Know Your LGBT History - Gay Rights, Special Rights

This week, the National Organization for Marriage has come under fire for the revelation of its strategy to divide the gay and black communities on the subject of marriage equality.

But NOM isn't the first religious right entity to do this. The following video put out by Jeremiah Films in 1993  was called Gay Rights/Special Rights.





This video is best described as a "hot mess," juxtaposing the 1963 March on Washington with the 1993 gay rights march on Washington after Clinton was elected. It was created to exploit the fear and ignorance of the African-American community regarding the lgbtq community, as demonstrated by this partial transcript (transcript does not match video footage):

Lester James (Afro-American): [The high-handed attempt on the part of gay and lesbian movements to highjack the 1964 Civil Rights Act in order to try to give national credence to their immoral lifestyle is an offence to Black America.]

Emanuel McLittle : [There are few people willing to stand up and rebut this whole notion that there is any kind of comparison to the ....]

SOUND RETURNS

Emanuel McLittle :... sexuality of homosexuals, and the skin tone (FADE TO A BLACK MAN IN THE 1963 CIVIL RIGHTS MARCH) of Black people. It is a horrendous lie. (CUT TO EMANUEL MCLITTLE) Black people are not born ... choosing to be Black. [But] {the} homosexual[s] on the other hand, despite what all of them seem to want to (CUT TO TWO WHITE MEN, IN WHITE SHIRTS AND BLACK BOW TIES, KISSING) indicate to us, choose their homosexual lifestyle[s].

(CUT TO A SCENE OF THE US SUPREME COURT WITH THE FOLLOWING TITLE ACROSS IT "TO QUALIFY FOR MINORITY CLASS STATUS: THE GROUP MUST HAVE SUFFERED ECONOMIC DISCRIMINATION").

Commentator: The group must have suffered a history of discrimination resulting in the lack of ability to earn an average mean income, obtain [an] adequate education, or enjoy cultural opportunities. (CUT TO A SPLIT SCREEN, WHITE MEN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN, BLACK MEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE) Compare these results of a nationwide survey reported in The Wall Street Journal between homosexuals and African Americans regarding, (FADE TO THE TITLE ON SCREEN "AVERAGE HOUSE INCOMES: HOMOSEXUALS $55,430; AFRICAN AMERICANS $12,166") average household incomes, (CHANGE THE TITLE TO "PERCENTAGE OF COLLEGE GRADUATES; HOMOSEXUALS 60%; AFRICAN AMERICANS 5%") .. percentage of College graduates, (CHANGE THE TITLE TO "PERCENTAGE OF PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS: HOMOSEXUALS 49%; AFRICAN AMERICANS 1%") percentage of those holding professional managerial positions, (CHANGE THE TITLE TO "PERCENTAGE OF OVERSEAS VACATIONS: HOMOSEXUALS 66%; AFRICAN AMERICANS 1%") ... percentage of those who have taken overseas vacations. (CHANGE THE TITLE TO "EVER DENIED THE RIGHT TO VOTE: HOMOSEXUALS: NO; AFRICAN AMERICANS: YES") Have either African Americans [or homosexuals] ever been denied the right to vote? (CHANGE THE TITLE TO "EVER FACED LEGAL SEGREGATION: HOMOSEXUALS: NO; AFRICAN AMERICANS: YES") ever faced legal segregation? (CHANGE THE TITLE TO "EVER DENIED ACCESS TO PUBLIC RESTROOMS HOMOSEXUALS : NO; AFRICAN AMERICANS : YES") ever denied access by law to public drinking fountains and restrooms? (CHANGE THE TITLE TO "EVER DENIED ACCESS TO BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS: HOMOSEXUALS: NO; AFRICAN AMERICANS : YES") ever been denied access by law to businesses and restaurants?

(CUT TO JAN RICE, A BLACK WOMAN, WITH TWO OTHER BLACK WOMEN).

Jan Rice : Their high income, (FADE IN TITLE "JAN RICE, COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS") their education, their, their current status in society, compared to the mean, (FADE OUT TITLE) or the median, income in, in minority families today there's just, there's no comparison. So for them to want protection under this law, {is to try to} [and to try to further] beat down the minorities and further lessen their chances of equal protection and equal chances at jobs, I just think is ludicrous.

Gay Rights/Special Rights also feature an interview with former US Senator Trent Lott years before his controversial defense of former segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond. Talk about your ironies.
 
Past Know Your LGBT History posts:


Know Your LGBT History - Alan Turing

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Know Your LGBT History - Billy Preston

Know Your LGBT History - Sylvester

 Know Your LGBT History - Billy Tipton

Know Your LGBT History - Nell Carter

Know Your LGBT History - James Baldwin

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The Jeffersons and the transgender community