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Building Bridges in the Wake of Prop. 8

In the wake of finger-pointing following California's passing of Prop. 8, television writer and producer Tajamika Paxton suggests the time has come to build a bridge between the LGBT and African-American communities -- to engage in discussion rather than looking for somewhere to place blame.
An Advocate.com exclusive posted November 18, 2008
Building Bridges in the Wake of Prop. 8

The passage of Prop. 8 and the subsequent fallout show that there is now a renewed urgency to the debate over gay rights. The time has come for discussions that avoid placing blame on one group -- discussions that avoid treating a group in any way that suggests that group is monolithic. It’s time for discussions that create harmony, not acrimony. Time for us to understand our unique connectivity on this issue of human rights and, in the words of the Dalai Lama, understand our interdependence.

Clearly, there’s plenty of emotion flying around. Some of the white gays who felt threatened by the passage of Prop. 8 succumbed to simmering hatred. Some African-American gays, in response, raged and pointed fingers and labeled white gays blaming African-Americans for the passage of Prop. 8 as racist. The game of hate and blame continues.

As a society we can look at the election of Barack Obama as a symbol of racial equality. But the man and the campaign he ran are about far more than his racial background. Let’s model his even-tempered, thoughtful approach -- his civility in the face of cruelty, his graceful composure in the face of conflict, his ability to reach toward those who opposed him and understand how working with them can further common goals. For within the community of humanity -- in general and specifically -- that is what this crisis requires right now.

There’s always a tendency for people to create little fiefdoms of belief. I believe x, so this is my camp. You believe y, so that is your camp. Within the Prop. 8 debate, such fiefdoms threaten the entire movement. The bedrock of fiefdoms is made up of hardened prejudices that create enemies, not allies. "I’m a gay white male and I think African-American churchgoers are ignorant and extremely homophobic," or "I’m a transgender African-American and I think gay white males are all inherently racist."

Thus everything said or done is perceived through this filter and accepted as truth. Us vs. them. It’s dogmatic and shortsighted to continue to think this way. There’s no openness, no space for dialogue. There’s only media-fueled finger-pointing. It’s like that moment when your parent looks at you and says, “You know better.”

We know better.

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Paxton is the former vice-president of development for Forest Whitaker's production company and served as the cochair of Outfest's Fusion LGBT People of Color Film Festival. She is a television writer, producer, and yoga instructor.
Keywords:  Prop 8 
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Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: Jay
    Date posted: 2008-11-21 5:04 PM
    Hometown: Burbank

    Comment:

    Justin - It's not the point of view I have a problem with. It's the presentation. I never said Ms. Cannick hasn't got a point - the mainstream gay community has MANY failings when it comes to reaching out to gay minorities. I just think that message is wrapped in a package - one more often than not designed to rattle - that the messenger becomes more the point. To me, Ann Coulter, Chris Matthews, Jasmyne Cannick, et al. are all the same, no matter their perspective. Hence, why Ms. Paxton's piece was so refreshing.


  • Name: Justin
    Date posted: 2008-11-21 2:31 PM
    Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

    Comment:

    Jay, I find your comments to be condencending and patronizing at best. To call someone "shrill and divisive" just because they have a difference in opinon is counterproductive and out right sexist. Jasmyne was right on the money as far as I'm concern.


  • Name: Eddie
    Date posted: 2008-11-20 3:17 PM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    Amen brother. They didn't think we'd find out what they did, but we found out. Now they resort to calling us racists instead of taking responsibility for what they did. To all the African American gay people - I feel very sorry for them too - IF they are out of the closet. If they are "on the DL" they simply contributed to this problem. The No on 8 campaign was horribly mismanaged though, very few resources were spent in South Central. Does that excuse black homophobia? Not any more than The Bible justifies white racism. Southern whites used religion as an excuse for racism for centuries. Church is not an excuse for taking someone's rights away.


  • Name: Eddie
    Date posted: 2008-11-20 3:12 PM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    I've supported black civil rights my entire life. I guess you didn't see me. :)


  • Name: Eddie
    Date posted: 2008-11-20 3:10 PM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    Gay African Americans who call white gay people racist are just trying to move away from their own responsibility to bring tolerance to the African American community. I don't know one "out" black person. Every black gay person I know is gay in West Hollywood and in the closet in South Central. Do they think it was easy for me to come out? I'm from the rural Midwest! To my African American gay friends - COME OUT. DEMAND RESPECT. Otherwise, your liberation as a gay person is only on the backs of those who do come out. Will you suffer? YES. Just like the rest of us.


  • Name: Phil
    Date posted: 2008-11-20 1:03 AM
    Hometown: Cathedral City, CA

    Comment:

    So Ben in NY, what is your solution? Let's bring solutions and constructive action items to the conversation rather than what appears to be throwing stones with taking some responsibility


  • Name: Phil
    Date posted: 2008-11-20 1:01 AM
    Hometown: Cathedral City, CA

    Comment:

    What the movement needs to learn is how to effectively strategize an argument and a cause. Learn from the mistakes and then succeed. And take responsibility and ownership for the true issue regarding Prop 8's passage - The gay movement's leadership failed.


  • Name: Jay
    Date posted: 2008-11-19 9:34 PM
    Hometown: LA

    Comment:

    you know they say that exit poll does not really show how black people voted. i am horrified by the "equality and belief in tolerance" that people have demonstrated towards black GAY people. i know a lot of black people who voted against prop 8, but i'm happy one exit poll has allowed people to call people the "n" word and such. There is no bridge between black people and gay people. it's like feminism and black women. i'm happy you can be ashamed of 10% of the population and not look at the homophobia in all communities. You don't even know how old these people are... You can blame the whole race, when obviously most young people voted progressively and for all people to have equal rights. Wow, of course prop 8 is wrong, but i know that this will not change anyone's mind. it's funny that people say, hey why don't black people support civil rights? well, i never saw a bunch of gay people supporting black issues.... just because you're gay or a woman, you're not a racist?? yeah right...


  • Name: Jay
    Date posted: 2008-11-19 3:27 PM
    Hometown: Burbank

    Comment:

    How refreshing to have a voice other than Jasmyne Cannick's divisive and shrill take on this issue. It's amazing how the same point can be made when presented in a clear and calm voice. Enough with the finger pointing. Now is the time to ACT and make sure this doesn't happen again. Continually castigating religious people or ethnic communities will have the exact opposite effect.


  • Name: Dan Poirier
    Date posted: 2008-11-19 2:39 PM
    Hometown: Altadena

    Comment:

    I love the spirit of this commentary. Paxton eloquently describes positive work that needs to be done. I am eager to see our struggle continue with a sense of generosity toward each other, and a recognition of the good we can do working together for equal rights.


  • Name: Ben
    Date posted: 2008-11-19 1:02 PM
    Hometown: NY

    Comment:

    God forbid the Advocate print an article that actually holds California blacks to task for voting the way they did. At the end of the day, apologists who refuse to hold people accountable for their behavior won't be building a hell of a lot of bridges between themselves and the injured party.


  • Name: Robert Goodman, M.S.
    Date posted: 2008-11-19 12:17 PM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    First, to imply that holding African-Americans responsible for the way they voted on 8 (70% against) is "finger pointing" and "blaming" is insulting; second, to imply that many people have not been working for years to build bridges between the GLBT and African-American communties is insulting; third, to suggest that all we have to do is educate Christian fundamentalist about our issues and they will suddenly see the light is insulting.


  • Name: Derek
    Date posted: 2008-11-18 10:01 PM
    Hometown: Nashville,TN

    Comment:

    I agree that bickering between groups of people on opposing sides seems quite ancient and should be left in our sometimes painful history. However, it astonishes me that the gay community, which I happen to be a part of, could not see opposition like this coming when it's so very obvious that within our own community there is division based on race and social class. It's like the big, pink elephant in the room that none of us really talk about but it's there just the same. When we, the Gay community, can come together as a huge united front, then we will see our brothers and sisters all across the world give us the respect that we deserve as citizens and fellow human beings. I think it's long overdue.


  • Name: Tom
    Date posted: 2008-11-18 8:11 PM
    Hometown: Fort Walton Beach

    Comment:

    Love and understanding are the key to your happiness. I have faith that our founding fathers have ensured equal rights for all. Before we start bickering like clich'e little minorities, we should await the outcome of the California legislature.


  • Name: rowan
    Date posted: 2008-11-18 7:03 PM
    Hometown: UK

    Comment:

    "Sit-ins and protests were organized in these churches. Churches were the communication hub for organizations traveling through the South. People of all colors ate meals in churches during days of organizing." Yeah so as black people why don't we GET this?? Due to circumstances beyone our control we've HAD to take to a religion that was pushed on US by white people/slave owners.... And I'm like come on.....religion being your 'government' is a pre modernist thought....the Renaissance times would not have existed if it'd not fought religion.... Logic anyone?


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