In a story run by US News & World Report, Bishop Harry Jackson, a primary face in opposition to same sex civil marriage in the District of Columbia, made specific references to black council members who "went along with the city council in supporting marriage equality".
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Bishop Jackson, Marion Barry, and others continue to fan the flames of racial divisions in this city and this country by portraying the falsehood that "Black people" do not support marriage equality. As an openly gay black man with many straight black friends and a huge predominantly straight black family, I take offense to these disconnected, misguided, opportunistic, self appointed individuals speaking on behalf of black America.
As the District of Columbia is demographically a predominately black city, so has the marriage equality movement been lead by a predominantly black, yet diverse, coalition. In a city that is predominantly African American which has polled as being overwhelmingly in support of marriage equality and not in support of congressional interference on this or any other issue, how can one state that African Americans in this city don't not support marriage equality. It's simply false.
I know first hand that we have a long way to go within communities of color on this issue and many other issues related to sex and sexuality, however I resist the idea that our community is as monolithic and close minded on this issue as Bishop Jackson and other would like the world to believe.
Further it continues to amaze me that a man who's primary residence is not in the District, who has never voted in the District, and as far as I know hasn't payed taxes in the District and is being financially supported by individuals and organizations who are primarily outside the region, has the audacity to speak on behalf of tax paying voters in the District of Columbia.
In future races, religious people are going to start going after people's political careers. In D.C., some very vulnerable black councilmen went along with the city council, and some of these guys will not be sitting in those chairs in 2010 elections. Many in our coalition are wising up, looking for candidates. Political action committees are going to be formed. You're going to see a bloodletting that is going to mark a new style of engagement for people who are against same-sex marriage.
Read the complete story
Bishop Jackson, Marion Barry, and others continue to fan the flames of racial divisions in this city and this country by portraying the falsehood that "Black people" do not support marriage equality. As an openly gay black man with many straight black friends and a huge predominantly straight black family, I take offense to these disconnected, misguided, opportunistic, self appointed individuals speaking on behalf of black America.
As the District of Columbia is demographically a predominately black city, so has the marriage equality movement been lead by a predominantly black, yet diverse, coalition. In a city that is predominantly African American which has polled as being overwhelmingly in support of marriage equality and not in support of congressional interference on this or any other issue, how can one state that African Americans in this city don't not support marriage equality. It's simply false.
I know first hand that we have a long way to go within communities of color on this issue and many other issues related to sex and sexuality, however I resist the idea that our community is as monolithic and close minded on this issue as Bishop Jackson and other would like the world to believe.
Further it continues to amaze me that a man who's primary residence is not in the District, who has never voted in the District, and as far as I know hasn't payed taxes in the District and is being financially supported by individuals and organizations who are primarily outside the region, has the audacity to speak on behalf of tax paying voters in the District of Columbia.
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