Blacks resent comparison of gay rights to civil rights
MuckTheDuck
Friday, Apr 23, 2004
Posted on Fri, Apr. 23, 2004
Blacks resent comparison of gay rights to civil rights
Mississippi woman dared to articulate the feelings of many
ALVIN WILLIAMS
Knight Ridder/Tribune
"I don't care what they say; there is no correlation between gay
rights and civil rights in terms of what black Americans have gone
through."
These were the poignant words of Emma White, an 82-year-old black
woman, speaking at a forum held by Democratic presidential candidate
John Kerry in Jackson, Miss. In the midst of sharing her opinion,
White articulated the feelings of many blacks who are opposed to
leaders in the gay rights movement invoking comparisons to the civil
rights movement.
This opposition among blacks cuts across partisan lines with members
of the Congressional Black Caucus speaking out recently as well as
black conservatives expressing a similar displeasure. But the
consensus is Emma White of Mississippi was right in her assessment of
the issue.
As many have stated in their opposition, the civil rights movement and
the issues that fostered the need for such a movement are unique and
cannot be compared to the battle for gay rights.
When looking at the context of the movement it is important to note
that the basic thrust of the movement was to secure the rights that
had been denied to blacks since our forced arrival in the Colonies in
the early 17th century. For nearly 400 years, blacks were dehumanized
in policy and practice and unable to enjoy the basic rights afforded
to other Americans -- the right to vote, the right to receive a
quality education, equal rights in employment and housing, to name a
few.
The birth of a black baby in this era was a bittersweet moment, due to
the fact that the color of his skin immediately sentenced the young
child to a life marred by discrimination and prejudice by those who
felt the shade of his skin somehow limited his ability to think or
function. He was subject to segregation in living and schooling.
Then upon reaching the age of 18, he would not be able to vote and his
educational options would be even more limited as many schools still
would see the color of his skin as a barrier to admission. The
discrimination and prejudice would continue as this young person now
sought gainful employment, which was limited to labor-oriented
professions with no benefits to speak of.
And if this wasn't enough, every day he was peppered with taunts of
"boy" and the n-word and would see the dark side of capitalism where
business owners accepted his green money but made him sit in the back
of the bus or theater because of his black skin.
Such was the journey of blacks, which led to the movement over several
decades to improve the quality of life to a level of equality with
others.
Another key contrast is that while it was clear that on the whole
blacks were the key beneficiaries of the work of the civil rights
movement and the legislation it spawned, the results of the movement
proved to benefit all Americans, which was the goal.
The civil rights movement spawned changes in employment laws that have
benefited women and minorities. The same can be said for the movement
and how the struggle for equal educational opportunities opened the
doors for all Americans.
The gay rights movement is not the same in this regard because it is
focused on securing rights for one group of Americans. It is not a
civil rights movement but rather a special rights movement to secure
rights for those who have chosen to be defined by their sexual
preference.
As U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala., stated, "The civil rights movement
was more of a movement for the equal rights of all Americans:
education, voting rights, jobs."
The civil rights movement that gay rights leaders (and like-minded
lawmakers) compare their efforts to sought to benefit all who by
virtue of non-deniable aspects of their being -- race, color, creed
and sex -- were mistreated and discriminated against.
Thanks to the words of a concerned citizen in Mississippi the nation
was made aware of a glaring flaw in the comparison of the gay rights
movement to the civil rights movement. A special thanks goes to Emma
White of Mississippi for her courage in standing up to a presidential
candidate and speaking for thousands of blacks across the country.
Alvin Williams is president and CEO of Black America's Political
Action Committee, www.bampac.org, a conservative federal PAC that
supports black candidates for public office. Write him at BAMPAC, 2029
P Street NW, Suite 202, Washington DC 20036.
Ninure Saunders
by Matt Johns
365Gay.com Newscenter
Los Angeles Bureau
Posted: March 19, 2004 12:01 am. ET
(Los Angeles, California) Sixty 60 black activists and religious leaders
Thursday called for the legalization of same-sex marriage and denounced a
proposed amendment to the US Constitution to ban gays from marrying.
"This issue is not a gay issue, it's a human issue," said Rev. Leslie
Burke of the non-denominational Unity Fellowship in Church of Christ.
Burke told the rally at the historic Leimert Park that her descendants
were slaves who were forbidden to marry and "had to jump the broom," a
reference to a ritual created by black slaves who could not legally marry.
Supporters carried signs saying "We all deserve the freedom to marry." The
rally was organized by the National Black Justice Coalition, and included
members of the National Alliance of Positive Action, the Los Angeles Gay &
Lesbian Center and the United Lesbians of African Heritage.
Among the protestors were Jewel Thais-Williams, 57, and her partner of
year years, 64-year-old Rue Thais-Williams.
"We are here to celebrate in public our desire to make our union legal,"
said Jewel Thais-Williams. "We need to be recognized. We are not trying to
change anything."
Earlier this month in Washington, NAACP Director Hilary Shelton told a
senate subcommittee hearing on the proposed constitutional amendment that
national black leaders were opposed to any amendment that would limit the
civil rights of any particular group.
"The NAACP is greatly disappointed that President George Bush and others
have decided to enter this election cycle by endorsing an amendment that
would forever write discrimination into the U.S. Constitution, rather than
focusing on the crucial problems and challenges that affect the lives of
all of us," testified Shelton.
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A Hermaphrodite
straight person in America would know little about the pain of
homophobia. A Black Gay person then he can more accurately compare the
two, because he lives it....