bcholmes: I’m covered in bees! (bee sea)
BC Holmes ([personal profile] bcholmes) wrote2008-11-06 04:09 pm

Racism isn't just "a card" some people "play"

Blaming people of color for Prop. 8 passing in California is racist. So cut it the fuck out. Ditto for veiling your racism with "this is because of turnout for Obama" or "you know how conservative those immigrants can be."

[livejournal.com profile] sparkymonster states one of those things that I wanted to believe was obvious, but which apparently is not.

Edit: Here's another good response to the "let's blame the brown people" phenomenon.

Edit the second: Here's a statistical analysis of a white election.

Edit the third: Daily Kos has a good analysis, too!

[identity profile] sparkymonster.livejournal.com 2008-11-07 12:46 am (UTC)(link)
Obama came out against Prop. 8 in July when he said "I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states," Yes robocalls did exist that lied about Obama's views. How is that the fault of African-American people? Shouldn't that actually be the fault of the people who paid for those calls, which were funded by the mostly white LDS church?

And it doesn't make me racist to blame people who have hurt me.

You are assigning blame to an entire racial group based on the actions of a small group of people. You're ignoring the existence of black LGBT people and allies. You're ignoring that the NAACP of CA came out against Prop. 8. If you are blaming black people for Prop. 8, casting that blame is a racist action.

[identity profile] griffen.livejournal.com 2008-11-07 12:57 am (UTC)(link)
Gee. He came out in JULY, long before the attack ads hit the air. His statement needed to be repeated. Often. And loudly. And it wasn't. And that is his fault and the fault of his campaign. And I blame them for it, because it probably would have made a real difference in the outcome.

Do I blame all blacks? No. Do I blame the blacks that voted against my rights? Absolutely. I want to hurt them the same way they hurt me.

Do I blame all Mormons? No, although I'm sorely tempted to because all Mormons are required by their church to support its actions through their monetary outlay. But do I blame the Mormons who took aim at me and fired their bigotry through the television sets and the airwaves and the radio? Absolutely. Do I blame the Mormons who voted to strip me of my rights? Absolutely. I want to hurt them the same way they hurt me.

Please fill in any other group that voted against me. I do not hate the group. I do, however, passionately hate all the members of it who voted to take away my rights. And I want them to be hurt the same way I was.

I blame Obama for saying something that could be used in robocalls against my rights. I also blame Gavin Newsom for saying something that was used in advertisements against my rights.

And it is not racist to be angry at the people who did this shit to me. So don't go there again. And stop excusing their actions.
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[personal profile] firecat 2008-11-07 01:41 am (UTC)(link)
For what it's worth, I understand that Obama and Clinton (not sure if Bill or Hillary) created a robocall opposing prop 8. I didn't hear it (I hang up on all robocalls) but someone I know did.

So apparently Obama did try to oppose Prop 8. I think it's wrong to blame him for not doing more - he did need to campaign for the presidency after all.