http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2008/11/26/the_no_on_prop_8_campaign_r Comments On: The "No on Prop 8" Campaign, Race, and Responsibility by Dan Savage en-us Copyright 2009 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:15:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
"...Johnson is a bit off on her statements about the ad campaign. First off, it's "Let California Ring," not Let Freedom Ring. And the print ads they put together were not about mixed race couples. They were about Asian couples, Latino couples, African American couples, and their families--and pastors, and community leaders--rallying around the unions...."

The journalist who quoted her got it wrong. I personally noted several mispellings throught the entire interview. In addition, United Lesbians of African Heritage (ULOAH) was approached and requested to provide photos and stories of loving BLACK same-sex couples. Once produced, the request changed to only desiring (and ONLY using) mixed-race (white/black) couples. It's unforunate, but throughtout the ENTIRE campaign, white LGBT images were used 95% of time -- this reality coming from a community that claims to be diverse and sensitive to POC.

I find it concerning that the only 2 organizations in Los Angeles that provide services for Black gays and lesbians have had somewhat of the same experiences with the No of Prop 8 Campaign.

Even more concerning is that neither one of these organizations where used to address the boarder black communities in the fashion that they knew would work! And heres one for you: There were NO black LGBT organization used to go directly into the black communities in Los Angeles to educate black people on Prop 8. Not one was used by the campaign.

Do the math and tell me why the campaign failed in the black community
Posted by Sara]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:14:04 -0800 The Stranger
A might over the top, but yes, generally speaking that is the suspicion among many (not all) black people including gay black people. Which is not to excuse -- drum roll, parting clouds-- "BLACK HOMOPHOBIA"

Posted by H]]> Sat, 13 Dec 2008 03:30:16 -0800 The Stranger
Savage keeps beating this dead black horse because he's mortified. He started off with a racist tantrum and can't quite figure out how to work his way back from it without losing face as it turns out that black's did not vote in significantly greater numbers for prop 8 than other groups and as more meaningful assessments of the yes on 8 vote in the Black community becomes available.

Journalism (or blogging) is the first draft of history and Dan turned in a really shitty piece of homework.

The no on 8 campaign reflected the smug self satisfaction of the people running it. It wasn't just black glbt leadership that was ignored, they ignored the fucking Democratic Party hierarchy in the state of California.

Yes indeedy, I thought Feinstein got into the race at the last minute because she was doing her usual which way is the wind blowing number. But apparently she, liberal congresswoman Barbara Lee (black) Boxer and a bunch of others were chomping at the bit to get involved and cut commercials, but no one asked for their help until the campaign was circling the drain!
Posted by hds]]> Sat, 13 Dec 2008 03:20:33 -0800 The Stranger
all of "-isms" are related and they are all wrong!!!

see more on gay racism and black gaybashers
at
OUTLOOK
http://aliciabanks.blogspot.com/

peace
ab
Posted by alicia banks]]> Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:40:46 -0800 The Stranger Posted by NinaOdell]]> Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:20:28 -0800 The Stranger Posted by mikey683]]> Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:21:47 -0800 The Stranger
Only when we stop putting people in boxes like "white/black/gay/straight" will we be able to have an honest dialogue about human fears and insecurities.

Those fears and insecurities lie at the heart of this and almost every other issue that fragments our society and creates divisions between us. Those fears and insecurities keep us from treating each other with respect.

As long as we keep thinking in terms of "us" and "them", we will always find someone else to blame, so can feel better about ourselves and our own shortcomings. When we finally stop the "blame game", then we might be able to see a change in the status quo.

What's it gonna be?
Posted by PDXtacy]]> Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:12:05 -0800 The Stranger Posted by elaygee]]> Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:58:14 -0800 The Stranger
Here's what I want to know: if outreach can change minds, IS IT WORTH IT? In other words, if the AA vote was too small to pass Prop 8, will it be too small to overturn it? Would outreach have made a difference?

The relevance of the AA vote is critical to establish, because even gay racists are much more likely to perform outreach if they think it's in their own interests to do so. My guess is that "winning" is a better motivator than "enlightening," but we'll see.


Posted by Yeek]]> Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:14:42 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Caprice Hollins]]> Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:17:04 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Justin]]> Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:53:31 -0800 The Stranger
Go DAN! You are just what the KKK needs to energize the party!
Posted by arcanum202]]> Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:29:34 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Caprice Hollins]]> Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:31:58 -0800 The Stranger EXACTLY
Posted by LeRoi]]> Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:36:13 -0800 The Stranger
The gay community has lost the respect and good will it used to have among many democrats in the US.
Posted by j]]> Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:21:03 -0800 The Stranger Blaming "lack of outreach" is just blaming the victim.

Sure. Just like if McCain got elected, Obama's failure would be purely due to white and Hispanic racism. But guess what: Obama put in the work to get the votes from enough people to win. So he doesn't have to make excuses for his loss.
Posted by same sex marriage fan]]> Thu, 27 Nov 2008 10:57:31 -0800 The Stranger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ8jeJwrb… just play right into the wingnuts hands.
Posted by Fred]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 23:13:56 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Ben]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:25:04 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Caprice Hollins]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:38:47 -0800 The Stranger
I'm so over you at this point that I've even stop reading your column or listening to your blog. You are the gay Rush Limbaugh and he is gay so that makes you the out of the closet Rush Limbaugh. You pander to the racism in the gay community which is dominated by gay white males.

I'm beginning to think that the real issue for gay white males is that you are ticked off your white privilege has been taken away because you are gay, not that you really care about equality or civil rights for all exploited groups like women, minorities and the disabled. I bet you hate immigrants also.

The worse part of what you are doing Dan is making me rethink my willingness to speak out in my community to speak out in support of gay rights. I'm not sure why I should vocally support people who openly despise and scapegoat my community.
Posted by Anny]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:05:15 -0800 The Stranger
How is this stupid comment "wise". I'm both gay and black and I know damn well that in most countries with majority black populations not only would I be segregated but sent to jail for being gay. I could hardly "pass" for straight anywhere, does that exclude me from your stupid statement? I swear at first I was a little bit apprehensive of all the comments being made about blacks in some blogs even though I have been on the receiving end of the bigoted attitudes of my own but now all this denial and pandering to people who have persecuted us from black queers like me who should know otherwise is making me sick to my stomach.
Posted by shawnie]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:17:22 -0800 The Stranger Wow and calling people whose vote you hope to get bloodsuckers, white devils, praising Hitler, and committing race based hate crimes is not a is not a good move. Yet "civil rights" leaders have done it. I assume you excuse anti-black racism by jews, whites, asians, white women, and gays because some black people have called them names a lot worse then "bigots", right?
Posted by kelly]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:56:26 -0800 The Stranger It is like saying it is the fault of the AA community that Don Imus and Michael Richards used the racist language they did because anti racist activists did not enough outreach. No one educated them that it is different when white people use these words, then when black people did. Lets not blame white's who are racist for being racist, or men who are sexist for being sexist. Lets blame feminists and people of color who have not done enough to help alter their attitudes. There has not been enough outreach to men and whites.
Posted by kelly]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:51:29 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Buttsex 4 Obama]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:24:39 -0800 The Stranger
The further irony is that it was Obama himself who has proved how wrong that view is. In his campaign he went after all 50 states, appealed to all voters, regardless of race, relgion, political party, economic status, gender, and sexual orientation. No voters were worth ignoring. The result? He won former red states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, and North Carolina. NORTH CAROLINA for crying out loud!

Obviously, it is worth the trouble to reach out to all communities and yes, the No on Prop 8 campaign failed in this. Lesson learned, let's move on. Instead of name calling and pointing fingers, how about we all aknowledge our mistakes and prejudices we need to overcome and concentrate on the future. Start reaching out to everyone from this point forward. And perhaps studying how the Obama campaign was ran and adopting its strategies. Obviously it can work.
Posted by Jennifer]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:41:15 -0800 The Stranger