How fucking disgraceful. There goes out civil rights equality out the window.

I can't stand a minority group who look down at another minority group. People often fail to recognize that WE ARE ALL THE SAME who are subjected to racism and bigotry because of our backgrounds. Too bad some of them don't realize that.

Global warming, Black people are responsible!

The bad economy, its Black peoples fault!

Mercury in fish, Black people did it!

When something goes wrong, blame Black people!

It's been America's official pastime since its inception to blame Black people for everything. This is another example. The Mormons are the ones who should foot the blame for the passage of Prop 8. All of these attempts to Blame Black people are just the easiest thing to do.

Is there homophobia/ bigotry in the Black community: of course. But there is homophobia/ bigotry in every community, why only focus on the Black community: because that's what we do.

It is a divide and conquer thing. I'm sad that one marginalized group would in turn single out another marginalized group as a target, instead of turning to them and trying to work with them to understand the larger goal(s) at hand, equal rights for all.

It's always Black folks fault. Didn't you know?

The hypocrisy in attacking another people to prove your own sense of humanity is ridiculous - not mention not helping the cause at all.
And it also gives greater credence to the idea that the Black civil rights movement is not the same as the gay rights movement. The gay people that called the Black gay the N-word, did not see a fellow gay person. They saw a Black person, which is why Black people put racial issues ahead of sexual identity issues. Our Blackness is what people see - not the whole person.

They don't need to target ALL BLACK PEOPLE. Because All of Us DON'T AGREE with the Prop 8 Ban. That isn't my lifestyle but I don't others to suffer because of that. I want everyone to have a choice as to how to live their lives. What about the precentage of the other races that voted to have the Ban? Go after each one not just one.

We arent all blaming black people.

"Blaming Black Voters for Prop 8 Loss is Wrong and Destructive"
http://site.pfaw.org/site/Page.....rop_8_memo

The issue is with the Prop 8 campaign - it did not reach out to get the black vote. They focused on their own demographic thinking it was strong enough when rather then minority groups. I can understand the anger of their supporters as they feel like they are on the bottom of everyone's shoe… the lowest of the low, but AGAIN - we need to look at the big picture. I'm not mad at them, just very saddened that they feel they have to go there.

Why does everyone focus on California. In Arizona, A higher percentage of Whites voted for their ban then Blacks. But no one talks about that. I'll see if i can find that poll again.

This really saddens me as a young black woman. I've always been a vocal, supporter of the gay community, and then things like this happen.

It's like everyone secretly resents us. Even within the gay community, you're black and then gay.

What about all the other minority groups that voted yes. Sure, it wasn't 67%, but the numbers were around 50%.

It's not like the blacks were the only ones that voted yes, and 6% of California does not decide an entire election.

I agree with Allegra and said as much on the Queerty site, which is rife with racist comments. They should have targeted the black community with ad and marketing. They took the black vote for granted. With proper outreach this may not have been the outcome. But it is insanse the racism that is coming out on these boards. I am saddened and shocked.

Thanks, Egoiste, for sharing that link.

…idiots wasting their time protesting. What's the point? Start with Prop 9: Legalizing Gay Marriage. Protesting won't help anyone.

These details the probelms (and personal demons) of white and non black liberals and progressives. They where Obama buttons and scream at any one being racist (in their minds) to obama. And look what happens when the tables turn…….interesting

this is what you get, when blacks are not represented in the gay community and vice versa.

this is just the beginning, it happened during the isaiah washington drama, this WOULD BE WORSE.

and let me remind the white gays, that it is the blacks that VOTES to save your asses from the republicans. the last time i checked 90% of the republican votes this election were WHITES.

maybe you should abuse yourself first before you abuse the 6.2% of blacks who voted in california.

They saw a Black person, which is why Black people put racial issues ahead of sexual identity issues. Our Blackness is what people see - not the whole person.

Exactly, it's hard to work up any compassion or solidarity for the cause when you have members of the gay community throwing the n-word at blacks who are obviously against Prop 8.

Lets see so far today we have 2 stories about Gays blaming the African Americans.

An editorial about how the Mormon Church is not to blame. (Calling the Scapegoats)

I see this site is going to become Japh's own personal opinion column.

DON'T FALL FOR THE ANTI-BLACK ANGLE. IT IS JUST A WAY TO DEFLECT THE BLAME OFF THE MORMON CHURCH AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Is the guy in the photo the one that was using the N word? I hope that you wouldn't post a random photo with such a hideous story attached.

This is not racism, this is a wounded animal lashing out at whatever it thinks hurt it.

It's the same with the Mormons.

Right now people are angry and hurt, and as anyone who has ever been that way can attest, we all say things we don't mean.

First we cry, then we become enraged. That is the cycle of mourning.

This is just sad. Prop 8 was already sad but people not getting it and just pointing fingers won't help.
Plus, calling someone protesting prop 8 the n word is the most stupid thing I can think of. Being angry shouldn't stop your brain assholes.

You have found an entire community guilty without any justification or proof. Perhaps instead of
race baiting, you should be working together.

I think this story is bogus. A lie. I call you out dude to prove it. Take down the photo of this innocent guy unless you have proof positive that he used the N word. Otherwise, you are as guilty of hypocrisy and should be boycotted.

I've attended at least 1 rally a day since prop 8 passed. I have seen nothing but respect and a commitment to a common cause - undo prop 8. If Geoffrey's story is true, it's an isolated incident. This story is getting way too much play and is just further dividing the LGBT community. It hasn't helped that the MSM has been parroting the "blacks overwhelming supported prop 8." It ain't black, it ain't white, it ain't brown. Or asian or anything else. It was people who self-identified as strongly religious who passed prop 8.

You all should read Jasmyne Cannick's piece in Friday's LA Times. She is right on point with many of you. The prop 9 movement was pretty much run by privilege white gays who didn't make any effort to make alliances with either the straight or gay black communities, and now are trying to find someone to blame for this unfortunate mess.

I grow wary of the (white) gay community throwing around the civil rights movement comparison without any context. If the stuff about the n-word being used against blacks by white gay protesters is true, then that is a bigger set back to the gay community than losing prop 9.

Sorry, I meant to say Prop 8. (Obviously, I don't live in Cali!)

You are all missing the point by choosing to make this about race.

Hillary Rosen stated on Anderson Cooper 360 Thursday night that making this a racial issue was probably not the best thing because if you look at the stats, 87% of registered REPUBLICANS in the State of California who voted in the 11/4 election, voted for the passage of Prop 8. REPUBLICANS, not blacks, not Latinos, are the problem here.

Furthermore, it was not blacks who put Prop 8 on the ballot, it was Mormons, the likes of Tony Perkins and the American Family Association as well as James Dobson and his Focus on the Family kind of organizations that fought to get this on the ballot.

You can't blame people for being ignorant.

You CAN blame people for being willfully malicious toward our civil rights by running around collecting the signatures to get this on the ballot, and paying the attorneys to draw this all up. Do you think blacks did that? No.

Fight the real enemy, THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT WING who would love to see gays and blacks battling each other.

Pick your battles wisely.

Our battle is with the Christian Right, and they are made up of many colors, but ironically enough, mostly white.

let's be real here - homophobia is a HUGE problem in the black community. that's NO excuse for racism - but it's still a problem.

a bunch of blacks vote for prop 8 doesn't mean all black people are to blame. just like a few gays pull out the n-word, doesn't mean all gays are to blame. most of the posters here seem to be getting CAUGHT UP in this game. we have to get PAST identity politics.

let's get it right. america has NO PLACE for second-class citizens. we need equality for all of us.

i want to see this battle won with LOVE and COMPASSION from all corners. ANYONE WITH ME?

There is a lot of hate out there these days, and it's fairly natural that when one minority gets shafted they are going to turn on the other minorities that did nothing to help the situation, or in this case helped create the situation.
With various causes there is a general expectation that those looking for equality will do so across the board and not just helping themselves and then screw over others in the oh so individualized state that the USA has become.

Personally i do think it's hugely hypocritical for the Black community to be 'preaching right' on how badly they are done by, treated like second class citizens and alike, something that has been part of American history for almost as long as there has been American history… and then become an instrumental factor in denying the rights of others. And yes, I can say that coming from half way around the world (I'm an Aussie) one of the strongest elements of black community that is presented, via various streams (80% of our entertainment comes from the US) is that there is a huge homophobia, one that as far as I've seen, no one has managed to shift it.

I can totally understand why gay guys would be pissed at the black community, do i think slurs back and forth do anyone any good? No. But I do think that those in the black community who push equality (for themselves and their bros) and voted yes on Prop 8, need to take a real look at the walking contradiction they have become.

These people are letting the demons inside them loose and taking a democratic vote as an excuse for their racism. There have been a some reports of violence against blacks, the police have to put an end to these racists nuts and let them know we wont stand for it.

i'm a black lesbian and i already feel alienated from white gays, most of whom never bother to deal with their white privilege while they're alienating black people gay and straight alike, this is pushing me to the brink. honestly i identify more with the black community, and the black lgbt community, then the greater lgbt commnunity because like with the rest of american society, because there are more of them they dictate the lexicon and i've been forced to be exposed to and learn their experiences to get by, yet they can arbitrarily chose to explore and learn about my experience being black and gay without rerprecussion. most of the time they don't want to learn about my experience, hell they barely even acknowledge my existence. so there's no love lost with me and white gays. i can't lie, i wish a white gay person WOULD call me the n-word and tell me to stay out of a gay enclave, i'd go back JUST as hard as i would with any garden variety racist. a lot of white gay people tap dance on my last nerves with their oblivious white privilege and unacknowledged bigotry and i don't feel like there's anything i'd have to lose. i don't have ANY kinship with those kind of people.

There are bigots and racists and haters in every group that exists. EVERY group.

We need to start working together to create unity just as Obama has pointed out. Gays have been struggling so long just to survive, now is the time to come together as a queer nation. But everyone has to do their part to make the change happen.
Hate just begets more hate. Take personal responsibility…change begins with you.

We stand together in mutual desire, saying, We Shall Overcome. We Shall Overcome.

White Privilege? You've got to be kidding me. Let's see straight black people have full civil rights plus affirmative action, anti-discrimination laws and hate crimes laws. Oh yeah, and that whole marriage thing too. Gay people of EVERY color have nothing even close to that. Obviously Sloane has been too narrow minded to think beyond her own privileged existence or she'd see the errors of her muddled thinking.

Let's not forget this issue didn't just drop out of the sky. Violent Homophobia in the black community, particularly in black churches, has always been there. Everyone is invested in the image of the black church as the institution that fostered the black civil rights movement and no one wants to sully that with the truth. The house of freedom is now a house of bigots who delight in finally having someone that they can discriminate against.

I don't know what the black outreach situation was at No on Prop 8, but I blame them for nothing. I blame the people who deserve it, the immoral bigots.

Well, 70% says a lot, right? But it's not that they are black, it's that they were mis-informed. The scare tactics worked.

I'm a black het, and I've been blogging extensively about No on 8 for months now. I've also given money and phone banked.

I know it is hard to remember our bible lessons at times like these, but I do believe that we should reach deep inside ourselves and forgive those misinformed white gays that would judge all black people for the actions of a few.

Speaking as someone who is married to a wonderful white man that is somewhat disliked by her father b/c he is white, because my father grew up in very segregated times, I can understand why someone might try to blame the whole group for the actions of a few. I don't agree with it, but I do understand that frustration and anger.

I want to repeat Logan's call for Love and Compassion during this terrible setback for civil rights in California.

I also don't think we should lash out in anger against the Mormon and Catholic churches. It isn't productive, and I've heard such terrible things said, that I wonder if it doesn't cheapen our cause to lash out like this.

I agree with many of the posters that said that the No on 8 movement wasn't very organized as far as getting out the black vote. Unlike Yes on 8, they didn't go after sympathetic black preachers. I doubt that they canvassed in black neighborhoods. And when I was phone banking, I was frustrated that they didn't recruit more Spanish language speakers to phone those in the Latino community that do not speak English well enough to have a conversation about a complicated political issue.

I think the answer now is to put down the protest signs and go about the harder work of getting organized, so that when this shows up on the ballot again (which it will), we can actually do what it takes to make sure that our gay brothers and sisters get the marriage rights that they deserve.

@Brian - just cuz you face oppression as a gay person doesn't mean that you suddenly lost your white privelege. and I say this as a queer white woman myself. you need to get over yourself and dig deeper.

for everyone else, i started a group on Facebook called "dan savage doesn't speak for me", in response to his blog post blaming black folks for the Prop h8. that, and because he's an ass in general.

"White Privilege? You've got to be kidding me. Let's see straight black people have full civil rights plus affirmative action, anti-discrimination laws and hate crimes laws. Oh yeah, and that whole marriage thing too. Gay people of EVERY color have nothing even close to that. Obviously Sloane has been too narrow minded to think beyond her own privileged existence or she'd see the errors of her muddled thinking."

White privilege probably isn't what you think it is. It's the culturally, politically and economically dominant group giving you the benefit of the doubt even before they know you, before you open your mouth, just because you share their racial appearance. This helps people do very important things like procure jobs and housing, for instance. As a man, you also have some privilege compared to women, even straight ones (in turn, straight white women have some that you don't). There is a such thing as intersectionality — the effects of being gay cancel out some of the privilege you recieve as a cis white male, but not all of it, and the same goes for others who simultaneously occupy identities on different levels of the totem pole of social desirability. All those things that you named aren't "privileges", any more than anti-discrimination laws and hate crime laws covering gays are. Those are protections for a suboordinate, widely denigrated near-caste. Furthermore, you know that Sloane is gay, too, right? How are lesbian black women more privileged than gay white men? If anything they'd be less so… or is her orientation somehow invisible to you, despite it being clearly stated above? However, when the wounds are raw from something like this, I recognize that this may not be the conversation you're ready to have. As a black person, I feel I have an understanding that some things shouldn't be up to majority consensus. I also realize how humiliating it must be to be told to go to various demographics, hat in hand and justify your equality, as a result of having out of state parties throw it in the pool for a vote. However, I think that loudly, widely debunking the outright lies that were told by the "Yes on 8" campaign in several languages would have been its own form of outreach, for which no one would have to feel unduly debased.

Let's see…why don't African-Americans sympathize with the struggle of Gay Americans..hmmm. I wonder could it be that when a Black person walks out into the public there is no hiding the fact that he/she is Black while if you're Gay, no one knows unless you tell them. Of course there are many situations that can give that fact away, e.g., if you're at dinner with your partner, if you're walking on the street holding hands, etc.

Let me get this straight though, I believe prop 8 is wrong, but in the same breath, I don't believe the struggle of African-Americans and gays is anywhere near similar. I believe that homosexuals should be able to marry, not as an equal protection issue, but as a privacy issue. The same right of privacy that allows individuals to enter into an interracial marriage, the same right of privacy that allows a woman to obtain an abortion. The problem with this situation is that the issue of gay marriage is being played out as a moral issue, when it really is a legal contractual issue. Marriage is a contract. Looking at it from that perspective as long as you have two consenting individuals who want to enter into a contract, there should be no problem.

I apologize if that's kind of rambling. I didn't have a chance to really get my thoughts together on the matter.

I don't know why that West Hollywood crowd are all pissed off at blacks because they voted 70% in support of proposition 8. The reaction they are having toward blacks, etc. is "exactly" why they voted the way they did.

Everyone knows those Gays up in Weho are some of the most "racist" group of people unless it benefits "them". Here's some advice West Hollywood Group or Gay's. How about trying to treat people the way you want to be treated.

If you all want Prop 8 passed one day and get the support — how about getting the support of these other "groups" and help them understand why they should support your cause.

Calling people names and using the "slave derogatory word" won't get you anywhere. If anything it will make people vote against you. Final word, take "no one's vote" for granite.

Hatred and ignorance has no place in America anymore! If you want "America" to change — you have to start in your own house first.

No, no, no no, no,no, no! You can hide being gay? Let's be real here, people know who is and who isn't gay. All gay people can personally attest to that, since people love to call us faggots and threaten us with violence on the streets all the time. I'm sad to say, that on the streets of DC where I live it's usually groups of young black men who do it.

How dare anyone try to minimize the suffering and discrimination of gay people. We have NOTHING! We are never safe, we live with so much hatred and violence directed against us.

Gays always support black people. We support affirmative action. We support anti-discrimination and hate crimes laws. We marched at the Jena Six protests and voted 75% for Obama. What do we get….Hate.

Even worse we get blamed for not educating people to do the right thing. How dare you. If you don't know the difference between right and wrong, moral and immoral, kindness and hatred…then there's not much to say. You're just a bad, evil and hypocritical person.

Brian,

If all gays have always supported Black people then why are many of them targeting Blacks as a racial group and calling them names instead of targeting the religious right who is really behind it? Why are Black gays complaining about racism in the gay community?

Black people traditionally are religious conservative and the church teaches against homosexuality as the worse kind of sin and ignores other "sins". If if wasn't a racial thing then you guys would have went after the church and not a racial group. More white people voted against Prop 8 then blacks so even if no black showed up vote it would have passed. Don't forget it passed in Arizona as well and no Black live there.

We have always known that the religious right have been our enemies and that they want nothing more than our destruction. There have been and are many more planned protests of mormon temples and other conservative churches by thousands and thousands of gay people of all colors.

The reason for the anger leveled at the straight black community…we feel betrayed, blindsided by a people who we have always admired, whose struggle for freedom inspires our own dreams for equality.

We're upset because we know that straight black people know how we feel…that we've internalized the hatred aimed at us by the larger world and we struggle to fight it.

That we struggle to survive in a world that seems impossibly stacked against us. And we receive all those "looks" by straight people and how they're never truly comfortable with us…they either try too hard to be friendly or become coldly polite, but the hate is visible behind their eyes and words. And that's just the nice stuff.

I'm not being snarky, but I see all of these mentions of my so called white privilege as attempts to shut me down, as conversation enders. This is about gay people of every race and I've always said that.

I don't support the rights of other minorites because I expect to get something out of it. I do it because it is the right thing to do. That's all we wanted.

Brian, while your passion is admirable, it also blinds you to Prop 8 election facts. You - and lots of other white gays - want to lay the blame for Prop 8's passage with black voters. Fact: Blacks in California make up approximately 6.7% of California's population. Obviously, many people in that percentage did not vote because they weren't eligible, didn't register, apathetic or whatever. So let's say 5% of black people voted. Very high estimate, but I'll take it to make a point. That's 5 blacks out of 100 voters. Subtract from that amount the 30% of blacks who voted against Prop 8, which means 3.5 blacks out of a 100 people voted for Prop 8. An extremely small amount of actual voters used to castigate a whole community. Check out the California Election Map found at: http://vote.ss.ca.gov/Returns/.....000008.htm The opposition for Prop 8 was concentrated mainly in the interior of the state. The majority of blacks reside in California's coastal areas. Those areas either voted against Prop 8, or supported it in razor thin majorities. Many groups voted against Prop 8 in equally large, or larger numbers but it seems your ire rests with black people. It is not really justified, I suspect that its just easier to do. I'm a black gay male who was once ecstatic when my job transferred me from a red state to San Francisco. The gay mecca! Freedom! Gay brethren. What I learned was there is a reason you don't see many women, blacks or Hispanic gays in The Castro. The racism/sexism/ageism in the gay community, some call it latent, is very apparent to those who are not homogeneous. Case in point, the racism and "N" bombs that are being directed by white gays at black gays while they are participating in anti Prop 8 protests. Even while they are holding anti-Prop 8 signs and placards. Prop 8 is wrong, but so is the bias in the main stream (white) gay community. When it comes to discrimination and bias; gays give as good as they get.

I've just been watching this conversation unfold,and I realized something. I think it's a mistake to assume that black Americans should side with you because of their fight for civil rights. It's a mistake to limit them to just one aspect of their history. They have a right to have religious reservations just like some white Americans can have religious reservations toward gay rights. There are black Americans who are all for gay marriage just as there are black Americans who are against it. They are not obligated to side with a certain group just because the group might admire them. I don't know, just thought I'd throw that in. I think a lot of people limit black Americans to just one character trait and then get dissapointed when they do not go with their assumptions. Just like any other group, they are allowed to disagree, yes?

In San Francisco the majority of the Chinese people voted Yes on 8. Chinatown overwelmingly voted for Barack BUT also voted Yes on 8.

Muslims were also told in mosques to vote Yes on 8. Muslims in the bay area voted overwelmingly for Barack, BUT also voted Yes to 8. They even told them to in the mosques.

Latinos voted more for Yes on 8. Latino Catholics also came out for Barack Obama, BUT the majority voted Yes on 8.

So why just target black people and Mormons?

As a Transman I am appalled to see this behavior from my so called gay community. As a Black man of about 6'0" and 200lbs of muscle I say "Bring It On!". I look like any other man and have spent the better part of my life fighting for Gay rights. And here's were we part! You spit on me, I will knock your teeth out! Period! Gays are playing a very dangerous game targeting Black and Latino people over something that they never really had. Both cultures do not play that shyt!

As a legal man I am able to marry a woman. And it appears the majority of California believes that's how it should be. So what do you do? Burn the State down? Nooooooooo! Stop paying taxes and sit in prison? Nooooooooo! I don't know how you'll fix it, but you need to stop showing your arses! For the first time in my life, I am ASHAMED of the Gay Community as a whole. I mean embarrassed to have ever been called one of you Muthaz!

I think its rediculous passing of prop 8, They are so many straight people who are totally unfitt to be married.
In this time and day, nobody should be stripped down of their civil rights. I strongly agree with people who are standing up to overturn prop 8. because its just a hate, towards a MINORITY GROUP…

Oh shut up with your unfit crap. Your unfit to be writing anything with a ignorant verse as… In this time and day, nobody should be stripped down of their civil rights. WHAT CIVIL RIGHTS. Protesting against voters after voting day is in itself a violation of voter civil rights. We are protected by law in this state to vote privately, so if you protest gainst those who voted against you - YOU ARE VIOLATING VOTER RIGHTS!!!!! You Idiot. Here is a minority group that voted against gay marriage and the idiot says…. "I strongly agree with people who are standing up to overturn prop 8. because its just a hate, towards a MINORITY GROUP…"
How stupid.

Taekwondodad is correct.
When gays harasses others because of the way that they voted, it is a federal crime and perhaps those of us being harassed should now call for federal prosecution of the masses of homosexuals violating our civil rights!

Amendment XXVI

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.

If the state allows voters to be harassed they too are guilty of a civil rights violation and will not stand back as the majority of straight people you've harassed be injured by your havoc. So step off.