.

BTW, I think that gay marriage is a basic human right. I don't know why anyone wants to prohibit two consenting adults from getting married.

[harriettubman]

That's the point. They go around shouting in people's faces about what they "better" do while harboring the ra*is*t doctrine they learned at home. When oppressed don't oppress someone else because it will come back to bite. There are a lot of black folks, even gays, who say they will never forget the treatment they received after the defeat of Prop 8. The REAL person in them came out. So much for the cause.

[oafishcad]

They. Them. Got it. Heard it before.

[sweetwhine]

I find that utterly ridiculous. How can gay people be racist? How! Someone please explain it to me. I never understood that one.

[SeanGardner]

The "blame the black people" narrative was created to cover up for the fact that the self-appointed white gay leaders of the anti-PROP 8 effort didn't campaign vigorously in communitities of color. They simply didn't. They were out-organized, out-hustled, and out-maneuvered by White Mormons who did intensive retail politicking at churches, restaurants, schools, houses, grocery stores, apartments, parks, and other places in the black community.

The mormons phone-banked, emailed, postal-mailed, and visited places repeatedly on the same day. I know lots of people all over Los Angeles County. Friends of mine who live in the mostly white parts of the county got phone calls and visits from the anti-PROP 8 crowds. But folks I know in the mostly black and latino parts got virtually nothing from them, and instead saw momons walking around in their communities.

All of this begs the question: did the self-appointed white leadership of the anti-PROP 8 effort not aggressively target black and latino votes because they figured they would vote for the measure, or because they figured they wouldn't need them to get it passed?

I think the black citizens of California deserve an explanation why African-Americans (gay and straight) who participated in anti-PROP 8 rallies were treated harshly by "some" white gays, and were even called the N-word: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pam-spaulding/the-n-bomb-is-dropped-on_b_142363.html.

[diogenes1967]

I wish that Rick warren and the Mormon Church would come into my homestate (IL) and try some of the dirty tricks they pulled in California. The 2 most famous pastors in IL: Jesse Jackson and Jeremiah Wright. I am not sure where Jackson stands on the issue, Wright supports civil unions and has actually officiated same-sex marriage ceremonies.

It seems like in California the liberal are really liberal and the conservatives are really conservative. Maybe it's not the best place to try this.

I think in Michigan the numbers against gay marriage were 58-42 or 59-41 or something like that. Thing is, the numbers in wayne County (which includes Detroit which is 80% black) the black vote against gay marriage broke down along the same lines and the statewide polls. If we are going to put this on the ballot, the Midwest may be a better place to try. I think Illinois is more liberal than California, by and large.

[singforpeace]

It's about time! All the coverage was based on one station (CNN's) exit polling. The racist vitriol that came as a backlash was shameful. The ease with which the blame was thrown the way of black folks is why many of us who are black and LGBT find it hard to feel truly included in what is also our fight. As a community, black folks have a ways to go to get beyond our homophobia, but as this report shows, my community is not "to blame" for the loss on the Prop 8 issue. Now, let's all get to work and overturn Prop 8! We have to work to overturn DOMA in order to truly achieve equal rights in civil marriage. So, time for some real unity!

[Tanyars5]

I am not feeling all that kumbuya stuff.....­....I have never been interested in gay marriage and working with a organization that doesn't like blacks is the last thing I need to do.......g­ood luck getting other gay black people to join your club
DOMA and gay marriage is the last thing I am worried about.....­...

[diogenes1967]

Tanya, understand (and I think you do) that not every gay person is like those WeHo queens that were hurling racial obscenities after the passage of Prop 8. In fact most of them are not like that. Sure there is racism in the gay community, but that's true of all communities (even within the black community, heck, even within the black gay community). Sure hurtful things have been said that will take a long time to forgive but we got work to do.

[iwantpie]

co-signing.

[FaceYourFears]

Hello!

[politicalgenius]

another co-sign

[hopefullee]

I'm glad this article came out. Nate Silver, shortly after the election, said the divide was based more on age than race.

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/11/prop-8-myths.html

[oafishcad]

We could make a big list of all the groups who collectively helped pass bigotry into law in California. Blacks would be one of those listed. Others would pass them in numbers and in percentage. They would still be on the list. Someone earlier posted that the black community seems to be held to a higher standard. I think they're right. Gays thought blacks knew better. Gays were wrong. Black gays are marginalized as much as white gays by their own communities. Holding blacks to higher standard was wrong. The black community was as bigoted as the white community and all the other communities of bigotry that think they have the right to vote away the humanity of gay people. People have the power to vote away another's humanity, they will never have the right to do so.

[diogenes1967]

I am beginning to think of this as a California problem and the fact that there is a lot of stratification between black communities and gay communities there. In Chicago it has become quite a bit different

There was a story about a year ago of a shooting at a prty on the Soth Side (primarily an AA community). It was little reported in the mainstream media until someone contacted the gay media and informed them that there were gay people at the party. It was the gay media that pounced on the story and scooped the main Chicago media until the pressed the main newspapers and the TV stations to cover it.

Yeah, there was the typical black homophobia covverage. But the gay media in Chicago also pressured the Chicago Police Dept. to prioritize the case, something the CPD doen't do on the South Side.

Another example, like everywhere else there is gentrification in neighborhoods. There have been stories that all but the upper middle class are being priced out of the Boystown area and that it's changing the complexion of the negihborho­od...on the surface for the better but Boystown is losing it's flavot and becoming yuppified.

So gays have gone and sought housing in other neighborhoods. as a result, in a way, gays and blacks and gays and church folk are all neighbors. And sure there are tensions from time to time but from what I have observed, we are able to get along.

[diogenes1967]

Forgive my spelling.I am not the greatest typist in the world.

[Tanyars5]

hi Dio!!!!!

[jdmba]

Yes, California Black people and Chicago Black people have completely different experiences. CA is still so subconsciously racist and segregated that it doesnt know what to do with itself... That is why all the Black people I know want to leave (including myself).

[sweetwhine]

I find that so amazing. California racist. Wow. Gay racist. Wow. That's an oxymoron.

[jdmba]

I made a comment about how California is notoriously h o s t i l e towards all minorities, but my posts keep getting held up.

All I know is that most of us are trying to plan a mass exodus out of this hypocritcal state.

[Tanyars5]

where are you going? down south?

[diogenes1967]

I am not saying that Chicago and Illinois is that much better but...well­, it is better as far as far this "gays" v. "blacks" question (whatever that is) then from what I am reading here about California. Maybe what the MSM should really do is treat this as a California problem.

So al y'all in Cali, whatever race or sexual orientation you are...y'al­l got issues.

[vote-obama]

add this to the list of things that have been wrongly blamed on black people throughout human history.

[StillIRise]

I can't seem to find the end of the list to add on my add-ons!!!!

[politicalgenius]

As a Black man it seems like the appropriate response to inexplicable things is - "When in doubt, blame the BLACK people."

[Tanyars5]

I am still looking for so called "leaders in the white gay community" to get on MSNBC, FOX and CNN and apologize to black people for all of that race baiting that happened after the election. Not until I see a genuine apology will I be satisfied.­.......

[tr24]

Don't hold your breath on that one. Just like here their own actions or "inactions" will be because of black people.

[dct1999]

To be fair, there were several high profile gay activists who were on TV disavowing the fake exit poll results shortly after election day. One was the man who frequently appears on Real Time With Bill Maher (I don't remember his name).

[Tanyars5]

I did not see that at all.....CN­N, MSNBC and FOX all had some race baiters on ........on­e mans name was Dan another name Wayne.....­......wher­e are they at?

[oafishcad]

White gay community? White? The gay community isn't white. I'm still waiting for the black community to apologize, along with the hispanic, and republican for thinking they can vote the humanity away from gays.

[Broughton]

Don't forget Mormons(White People)

[tr24]

You aren't trying to stifle dissent are you?

[Tanyars5]

Have you not read the previous posts and learned anything? Black people are not hearing you ....give it up........

[vote-obama]

now you include hispanics and republicans in your blame game funny i used to remember it was all about blacks. i predict soon enough you are going to start looking at yourself as one of the reasons why prop 8 failed just give yourself sometime.

[dct1999]

Over 2 million white Californians voted yes on prop 8. Yet the white gay community isn't holding them accountable. Those people are only their parents, siblings, extended family members, friends and neighbors. These are the people that they work with, live with, and interact with on a daily basis. Apparently these people are either blameless, or are permitted to be conservative on social issues.

You want to blame us because we are supposed to automatically feel your pain, even though most of you rarely interact with any black people. Even though many of you are hatefilled bigots.

Tell me why we are supposed to run to the polls and approve your insular agenda that only benefits affluent white gays.

[iwantpie]

Agreed. They need to apologize to all blacks and to PE Obama for all the hate over their fail attend to pass gay marriage. Which I do oppose done the less, but I will not organize against the banned unless it is on the ballot I will vote no to gay marriage.

[Tanyars5]

Why is this news? Someone want to know how blacks feel about this issue? Guess what black people don't forget hate......­.......

[oafishcad]

It was the black community that voted yes on hate. Along with the republicans and other groups.

[Broughton]

Don't forget the who advocated Prop8....M­ormon(WHIT­E PEOPLE)

[vote-obama]

the thing you seem to be missing is that the failure of prop 8 was placed solely at the feet of black voters nobody mentioned republicans and other groups so yes a correction by the aforementioned networks is in order.

[peskyliberal]

If every black person in California had voted for Prop 8. (I have it on very good authority that every black person didn't. Because I'm black and voted against Prop 8) it should not have passed.

Today, the California adult population is 46
percent white and 32 percent Latino; the remaining 22 percent are
Asian (12%), black (6%), and other. Yet, seven in 10 California likely
voters are white, only one in six is Latino, and the remainder are
Asian, black, and other.

Stop blaming Black people. Blame churches for preaching hate.

[sweetwhine]

That's a lie.

[iwantpie]

Agreed.

[jdmba]

So since we like to analogize gay rights with the fight for racial equality, let's address that revolutionary tactic known as Turning the Other Cheek. You know, that thing Dr. MLK Jr. did after Blacks were hosed, ly.nched, ki.lled and r@ped, and all? That tactic that made Ghandi famous? Yeah, that one. Well, it worked, quite well.

When Prop 8 passed, the proper reaction was not to blame other minorities. Instead, the more effective reaction is to pursue your goal with renewed passion and dedication, to show love to those who would otherwise disagree with you, to make the circle bigger, rather than smaller. It's not to throw around racial epithets. It is to be strategic in your cause, and forgiving in your outreach. If nothing else, the goal was to retain the support that Gay Rights had, rather than lose it to pointless and unfounded scapegoating.

If we are to compare two movements (which we shouldn't even do because every oppressed group in the world faces unique challenges, and it displays a shocking level of ignorance to attempt to "overshadow" someone else's plight), then we cannot pick and choose the facts that fit.

Black people still have not achieved equality, and that which we have achieved has been slow and painstaking. We have had more than our fair share of successes and failures, effectuated through MANY different tactics. That's how we learned to Keep Hope Alive, and that is the advice I extend to the LGBT community.

[dct1999]

Best post of the day.

[tr24]

I second that!

[Tanyars5]

Amen and a well ! great post

[sweetwhine]

Thank you.

[StillIRise]

Very thoughtful and insightful post. Thank you.

[Broughton]

Agreed!

[oafishcad]

A good post.

[AnotherTry]

Obama really has united the country. Against the gay community, that is.

[Tanyars5]

good

[tr24]

LMAO

[dct1999]

Gay activists have united the country against themselves.

[Tanyars5]

Yes ........ho­w dare they scapegooat black people for their problems and then turn around and want to put "gay is the new black" on a sign. Black people and our experience is not a catch phrase or a trend. We will not be used or exploited for your cause.
Just a week ago gays were calling Obama a bigot. Gays were screaming they hated Obama and would never vote for him again. I hope they don't. They can go vote for republicans. Lets see how fast republicans ok gay marriage.

[Jezreel]

Exactly!

[politicalgenius]

YAHTZEE!!!

[iwantpie]

Agreed 100%.

[tr24]

God bless America!

[StillIRise]

You're really trying hard to put this on Obama, aren't you?

It's because of PE Obama that virtually all religious communities are opposed to the gay lifestyle ...

It's Obama's fault some black Americans and the state of California voted for Prop 8 ...

Let's blame Obama for all the homophobia that exists in our nation ...

Or let's just blame him for not obliterating it, sort of like he was expected to obliterate racism ...

Blaming him is as good as blaming anyone else, and it's a lot easier to blame others than to examine yourself and your own abysmal failure to advocate more effectively for your cause.

[jdmba]

Obama was on the grassy knoll. I thought you knew!

[Tanyars5]

not this again.....­...hahaha