Magic Johnson's son comes out. — Page 2

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#26

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/7/13 at 1:48am

Yes, bethnor, that's what I was trying to get to. The notion that most people think of when they hear the term "gay community" is a collection of white middle class men with disposable income. And that's thanks to marketing. There are plenty of out black people, men and women. So to make blanket statements that "the gay community" has to do "outreach" to the black community renders a number of the gay community's members invisible. Which really is no help at all....

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#27

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/7/13 at 2:56am

Blanket statements are indeed "no help". But I made such statements in a clumsy attempt at convenience, not to a paint complete and accurate picture.

The volunteers I worked and continue to work with canvasing neighbors are of all races, both sexes, and many are straight allies. Our little band of door knockers are beautifully diverse and, I believe, it makes it much more effective in gathering information and sometimes opening minds.

I simply take issue with the blanket statement "The black community has a long way to go." Because to me it suggests a passivity were we in the gay community have no responsibility to take action and attempt influence hearts and minds.

I also think the gay community has to acknowledge it's own history of racism. I can't prove it, but, I believe, unacknowledged racism among the strategists and decision makers played some - perhaps small - part in the choice to avoid reaching out to the black population here in California during the prop 8 vote. Again, I can't prove. Just a hunch.

Having gone door to door, I believe the black community much more permeable to accepting gay men and women as equals than has been suggested. But for that to happen that we must continue to reach out with love, respect and bravery.

Our focus has to be on what "we" can do. That is the only place we have control and ultimate responsibility.

Or we an continue with truly "no help at all" "blanket" statments such as:

And that is the truth. The black community hates the gays. HATES!

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Updated On: 4/7/13 at 02:56 AM

#28

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/7/13 at 8:21am

And that is the truth. The black community hates the gays. HATES!

This is UTTER BULLSH!T.

#29

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/7/13 at 9:12am

Actually, its been my experience that the black community is more accepting of gays than other races. I live in the South, where you have more bigoted opinions. This has always surprised me, especially around the more "feminine" guys. It seems nobody really makes a comment or makes outlandish eye contact. Of course, there exceptions to everything. But to say the Black Community, as a whole, hates gays is so not true. (IMO)

#30

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:27pm

CarlosAlberto, I guess we can only comment on what we have experienced. I don't know if the correct word is hate. But from my experience they ( what we are referring to here as the black community) have a long way to go. Not only from what my personal experience has shown me. But also from what my gay black friends always tell me.

Seriously.. time for everyone to grow up and smoke a piece pipe. Hate and judgement are such a waste of time. On a side note.. has anyone seen the documentary "Trembling Before God" ? The hassidic community can use a wake up call.

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

Updated On: 4/7/13 at 12:27 PM

#31

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:44pm

"It's quite different for an African-American male. It's about the worst thing you can be in black culture. You're taught you have to be a man; you have to be masculine. In the black community they think you can pray the gay away."

From a interview with CNN's Don Lemon.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/business/media/16anchor.html?_r=2&bl&

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

#32

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/7/13 at 1:02pm

I think Obama's evolution on gay marriage will have a huge impact on the black community.

A huge, overbroad, stereotype coming ...

The black gay friends I met have met felt lots of pressure to either hide their gayness or deny it because of pressure from their churches. More so than even the gay Latino friends whose families are ensconced in the Catholic church. Last year, one of them told me Obama would never support gay marriage because being gay is such a taboo in the black community - and that because the churches are so opposed to it, that if he did, would not be re-elected.

She was certain, as certain as can be. Yet, acceptance is slowing growing in the black community, I think in part, because Obama is so respected, that if it is OK with him, he counteracts or at least equalized the voice of the church. If you look a polling, approval of same sex marriage has jumped in the black community.

Support for gay marriage in 2008, when Prop 8 passed among the black community was at around 40%, now it is at 60%.

I guess what I am saying is times are changing, everywhere. The NAACP filed briefs supporting finding DOMA unconstitutional.

As for prop 8, the misinformation by churches across the board, including the black churches and the Mormon church, coupled with a clumsy campaign on the equality side, is in my opinion, what lost the vote. You had churches out there telling their congregations that they would be forced to marry gay people (which was never the case), misinformation right and left, and robo calls misrepresenting Obama's position. Prop 8 was a dirty campaign by the bigots, and that campaign was not effectively refuted.

A Strong Black Voice for Gay Marriage

Updated On: 4/7/13 at 01:02 PM

#33

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/7/13 at 1:25pm

Also, of I remember correctly, the black community was in full support of proposition 8 out here. It was quite shocking to see a group of people, who had been denied rights for so long, wanting to deny the rights of others.

It was very sad and brought out a lot of ugly hatred.

"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>> “I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>> -whatever2

#34

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/7/13 at 1:42pm

TD - about 60% supported Prop 8. In part (IMO) because of the collusion between the various church organizations and the massive money funneled into the campaign by the Mormon Church.

Today's polling inverts that support, with over 60% in support gay marriage.

And agree completely, the bigots had their day when Prop 8 won.

#35

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/8/13 at 12:34am

obama's stance did not "evolve." he was FOR gay marriage when he was a senator. he lied about his position afterwards because he was afraid of persecution by the religious right. he switched back when it became politically expedient.

so we can be proud of the fact that organized religion can make the leader of the free world lie or face persecution.

#36

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/8/13 at 8:23am

The statistics for gay marriage in both Latino and black communities have reversed since the Prop 8 vote. (As they have among whites.)

(Duh!)

If the vote were taken again all 3 groups would be in favor.

Please stop generalizing about ENTIRE races and ethnic groups. You only sound stupid when you do that.

#37

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/8/13 at 8:38am

^THIS!!

#38

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/8/13 at 10:21am

One of the underlying factors in the recent swing in public opinion has been the support of leaders of black congregations. While not necessarily unanimous or even a majority, more and more black church leaders are speaking out in favor of marriage equality.

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

#39

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/8/13 at 11:42am

"It's quite different for an African-American male. It's about the worst thing you can be in black culture. You're taught you have to be a man; you have to be masculine. In the black community they think you can pray the gay away."

And this is different from Bible-belt white suburbia? Or the Catholic Latino community? I think it's more regional than ethnic.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#40

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/8/13 at 12:00pm

"I also think the gay community has to acknowledge it's own history of racism."

No...white people need to acknowledge their racism. Sometimes those white people happen to be gay.

#41

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/8/13 at 12:12pm

"The statistics for gay marriage in both Latino and black communities have reversed since the Prop 8 vote."

I didn't say that hadn't. I was only saying that they WERE is favor of it, at the time.

#42

Magic Johnson's son comes out.

Posted: 4/8/13 at 12:43pm

I think there are a few of you that need to poke your head out of big city life and take a look at how it really is out there in the rest of the country.

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