Black LGBTs, Gay White Leadership And Rev. Eric Lee’s Travesty Of Justice
May have lost the ability to stand up as strong black folks nowadays...but we can throw a good party.
Earlier this week Reverend Eric Lee, head of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), penned an essay for Huff Post titled Travesty Of Justice. Let’s cut to the grit of Rev. Lee’s grievance in the essay with this short excerpt of the post:
I believe that the cause of justice and equality also suffers when the unconscious racism of the white male-dominated LGBT community goes unchecked. I’m sad to see it appears they have not learned the lessons from the mistakes of the California Proposition 8 campaign for marriage equality. The strategy of many LGBT organizations remains to develop messaging for the Black community without actually seeking the input of those in the Black community who have — at considerable personal and professional cost — taken a stand for marriage equality. That LGBT organizers continue to do this, despite the overwhelming research, polling, and basic common sense — which tells us if you want to energize Black folks about issues, you have to actually engage and understand Black people at the beginning of the work– not just as an afterthought.
Yet, I still witness LGBT organizations — which continue to be dominated and funded by white men — conducting meetings and making plans on “messaging to the Black community” rather than engaging the Black community. The same organizations that ran the failed Proposition 8 campaign continue to tell the Black community what the message is, and to continue mistake tokenism with community relationship building. Inviting a Black person to sit in a meeting because that person is Black, does not substitute for — and in fact undercuts the real work of — constructive, difficult dialogue with Black leaders on the issues surrounding homosexuality, much less same-sex marriage. Being Black does not automatically mean the concerns of the Black community will be honestly communicated. All Black people are not the same.
For the record, this essay written by Rev. Lee was sent to us over six times in the last 24 hours to seek our input and feedback on it. We’re fairly confident that due to our criticisms over the past year of the gay white establishment and equality organizations that quite understandably folks would assume that we would quickly hop into Rev. Lee’s amen corner on this matter. This assumption is not altogether off base. And yet, we have serious problems with this essay as it pertains to the reality of the black LGBT equality and activist landscape in Los Angeles.
EQCA Board President Cary Davidson with Vincent Jones of Liberty Hill. Difficult to look at. Yet it says it all.
First let’s establish who Rev. Lee is aiming at in his criticisms with this essay. It doesn’t take a political analyst to figure out that Rev. Lee is speaking specifically about and directing his wrath squarely at Equality California—-EQCA.
Okay, well, the usual suspects are at it again. Hardly a shocker. But we have a question for the honorable Rev. Lee that might hold a partial answer to his concerns. And before we ask it we want to make very clear to one and all that any challenge we may present in this essay is not directly aimed at Rev. Lee in any sense. We’ve been critical of Rev. Lee in the past but since then have developed a deeper respect for the man. And that’s just in quietly observing the trials and tribulations he has had to deal with in terms of the craziness of SCLC alone. He’s a fighter with his cute little high yella freckled face self. So none of what is written in this essay here is in criticism of his actions or position on things related to LGBT equality.
Nonetheless, the question we pose to Rev. Lee is, why are YOU writing this essay?
Why is was this essay NOT written by a black AND gay activist in Los Angeles or California?
Why is a heterosexual black man of the cloth speaking out on the behalf of the HUMUNGOUS black LGBT community statewide when any number of them are perfectly capable of doing this themselves? Why is not one of them speaking out in this respect?
Why didn’t Lisa Powell write that post?
Why didn’t Jeffrey King write it?
Why didn’t Ron Buckmire write that post, Rev. Lee?
Why didn’t Vincent Jones write that post?
Why didn’t Nii Quartelai Quartey write that post?
Why didn’t Phill Wilson write the post?
Why didn’t an organizer from ATB write that post?
Why didn’t any of these Los Angeles-based African American LGBT activists/leadership write that post?
This would be different if you Rev. Lee, were advocating on behalf of those who are not capable of speaking for themselves like children, the elderly, Spanish speaking immigrants or even on the behalf of the poor and those of low income and limited education who in many cases are not able to articulate what needs to be said. But that’s not the case here. All those people mentioned above are college educated and very capable of doing the job. Why haven’t they?
We believe that most if not all of those people we’ve named and many others out there are committed to the status quo. They don’t want things to change at all. For some of these people promoting Change could jeopardize financial relationships and in some cases their own employment. And for some its just a matter of an unwillingness to challenge their own comfort zones. Maybe that’s why you’re being the spokesperson Rev. Lee on behalf of the black LGBT community. Maybe they can’t. Maybe they gave away that freedom. We honestly don’t know what’s wrong with them.
Courage Campaign and EQCA. Back when they both kept insisting there was no such thing as black gay people.
All we know is that we have never in 42 years of life, witnessed such a display of complete and total abandonment and compromise of black dignity as we have witnessed in the past two years of being privy to the community activist realm of black LGBTs in Los Angeles.
It is no wonder that EQCA feels completely and totally justified to carry on as they are doing. Based on the indifference, apathy and lack of backbone demonstrated by black LGBT activists in Los Angeles, we don’t find it shocking at all.
That is all we have to say on the matter. God bless you Rev. Lee for your efforts and for your caring. But based on the silence that echoes around you in the black activist LGBT realm and the silence that will continue no doubt to echo around you, my brotha don’t waste anymore of your precious time.
There are black people out there who really need your voice to speak for them because they truly cannot speak for themselves. Go lend them your voice. They need you. Dear brotha Lee do not waste your voice anymore on the behalf of fools.
Huffington Post: Travesty Of Justice
Tags: African American community, African American LGBT, EQCA, lgbt news, State Politics
Community | Derrick Mathis August 29, 2010
22 Comments to “Black LGBTs, Gay White Leadership And Rev. Eric Lee’s Travesty Of Justice”
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By Vickie, August 29, 2010 @ 5:18 am
I may be completely off base, but in reading the excerpt you quoted, it seemed to me that he was talking about engaging the heterosexual black community in discussions about homosexuality and gay marriage, since opposition to it within the black community is so strong.. I am puzzled as to why you think a straight black man *wouldn't* be qualified, and *shouldn't*, be commenting on that.
By Derrick Mathis, August 29, 2010 @ 6:01 am
Yea Vickie,
I think that you may have misread the excerpt. Perhaps give it a shot and read it again. And as to Rev. Lee not being qualified to speak on behalf of LGBTs, I never said that. But rather, why aren’t they speaking out for themselves? That’s the question.
By derrick9, August 29, 2010 @ 10:17 pm
Vickie I think you misread the passage. It's talking about gay black folks being a part of the discussion.
And I never said that I didn't think a straight black man wouldn't be qualified or shouldn't be commenting on the exclusion of black lgbts from being a part of the strategy to approach voters in black neighborhoods. Where'd you see that?
I asked why one of them—-black LGBT activists—why didn't they write the letter.
By John Ahrens, August 29, 2010 @ 5:19 am
As I read this post, i was wondering on which side of it you were going to land. Everyone has their own perspective on this issue and everyone has done a magnificent job of pointing their fingers at everyone else. Whites at the Blacks, Blacks at the Whites, Blacks at each other and so on…. So now, you point your fingers at Lisa, Ron, Vincent, Nii, Jeffrey, and Phil, asking them why they didnt write this essay… yet take no responsibility yourself.
Why didn't YOU write this essay?
Personally I think it is admirable that a heterosexual black minister wrote this, and I think it helps when those who are not directly benefiting from such propositions to speak for those who are, much like the many whites who spoke up for civil rights in the 60s. I happen to know the people you mentioned personally, and know they do a lot of great work and are very committed to the organizations which they represent.
Let's face it, the ones who should have written this article are those very same people it attacks, the White Gay Leadership. The Black Gay Leadership already knows this and is already working on it… it is their raison d'etre in many cases. They exist because the White Gay Leadership has shunned them and their side of the causes they collectively represent. A study of Critical Race Theory and Whiteness Theory demonstrates that this message needs to come from within the white community, not outside it.
So rather than pointing fingers at those on YOUR side who are already doing work on these issues, find friendly voices on the OTHER side and help them spread the message that this essay is attempting to send.
By Derrick Mathis, August 29, 2010 @ 6:10 am
John, clearly you and I do not agree on what is and is not being accomplished by black LGBTs. At least here in Los Angeles. Further more, I write essays like the one Eric Lee wrote right here on my blog for all to see. If you’ve been reading it I don’t see how you could’ve possibly missed them.
I’m pretty straight forward and pointed in my criticisms.
Also, I think there’s a misunderstanding. I’m not in any way implying or alluding that Rev. Lee is not qualified to speak for the black LGBT community. My point is that why isn’t one of these other activists writing it.
Besides myself, Cleo Manago and Jasmyne Cannick there has been not one black LGBT activist speak out in criticism or otherwise against the LGBT establishment to my knowledge. The only people who have are clearly those who have nothing to lose in relationship with LGBT establishment.
No my friend, you got it all wrong. It is exactly those people I mentioned and numerous others who get any opportunity to stand up to EQCA and anybody else who behaves without respect and consideration to the African American community.
I’ve spoken out on numerous occasions as has Jasmyne Cannick. And I don’t know WHAT in the world you’re talking about in terms of black LGBTs you know doing work for and in the black community of Los Angeles. Please–do tell.
By derrick9, August 29, 2010 @ 10:10 pm
John, I can't even begin to address your comment. Especially the question as to why I didn't write the essay. It's kinda surreal being asked that—the question.
The other thing, how ironic that the individual to speak up on behalf of black LGBT activists in LA is yet again, NOT one of them.
See a pattern there, John? What's that about?
From everything you wrote it's quite clear to me that you don't have the slightest idea of what has and has not occurred in the black LGBT activist realm here in LA. Your comment is so way off base. And not a dig or some kind of insult on my behalf…I just find your words not in tandem with the reality of things.
There's not much for me to say here to you. But hey man, have a nice day.
By John Ahrens, August 31, 2010 @ 9:46 pm
So you don't consider yourself a black LGBT activist? If you can ask the question of them, why can't the same be asked of you? If you are such an activist, you could be the one writing the letter. If you are not… why not? It is always easy to point at those who are doing the work and saying they are doing it wrong, when you are on the outside.
Perhaps they don't bother reading your posts. Perhaps would rather devote their time to finding solutions than complaining about who is not doing what they should be doing. You are right, I am neither black nor an LGBT activist, or a California resident for that matter. But that doesn't exempt me from my own opinion on the subject. And I am not speaking up on their behalf, just trying to make a point.
By derrick9, September 1, 2010 @ 6:47 pm
John, this is tedious and misguided. It's tedious because no one with the exception of Jasmyne Cannick has been more critical of EQCA in the written word than myself.
As far as what those people read that's none of my business. I'd just be satisfied with the notion that they read at all.
I don't know where you're coming from and why you insist on this exchange. It really bears no merit to the reality of the black LGBT activist realm in LA. I admire your devotion and support of these activists but it's kinda not present. That's the best way I can put it. Believe what you want. Support who you want. Nobody's stopping you.
And as an activist in Los Angeles who also blogs I will continue to share my opinion on the black political and activist realm in my community. At this time I don't think very highly of them. When they demonstrate something that will change my point of view, I promise I'll blog about it. That's all I have for you. Have a nice day, dear.
By Chitown Kev, August 31, 2010 @ 10:14 am
Derrick, I went and read Karen Occamb's post.
Speaking for myself, I get very, very leery when I see a black straight person address the LGBT community.
I'm well aware of Rev. Lee's reputation, so I don't mind him doing it.
But…yeah, black LGBT's need to be addressing both communities (lgbt's at large AND straight black folk).
And…maybe it DOES fall on you to address both communities in Los Angeles and California (I certainly can't do it.
My suggestion would be to draw up a very specific bill of particulars, demand that the respective groups listen, and THEN you listen to what they have to say.
There will be agreements and disagreements, of course, but it seems as if it's the silence that's frustrating you.
(I don't mean to be harsh, Derrick…but they MAY be compromised. Work around that and be the Malcolm to their Martin…so to speak).
By stuart, August 31, 2010 @ 4:48 pm
I don't even know where to begin. You have no idea what took place regarding this meeting, and you are merely spouting off talking points that have no basis in fact. You take one side of this dispute (Rev Lee's) and run with it. Have you ever bothered to ask anyone at this meeting what happened? No, I guess you couldn't be bothered with actually finding out what went on because then you couldn't get on your high horse and preach to the masses about the wickedness of EQCA and the black LGBT people and organizations who have done work to close this chasm between the white LGBT movement and AA's. Neither you nor Rev. Lee have any journalistic integrity whatsoever. Your lapses are obvious, and Rev. Lee doesn't because he out and out misstated facts about what occurred at this meeting which was the impetus for his vitriol. He took a tiny spat over an invitation with a local organization and used it to paint all white LGBT organizations as racists. He should be ashamed of himself!
By Derrick Mathis, August 31, 2010 @ 5:36 pm
So let us get this straight: Some white woman writes a blog post “explaining” what happened. No word from Rev. Lee confirming this to be so—but therefore it’s gospel cause she said it?
Chile please.
By derrick9, September 1, 2010 @ 6:40 pm
No, YOU'RE THE ONE who has no idea what you're talking about. First of all, for assuming Rev. Lee's concerns were just over a "tiny spat." That's exactly the way some folks want to play it to diminish the truth of it all.
So you're the one Stuart who is spouting off talking points that have no basis. Rev. Lee's concerns stem WELL and BEYOND the Huff Post piece. That was just the latest mishap but hardly something someone as intelligent and in tune as Rev. Lee would go off about just cause.
No dear, all of what he said has been going on since BEFORE Prop 8. Maybe YOU need to talk to him to get the reality of the situation and get off your high horse. Because you don't know what you're talking about.
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