Analysing Proposition 8

The wonderful folks at Racialicious have provided a small roundtable for discussion on the results of Prop 8.

Source: Racialicious

I think the number "70% of blacks/latinos/asians voted yes" is what's getting at alot of the NO supporters. Media is portraying it as the main reason why the Proposition passed while non-white NO supporters are denying it saying it's wasn't a factor since the population is so small.

But it does make a difference. Minorities, speaking generally, are against gay marriage. I talked to my parents this morning and they just dismiss the argument immediately. They still say: That doesn't mean gay marriage is equal to heterosexual marriage. Also, why discriminate against unmarried couples? or polygamous ones? or familial ones? If you treat them all as equal, then marriage ceases to have any objective meaning or social consequence at all. It's still traditional marriage to them.


I understand the fight on the NO side and minorities for people who are fighting for equal rights for everyone, it's a crushing blow. It is clearly not a republican or democratic issue in California. It's personal and even racial. The three on this panel have to look within their own communities if they want to make a dent in this old old homophobic attitude.

The Black vote did make a difference. You can twist it all you want that the sample is small but in a race that close, every vote counts and if one group sways one way, it'll make the difference.

If you have 30 kids in a class and there's an argument about whether to play soccer of football in this PE period. If there are 5 black kids in the class and 4/5 of them want to play football... you're playing football.