Is Dan Savage “Blaming Black People” for Homophobia?
By Jesse Singal - Nov 6th, 2008 at 4:23 pmRacialicious excerpts Dan Savage:
African American voters in California voted overwhelmingly for Prop 8, writing anti-gay discrimination into California’s constitution and banning same-sex marriage in that state. Seventy percent of African American voters approved Prop 8, according to exit polls, compared to 53% of Latino voters, 49% of white voters, 49% of Asian voters.
I’m not sure what to do with this. I’m thrilled that we’ve just elected our first African-American president. I wept last night. I wept reading the papers this morning. But I can’t help but feeling hurt that the love and support aren’t mutual.
I do know this, though: I’m done pretending that the handful of racist gay white men out there—and they’re out there, and I think they’re scum—are a bigger problem for African Americans, gay and straight, than the huge numbers of homophobic African Americans are for gay Americans, whatever their color.
This will get my name scratched of the invite list of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, which is famous for its anti-racist-training seminars, but whatever.
This is clearly controversial and I could see folks being offended by it. Is he “blaming black people” for the devastating Prop 8 result, as some have accused those who echo Savage’s sentiments of doing, or is he fairly pointing out that there’s something problematic about the fact that African-American voters to tend to vote in a progressive manner on every issue but this one?
What do you think?
(Savege’s original post is here.)
I don’t think at all that he’s “blaming black people” (although he could have phrased his position a bit better). Lots of people are pointing out the irony in the fact that a remarkably high percentage of a faction of society practically synonymous with civil rights struggles actively contributed to another faction’s civil rights struggle.
November 6th, 2008 at 4:44 pmI honestly didn’t realize how controversial using the word ‘blame’ is until I did so in a comment on Saxon’s post. And I do take the point that it’s not particularly productive to start pointing fingers - that’s not the spirit of progress, it’s not what I think any of us believe in. I think, though, that the exit poll numbers from California are just staggering, and I understand Savage’s frustration. The Democratic Party, and progressives in particular, we’re supposed to be the big tent, inclusive, the unity people. When you see one group in our coalition get their rights revoked and 70% of another group in our coalition voted to do it, how can you help but be disappointed?
November 7th, 2008 at 9:29 amDan Savage’s priviledge really showed in his post. It pissed me off but I wouldn’t expect anymore from people like him who thinks Black folks are a monolithic people.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:44 pm“I’m done pretending that the handful of racist gay white men out there—and they’re out there, and I think they’re scum—are a bigger problem for African Americans, gay and straight, than the huge numbers of homophobic African Americans are for gay Americans…”
If that’s not a obvious example of him blaming AA’s I don’t know what is.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:47 pmQuite frankly, as a black gay man, I have learned to ignore most heterosexual black people. They are overwhelmingly homophobic.
People simply do not want to admit to this fact, as they fear being perceived as bigoted. Yet, the evidence in terms of behaviors and attitudes is palpable.
Many members of Black America, who argue that Prop 8 preserves the traditional family, choose to forget one disturbing and embarassing statistic: 70% of black children are born to unwed mothers.
December 9th, 2008 at 6:59 am