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Last night, I was on FOX’s O’Reilly Factor to discuss my column on race and Prop. 8. I was on with Jasmyne Cannick who wrote a shameful article in the LA Times.
I felt the lead into the show was unfair. It looked as if gay people were hooligans and troublemakers. In reality, the protests across the nation have been peaceful. The show also said there were only 1,000 protesters in New York. I was there and there were more then 10,000.
What people like O’Reilly and others don’t seem to understand is that we deserve to be angry. After all, a majority actually voted away our marriages – as if our nation’s laws are a product of mob rule, with no rights for minorities. Do they expect us to be all smiles? Do they understand the gravity and gall of what they have done? How would they react if their marriages had been endlessly debated, lied about and then voted away? There would likely be hell to pay and riots in the streets if straight people, or a particular faith, had their loving marriages destroyed by majority vote.
As far as Ms. Cannick? Her appearance speaks for itself, as do her radical ideas, such as white people should not eat soulfood or win awards at all black colleges. If you are for pitting people against each other and dividing people by race – then you probably love her. If you are a person who believes in equality for all and judging people by the content of their character, you probably were not a big fan of Ms. Cannick. Her main problem is that she offers copius criticism, but never offers real solutions.
There is a also a disturbing trend where the right wing groups and media distort what is going on at these protests. It is really vile how these professed Christians so easily lie in the name of the Lord. It’s as if they have no dignity, no shame, no scruples, no morals, and no decency – even as they prattle on about their superior values. They are dreadful “witnesses” for their religon. For every political battle they win, they turn off millions of people. In this sense, the Prop 8 battle was an enormous defeat for anti-gay religious groups.
This is a battle we are going to win if we harness the energy at these rallies into tangible action. I can assure you that truth will win out. I look forward to working with the people I have met across this nation to have an impact and make a difference. Hang in there. Victory is closer than many of us imagine.
Wayne,
The new memo circulating amongst the gay haters is to pit black against gay (as ridiculous as that seems). Be very cautious that O’Reilly and Cannick don’t bait you into that..it seems as though that is what this appearance is about. I realize that she is an idiot, but so is Ann Coulter and both of them seem to know exactly what to say to inflame bigoted sentiment.
I am a minister that has preached from the pulpet that Jesus had set me free from Homosexuality. I was taught to be a literalist,a fundementalist, Bible believing manipulator. I once lead a bible study, that was for Gay men and women offering them scripture that would help them live a “Jesue centerd life”. The Bible study honestly was a pick up place for Christian men that wanted to have sex and know they wouldn’t get caught and their sex partner would keep the secret because he would have just as much to lose.
I have been out of the closet for 26 years. I am a father and Grandfather. I am in a loving, caring, long term relationship with a marvelous man who has been embraced by my entire immediate family and long distant family.
There is a verse in the Bible that reads, “the truth will set you free”. It has me and will anyone that will live by it. Freedom is a powerful tool that will open doors that are unimaginable.
If I can be of any help to anyone coming out of a fundamental, Full Gosphel, Penticostal, Non-Denominational organization, please allow me to do so.
Sincerely
Ron
Kevin, it appears you were right. The issue became black vs. gay and Wayne — who often fares quite well on O’Reilly — stood up well but was repeatedly interrupted by Cannick and O’Reilly.
After the debate, O’Reilly and Laura Ingraham both continued the black vs. gay meme, based largely upon the N-word being said by a few white idiots at a single event in L.A., as recalled by two unidentified bloggers (Cannick and Rod McCullom).
Ron,
I would be happy to work with you to help warn people about the dangers of fundamentalist and other unhealthy forms of politicized religion.
If you are interested in offering personal support to struggling individuals, then I encourage you to get in touch with Beyond Ex-Gay.
Feel free to get in touch with us at TWO if you were more interested in warning people against joining
Wayne Besen is making the Prop 8 issue gays vs. blacks. Why cant black people have their opinion? To take this vote away is telling blacks, as well as most of California “screw you”. The so called “peaceful” gays are getting violent over this…hmmm…can you say hypocrite? So gay issues are more important that black issues? The Hispanics don’t back gay marriage either…are you going after them next?
If the gays get too radical they might incite a cultural civil war. Maybe that’s what they want.
Independent,
Basic rights and freedoms for minorities — including freedom of religion — cannot and should not be voted away by voters.
You falsely accuse the vast majority of thousands of nonviolent and civil gay protesters in numerous cities of being violent. You do so on the basis of one incident involving some pathetic racist goons at one protest in Westwood — goons whom Truth Wins Out harshly criticized earlier this week, along with those who scapegoat African Americans for the approval of Proposition 8.
It is sadly apparent that you believe people should have some imagined right to vote down the religious and individual freedom of minorities that you disapprove of.
I think most sane people agree that it was the evangelical and social conservative vote that passed Prop 8 – and these groups cut across all racial lines. I just heard Wayne Beson say this – very emphatically – in interview tonight, actually. But I feel one of the saddest things about Prop 8 is the fact that our history is filled with examples where marriage was denied to whatever group was perceived to be socially threatening at the time. Although every group’s experience in the face of inequality is unique, I think this quote from Loving v. Virginia (the Supreme Court ruling that overturned a law banning interracial marriage in 1967) applies to gay marriage today:
Marriage is one of the “basic civil rights of man,” fundamental to our very existence and survival…. To deny this fundamental freedom on so unsupportable a basis as the racial classifications embodied in these statutes, classifications so directly subversive of the principle of equality at the heart of the Fourteenth Amendment, is surely to deprive all the State’s citizens of liberty without due process of law. The Fourteenth Amendment requires that the freedom of choice to marry not be restricted by invidious racial discrimination. Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State.”
In 2007, Mildred Loving said:
“Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don’t think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the “wrong kind of person” for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people’s religious beliefs over others. Especially if it denies people’s civil rights.”
‘Independent’ – Do you have a reason to believe gay people should be treated as second class citizens, or was it just something you were brought up to believe?
And damn right your opinion should not count. No-one should have the right to interfere in the private arrangements of others – arrangements that affect no-one else in any way – and deny others the same chances in life. If you think you, or anyone else has that right, well, you are a disgrace. What do you want us to say, we respect your beliefs, which are just based on bigotry and superstition?
It is immoral that plebiscites like this happen – and the sign of an immature democracy, where ‘might is right’, and prejudices rule. Governments should not legislate matters, where no harm is done to others.
Anger is a good thing: meek people do not inherit the earth. Time to march on Washington.
Gay people have been on the receiving end of the “culture war” for as long as any of us can remember, so fighting back is our only option.
Those who are trying to pit one oppressed group against another are those who hope to gain some benefit from it that has nothing to do with either black, white, gay, straight, whatever.
Lies about gays being violent are just an extention of the campaign the Mormon Church and the Christian Right ran and it doesn’t surprise me that they are the ones putting it out there.
We will overcome because this is a world movement. America seems evenly divided by those who believe in freedom and those who do not. It’s only a matter of time before those who truly honor the ideals of our country become the majority once and for all.
“If the gays get too radical they might incite a cultural civil war. Maybe that’ what they want.”
Uh, didn’t the “christians” ALREADY start this “culture war”?
From Anita Bryant and Jerry Falwell threatening to “do away with the homosexuals” (Bryant’s own words before she got a pie thrown in her face), to forcing raped children into giving birth, to trying to decide which books are “moral” enough for public libraries, and the list goes on and on.
“Christians” just hate it when they go sticking their noses where it doesn’t belong, and somebody slams a door shut on it.
They started the “culture war” long ago, and they’re just screaming and throwing tantrums over losing ground, bit by bit.
A few decades ago, they had 100% support of the public – but now the score is about 50/50. Over the years, maybe the loss has something to do with these “god warriors” thumping the bible in one hand, and beating off some guy at the truck stop with the other.