Many positive things have been said about Kerry Washington's speech at Saturday's GLAAD Media Award when she received the organization's Vanguard Award.
Here is her speech in its entirety:
' Now to play "devil's advocate," some folks did make some good points about her comments regarding African-Americans. A good friend of mine, Viktor Kerney, had this to say:
Here’s the tea, we (African-Americans) are not overly homophobic. In fact, if we were so homophobic, we would be leading these state and national charges to take rights away from us. Black folks are not leading the National Organization for Marriage, Focus on the Family, the American Family Association, the Concerned Women of America, or Million Moms, and we’re not so drenched in hate that we can’t see.
So, again, Kerry… I feel you, but please give Black folks more credit than that.
I, personally, would go far as to say that behind every African-American prominently manipulating the black community against lgbts or marriage equality is a white hand emanating from a conservative or anti-gay group and giving out cold hard cash.
I think the discussion needs to go to a deeper level than homophobia in whichever certain community.
Let's talk about the money.
2 comments:
My knee jerk reaction is to point out that she didn't say all black people were homophobic, but I do agree that we need to look deeper into origins of these attitudes. The thing is she does actually point that out too. I would ask if you see this as a topic that a person who isn't black can bring up without well, looking like a jerk. You know how I feel about speaking for people who's communities I don't really belong to. I mean if I as a white woman were to say, "yes, but the only reason people in the black community are promoting anti-gay values is because white run organizations set them up to do it." I think I'd sound like I was saying black people were to dumb to ketch on. I don't think that would help much. Thoughts?
We certainly have to be careful about any generalization, we shouldn't shy away from talkinng about how some in my black community are manipulated by black pastors, etc who are getting to do so, from the "faith-based initiatives" to the monies from NOM.
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