Defying Black Stereotypes
Two black governors, Deval Patrick and David Paterson, come out strong for gay rights - stronger than most politicians of any race. It's a nice counterpoint to a common impression that being gay is too foreign for the black community to countenance, for whatever reason. As Paterson states simply, “People who live together for
a long time would like to be married. As far as I’m concerned, I think
it’s beautiful. I was raised in a culture that
understood the different ways that people conduct their
lives.”
It becomes even more poignant to hear about Paterson being left with his gay uncles when his parents were gone - a visceral bugaboo in our society - to read to him and help him with his homework. Talk about overturning stereotypes, a nice warm story to defang our worst expectations. Maybe in 20 years this will all just seem normal and accepted. I hope.
It becomes even more poignant to hear about Paterson being left with his gay uncles when his parents were gone - a visceral bugaboo in our society - to read to him and help him with his homework. Talk about overturning stereotypes, a nice warm story to defang our worst expectations. Maybe in 20 years this will all just seem normal and accepted. I hope.
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Good point.
August 29, 2008 9:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Judging from every major speaker's mention of the "regardless of sexual preference" line, this is obviously a point that the campaign is actively pushing, starting with Obama himself chastising African American homophobia at his large mega-church South Carolina speech earlier this year.
August 29, 2008 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
David Paterson and Deval Patrick are all-around amazing men. That they are proactively stepping forward on same sex marriage in New York and Massachusetts—without being coaxed, hounded, or arm-twisted into it—is impressive.
August 29, 2008 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
They go farther, actually, than Obama. I did like his attitude, though. He said something like he thought we could all agree that they deserved to be able to see their loved ones in a hospital.
It's such BS than in many states, they can't. It's cruel. Period.
August 29, 2008 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Give credit to Patrick's mom and Paterson's uncles. If we're not careful, we're going to end up post-racial and post-sexual before we know it.
August 29, 2008 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I heard that in 1969.
August 29, 2008 1:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
We didn't all make it. But after all, dear Des, we can't all escape at once.
August 29, 2008 2:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm gonna hafta get some post-racial, post-sexual pom pom's out for Billy here... and as for you, Des, all I can say is the Republicans just selected a HOCKEY MOM with an ESKIMO STEELWORKER husband. Don't you think this should pretty much end these sexual & racial quarrels? What more could you possibly want? Don;t you think it's time to move on. Put it all behind us. Bygones being bygone. Fresh start. Opportunity for all. Declare victory, and haul ass for the future. Why cling? Why be bitter? Why the whining? Let it gooooooo.
(Oh my God, some twit's gonna come on here and chew me a new one for that, aren't they? Ah well. My Mama always told me my likely role in life was to be Human Chum. what the heck. Bring it.)
August 29, 2008 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL. Damn. Beaten about the head and shoulders with my last conceit.
August 29, 2008 2:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am post-racist and post-sexist. It's the post-nuclear I'm having trouble getting to. It's just too much fun watching shit blow up. And I'll be damned if I know how to segue into something funny about Inuit.
August 29, 2008 4:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Inuit find EVERYTHING funny, Des. Those dudes are the friendliest people I've ever met - and they love jokes. When you spend months in the dark, or out on the ice alone, you tend to get some pretty long spells without any new jokes coming through.
Of course, cross 'em & you'll find yourself strapped to an ice floe. (Although you in particular would probably find yourself stuck inside a piece of soapstone & harnessed as an energy source. About time you contributed something to society.)
August 30, 2008 12:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
See, more I can learn from a Canuck. When not making fun of them.
August 30, 2008 2:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Uh-huh, just more evidence of pretty sophisticado agent provocateur stuff, casting more doubts about Obama's post racial unique-i-tude...just like those cajuns...
August 29, 2008 7:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I was pretty solidly in the bag for Obama, but Palin is a babe and Rosenberg is an asshole, so I'm rethinking the whole deal. I think I'm going to try my hand at concern trolling. This inside-outskie stuff is too complicated. So I'm concerned Palin will pull a lot of former Clintonistas like me in for McCain.
August 29, 2008 11:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Alright alright AA... I heard ya clamourin' for me to show more irrational exuberance & general man-love for His Unique, so lemme repeat: Best political speech I've heard, ever, in 3 countries. Only point of comparison... Ali. However.... while you folks are busy sorting out the weighty issues of race and sex, we're dealing with something more fundamental.
The FRENCH.
YOU try doing national unity with THAT crowd sometime. And then... we have to join forces when we face threats to our Nation. i.e. When we face the Russian Hockey Team. Imagine, we have to sit next to these French guys - our compatriots - while they FIX THE SUSPENDERS AND ADJUST THE GARTERS on their hockey socks. The sexual tension's damn near unbearable.
August 30, 2008 12:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for highlighting that, Ghost. I'm so proud of what Patrick and Paterson are doing. And I get sooooo tired of hearing (from both blacks and nonblacks, pro- and anti-gay people) that, for us black people, "it's our culture" to be homophobic. There's no shortage of belligerent homophobes in our communities, as in every other community. But for people who are committed to equality and civil rights, equal marriage is a pretty darn easy call.
I hope that equal-marriage campaigners are reaching out to nonwhite and immigrant communities like they did in Canada during the SSM debates a few years ago. At "family values" rallies aimed at Muslims and immigrants, pro-SSM campaigners showed up to hand out flyers quoting the anti-SSM politicians' statements on immigration. Took all the steam out of their drive to recruit immigrants to the right-wing party. Look, the politicians who hate gays hate nonwhites and immigrants, too.
August 29, 2008 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Odd that Canada hasn't fallen into complete lawlessness & moral decay since the debate, eh? Actually, the economy has boomed, the dollar soared... and I haven't had any proposals from Aunts or uncles. (Funny that.)
Interesting also that the most progressive city on this is probably Toronto - which has ~7 million people. It's the world's most multi-cultural city, 43% foreign-born, 50% non-white. You'd think if non-whites & immigrants were so homophobic, SSM wouldn't have a chance there, but... surprise.
August 29, 2008 11:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Des, if you did a post with Testing, would it be Nuclear Testing?
August 29, 2008 11:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nookular Desting?
August 29, 2008 11:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry. I got a cold.
August 30, 2008 1:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
I Destest the idea, I find it Desgusting and it Desturbs me terribly.
August 30, 2008 2:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Des, if you did a post with Testing, would it be Nuclear Testing?
August 29, 2008 11:47 PM | Reply | Permalink