Julian Bond, chairman emeritus of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP),
believes its time African-Americans started talking about gay
marriage.
In an op-ed titled Why Marriage in
Maryland Matters and published in the Afro-American, Bond
calls on America to widen the discussion of marriage.
“Let's face it: Marriage for gay and
lesbian couples is often perceived as a White issue. Yet, there are
thousands of African-Americans … who are gay, in committed
relationships and want to marry. … So it's probably time the
country started talking about the issue in more diverse terms – and
time the African-American community started, well, talking about it,”
Bond wrote.
“And there's no better place to begin
this work than in Maryland, where a quarter of voters are Black.
Marylanders are heading to the polls in November to uphold or undo
the same-sex marriage law signed earlier this year by Governor Martin
O'Malley. Same-sex marriage supporters, who believe in treating
people fairly and equally under the law, have a 14-point lead –
unheard of in the marriage battles. Most telling, African Americans
in the state are now evenly divided. A year ago a majority was
opposed.”
Bond
added that the support of President Barack Obama and the NAACP
“yanked marriage for Black gay and lesbian couples out of the
closet.”
“African Americans are now sitting
around the dinner table talking about it and realizing at the end of
the day it's about treating people fairly and making families
stronger. No longer do ignorance and prejudice dominate the debate.”
(Related: NAACP's
Julian Bond urges Marylanders to support gay marriage.)