Friday, January 8, 2010

Gay Marriage in DC Will Lead to the Removal of Black DC Residents? What the Hell?

For those who do not know, all laws passed by the DC Council and signed by the DC Mayor have to go through a thirty day review in Congress. Opponents of marriage equality in Washington have set their hopes on defeating this legislation during this period.

Apparently, one of the opponents of marriage equality, a woman called Joyce Little, has argued (according to dcist.com) that this legislation will essentially lead to the removal of DC's working class and poor black folks, because the gays will descend on DC (scroll down to the letter entitled "DC's Same-Sex Marriage Bill"), bringing their gentrification, increase rents, and abominable lifestyles with them.

That is, by far, one of the most asinine things I've read. It is a class based and thinly veiled racist argument that is put forth simply to be divisive, and it masks the author's true reason for being willing to put the civil rights of DC residents up to a popular vote: her "faith." Essentially, all of the rich white gay people will take over all of DC, forcing black folks out of their homes, whether they are renter or homeowners.

I am sick and fucking tired of this meme that if given the opportunity, the good black folks of Washington would do the "right thing" and deny marriage equality to these "abominable" (and likely in their minds white) gay people. I wish these people would stop feeding the misguided beast that lets non-black gay folks think that the black community is the most homophobic demographic on the planet. It also feeds the notion that there are no black folks, gay or straight, who actually support marriage equality, and there are many in DC.

In order to support their bigotry, these crazy black folks are turning for help to people who have no political use for them except for their shared hatred of the GLBT community. Maybe Ms. Little should ask the various members of Congress who signed on to try to stop marriage equality in DC their political positions on those issues genuinely affecting the same working class and poor DC residents she feels "the gays" are "threatening." I have no doubt that those cretins could care less about those black folks, but if they can use "religious" black folks to squash equality for the GLBT community, then they are good to go.

Working class and poor black folks in Washington have a multiplicity of pressing concerns that require all sorts attention. Gay residents (including gay black working class and poor ones) being able to marry in the city, I seriously doubt, is one of them.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

My, doesn't "panic peddling" come in a variety of hues.

I'm just sayin'...

Scott said...

You're on target with this one, Free--

"Maybe Ms. Little should ask the various members of Congress who signed on to try to stop marriage equality in DC their political positions on those issues genuinely affecting the same working class and poor DC residents she feels "the gays" are "threatening." I have no doubt that those cretins could care less about those black folks, but if they can use "religious" black folks to squash equality for the GLBT community, then they are good to go."

This is exactly the way the right wing moralists work. Look at the abortion issue. The same people who want to outlaw abortion because "life is sacred" are opposed to measures that would provide prenatal care, expanded child care and SCHIP health care for children.

They see life as sacred right up to the point of birth. Then...you're on your own.

Oh, one other thing I'd like to ask Ms. Little. Why in the world would all those effete white gay folks who want to get married "flock" to DC when they could be going to Iowa? Hmmm?

hscfree said...

@Anon: It is pitiful to witness, isn't it?

@Scott: Using Ms. Little logic, I would expect that Boston, MA would be deviod of black folks altogether. I mean there weren't many black folks up there in the first place, so clearly gay marriage has devastated the black population. That whole black governor thing for MA was just a lucky fluke.