African Americans Vote to Enshrine Discrimination

The results of this election are certainly full of mixed emotions and my personal nightmare came true. Barack Obama motivated the African American Community to the polls and in the meantime the African American Pastors motivated their flock to vote Yes on 2 in Florida and Yes on Prop 8 in California. For sure, and by the numbers, they were not the only ones, but they are the ones who can most identify with discrimination in this country. They voted overwhelmingly for Yes on 2 and Prop 8. For the GLBT Community it was a Win/Lose election. Most of us wanted Obama, but some of us knew that “Gay Marriage” as it was identified in Amendment 2, was not going to go over well in the African American Community. I don’t quite get it especially knowing that over the decades that I have been living, many in the GLBT Community have worked so hard to promote equality of the races and have worked hard to ensure African American Civil Rights. It concerns me that we are moving into a new model of hatred, a model, once again promoted by religious fanaticism.

The passage of Amendment 2 in Florida is an example of a majority terrorizing a minority, discrimination, pure and simple, what happened in California with the passage of Propositin 8 is simply inhuman.

I know the President Elect may think that he has a lot more on his mind than the Civil Rights of the GLBT Community. However, nothing is more important in this country than the Civil Rights of all citizens, without that we are just another “Banana Republic”. So, I would urge President Elect Obama to continue thinking forward and stand by his word to secure equality for all Americans.

We need to put our heads together and think about how we can make change. We have to reach out to those who do not understand us, we have to change minds.

Bart
Nill illigitimi carborundum