african americans and prop 8

[smileyeagle1021]

OK, so the stats on Prop 8 is that 70% of african americans voted yes on Prop 8. This to me seems strange. On the surface one would assume a group of people who just over a generation ago was oppressed, singled out for attacks, discriminated against, denied rights, etc would come out in droves to vote to provide another group in a similar situation the same rights that they have earned. On the surface you'd think that Black people would understand the concept that even if you disagree with who a certain person is, despite what your religion says about them or society says about them, that person is still human and deserves the same privileges and rights as you. So, considering the vote turned out to be about the exact opposite of what one would expect on the surface, what's going on?
I've heard some people say that this is just another case of the oppressed becoming the oppressors, but I've got too much faith in humanity (why I don't know) to think that's true. I've also heard some people say it's because homosexuality is so wrong that it bothered those who had previously been oppressed so much that they got over the surface desire to provide equality for all... that is another one that I can't really swallow. So what happened?

[TheRoo]

This seems to me to be the oddest thing about this election. How many people who have never participated before went out to support Obama? I'm sure a significant portion of these were African-American, and for that part of the electorate to push through this ridiculous measure is astounding.

As far as why 70% of black voters voted for prop 8, I can't really say. If I had to make a guess, I would suppose it has something to do with religion, but not being religious myself, I don't know how anybody, regardless of race, could vote for this.

[Rapscallion]

I suspect that the 70% figure is due to the way homosexuality is viewed amongst the African nations.

To say that it's frowned upon is a very understated way of saying it.

Rapscallion

[ThePhoneGoddess]

African Americans are a very religious group. They are part of the reason church attendance is so high among southerners. MLK was a pastor, as is Jessie Jackson. Many of the most well known black public figures are pastors.

First of all, a lot of people have erroneous preconeptions about evangelicals---they picture them all as very white, which is inaccurate. many evangelicals are black, especially in the south. There are also plenty of latino evangelicals as well.

Second of all, many black evangelicals have a special dislike for the gay rights movements because gay rights activists like to specifically compare their struggles to the African American civil rights movements. Seeing as evangelicals don't consider homosexuality to be an inborn trait, but as a mental illness or mental defect (i.e. something which can be 'cured'), black evangelicals find this comparison extremely offensive.

Obviously, not all black Californians are evangelicals. But many of them are still quite religious. This is part of the reason the black community has such a high rate of unmarried births---many black women, having come from religious families, do not believe in abortion and will not have one if they become pregnant accidentally.

[smileyeagle1021]

but as a mental illness or mental defect (i.e. something which can be 'cured'), black evangelicals find this comparison extremely offensive.

-snip- This is part of the reason the black community has such a high rate of unmarried births---many black women, having come from religious families, do not believe in abortion and will not have one if they become pregnant accidentally.

not to OT my own thread, but first, Electroshock therapy along with other treatments is not a cure, it is torture... but as our evangelical president has proven, God condones torture as long as it is done for the right reason

and am I the only one who finds the last paragraph ironic... gay marriage is an abomination to God... sex out of wedlock though is common and to some extent acceptable before the Lord as long as you don't abort an accidental pregnancy...

[Sylvia727]

Well, since it passed with 52% of the vote, that means that only 20% of blacks were voting differently than they might be expected to.

[Slytovhand]

Smiley - religion has nothing to do with 'god'.

It's purely about humans and their desire to be better than someone else (even if it's themselves). Thus, they can change the rules, or bend them, however they like, to whatever suits them at the time.

The really religious one's don't care about what other people do - mostly cos it's none of their business. ie, my relationship with god is my affair, and no-one elses... and vice versa.

So, the one's who want to go attacking others haven't really figured out their own place in 'God's realm.

/prosetylizing

[DrT]

and am I the only one who finds the last paragraph ironic... gay marriage is an abomination to God... sex out of wedlock though is common and to some extent acceptable before the Lord as long as you don't abort an accidental pregnancy...

If you like irony, any religious texbook will provide hours of fun.

Add to that the published works of religious leaders, and you'll laugh your ass off in no time.

or shoot somebody. one of the two really