Jack & Jill Politics

Did you hear the news?: South Africa’s Parliament has approved the right to civil unions and marriage for all citizens.

“When we attained our democracy, we sought to distinguish ourselves from an unjust painful past, by declaring that never again shall it be that any South African will be discriminated against on the basis of color, creed, culture and sex,” Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told the National Assembly.

Please note: Not all people of African descent are viciously bigoted against homosexuals.

Strangely this monumental decision was not mentioned on the Today show this morning which instead chose the much more important Penthouse fantasy, ahem international incident, ahem national tragedy of yet another pretty, disturbed blond midwestern small town teacher seducing one of her teenage students.

Meanwhile, in our much more sophisticated nation, Harold Ford Jr., the Great Black Hope of Politics (after Saint Obama of course) has a lengthy history of homophobia.

Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D-TN):

“I do not support the decision today reached by the New Jersey Supreme Court regarding gay marriage. I oppose gay marriage, and have voted twice in Congress to amend the United States Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage. This November there’s a referendum on the Tennessee ballot to ban same-sex marriage – I am voting for it.” (Source: Hotline)

I agree with Tennessee Guerilla Women:

Liberals in this state have been without representation for so long that many of us are decidedly pissed. When we finally do get a shot at a Democratic seat in the Senate, they give us a man who supports prayer in the schools, votes against gay rights and has the gall to brag about it. In a race this close, Harold Ford just might lose too many of us.

Isn’t it time we got a little more forward-thinking, folks? I’m not gay, but as is common for Gen X’ers, I have friends and colleagues who are. They deserve the same human rights as any other human being. Black people should understand discrimination and bigotry more than others and should commit to fighting it, no matter where it lives. Even if it lives inside yourself.