The Past Didn't Go Anywhere

Which is an ambiguous sentence, but years of experience with the Black English/Ebonics debate have left me feeling precisely zero enthusiasm for discussing linguistics with non-linguists. Similar to the zero enthusiasm for discussing racial issues with conservative white folk; doesn't seem worth the effort to bring 'em to the point where they have something intelligent to say in the first place, so I just smile and nod. There may be eye-rolling involved. Or some facial twitching, as I bite my tongue. Good times, good times. . .

But also better days than, say, 40 years ago. From alaina is: sweet and sour: Loving Day:

It's hard to believe, but less than 40 years ago interracial relationships were illegal in many states in our country. Marriage, sex, and living together were all criminal acts. On June 12th, 1967 interracial couples became legal thanks to the Supreme Court decision, Loving v. Virginia.

[. . .] On this Saturday, June 12th, observe Loving Day by taking a moment to reflect on and celebrate your legal right to love a person of any race, and take action to see that these same rights are extended to ALL loving couples, regardless of sexual orientation.

'course, not everyone is thrilled with comparing race to orientation. I, personally, do, and think the unthrilled are morons, but enough editorializing. From Ethnic Communities Speak out Against Gay Marriage:

A recent "Rally to Protect Marriage" in Sacramento was co-sponsored by BOND (Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny), a Christian organization dedicated to "rebuilding the family by rebuilding the man."

"If California legalizes same-sex marriages," says BOND founder and president Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, "it will destroy the family, especially the black family."

I mentioned the moron thing, yes? I'd explain why, but the article doesn't explain why the Wrong Rev. Peterson is claiming his crazy shit, so why should I have to explain mine? Onward.

Rev. Raymond Kwong, who organized the rally [to protect marriage] in San Francisco, leads the newly formed Bay Area Christians for Traditional Marriage (BACFTM). "We are sympathetic to true minorities. Gays and lesbians are not a genuine minority," he says in the AsianWeek report. "I have talked to many African American ministers and they are incensed that the civil rights bus has been hijacked by a radical group. When were there separate entrances for gays and straights? When have gays gotten worse jobs and lower pay than straight people? I've never seen any gays who had to go to the back of the bus."

Detria Thompson, in the March 19 edition of the black newspaper San Francisco Bay View, writes that many African Americans believe that race "easily trumps sexual orientation in the now crowded different-discrimination sweepstakes." But this "assumes that lesbians and gays have the option, if not a duty, to mute their behavior so as not to alarm straight people." Yet, "all gays and lesbians can't 'pass' for straight, and even if it was possible to do so, being able to 'pass' misses the point."

The Wrong Rev. Kwong (sorry, sorry) could just as easily find African Americans, ministers and otherwise, equally "incensed" by the rhetoric about hijacking and radicals, and as for the bit about gays (etc.) not facing discrimination. . . that gets back to not wanting to waste time calmly explaining things to bigots. I'd like to think they're just as capable as I am of using Google to look up statistics on hate crimes, or states where it's acceptable to fire someone for (perceived) orientation.

Whether they use that capability, or bother reading the information when someone else does the not-that-heavy lifting and presents it to them, predigested, with links to sources, is the problem.

"Class" is a dirty word, so we shall not bring this complicated factor to the discussion.

Let's leave out homophobia in communities of color, too. And racism among white GLBT types, because "white privilege" is an even nastier concept.

As long as we're Not Talking about issues, I suppose I can avoid discussing the hostility towards (hate this term) interracial couples from some sectors of the African American community, too. Convenient, that.

So. Happier thoughts. Those of you with HBO can enjoy the premiere of Six Feet Under this evening. I'd politicize this by mentioning the whole (hate this term equally well) mixed-race gay couple thing, but that would be wrong.