Come Thursday, I will be ripping all over the fair city of Columbia going to several events. I've already bought the epsom salt to soak my feet after it's all over.
It's going to be wild around here until Sunday but I will continue to adhere (or try to adhere) to my schedule of three posts a day generated to educate, edify and make you laugh.
Pray for me.
Speaking of which (prayer that is), I am almost reluctant to breach the following subject but feel that it is necessary.
There is a lot of appropriate anger at the Obama Administration in the lgbt community over his slowness in fulfilling campaign promises as well as the appalling defense of DOMA.
I've said it's a powder keg waiting to happen and it continues to grow. Various high profile lgbts are pulling out of a fundraiser next week. The Washington Blade plans to take pictures and videotape folks who will be attending.
I hope that the Blade reporters will also ask critical questions.
The fundraiser has been called a watershed moment. And I have a feeling that it will be. We could be on the verge of a huge lgbt leadership restructuring.
That is in some places. Down here in South Carolina, something happened that is indicative of my conflicted feelings over it all.
I was in the library today posting and I caught two young gay black men also on one of the computers.
I could hear them talking about the situation with President Obama. I don't know all of what they said but I do remember hearing the phrase "that's some white mess."
It occurred to me that these young men weren't exactly in the corner of the lgbt community.
And I don't know how to feel about that.
On one hand, I am a bit livid that these young folks have taken this point of view about the Obama Administration. President Obama does owe the lgbt community answers and actions.
But on the other hand, I can partially understand their point of view. And I can honestly tell you that they are not the only lgbts of color who feel that way, particularly in South Carolina.
I like to think that I've given a bit of hell to the black community on how it treats lgbts of color. But in all honesty, the lgbt community at large shares some of the blame for the isolation of lgbts of color.
On more than one occasion, it has been implied to us by the general lgbt community that our voices don't count.
If you disagree, then would you answer these questions?
How many lgbts of color have you seen on the cover of the Advocate magazine? What is the ethnic orientation for the people always cited or quoted as a credible source for the lgbt community?
How many prominent lgbts of color (activists, lawyers, doctors, etc.) can you name? And I'm not talking about just celebrities. By the way, there are many who are open and out.
Can anyone tell me how lgbts of color feel about marriage equality? Have their opinion as a group been solicited?
The lgbt community at large deserves as much blame as the black community for the inaccuracy that lgbt equality is a "white issue."
There has been so much said (and not listened to) about this situation, but still allow me to break it down to a quick point: lgbts of color have this unfair choice of being a part of a community that promises them partial visiblity and a degree of solidarity based on a common ethnic identity (the black community) or being a part of a community that seems to give them very little visibility but makes assumptions and demands on how they should feel and act(the lgbt community).
Guess what they will pick every time. Subsequently, when an issue (be it the anger with President Obama or marriage equality, etc) rolls around, the mindset of many lgbts of color is:
"These white gays only come to us when they want something. They never seem to care about what's going on with us at any other time. When they get what they want, watch how quick they leave. They don't give a damn about us."
So while I watch this situation regarding lgbt community anger at President Obama, I do so with a heavy heart.
And the belief that not all of the lgbt community is down with the anger.
Is it right or wrong to feel this way? I don't know. It's just one of those things that bugs me.
And it's definitely something to think about.
Good luck on the Black Pride event.
ReplyDeletethanks Charles ;p
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