Letter to the editor reply to: “While Federal Court Legalizes Some Same Sex Marriages, Maryland Voters Move Closer to Referendum to Block Law Making Homosexual and Heterosexual Unions Equal” by Talib I. Karim and Brian Jones Submitted to the Afro-American Newspaper on 6/11/12
Rebecca Murphy rebuts a recent opinion article by Talib I. Karim and Brian Jones in the AFRO.
Although some commentators, such as Mr. Karim, would have you believe otherwise, African Americans don’t speak with one voice on whether to grant the freedom to marry to same-sex couples. It’s not about who you sleep with. It’s about protecting families that already exist in our communities.
Black same-sex couples share the same values—like love, commitment, and strong families—as every other black family. They should have the opportunity get a marriage license.
Most black people know someone who is gay. We cannot pretend that there are no gay, lesbian or bisexual parents in the black community raising children. The truth is that it endangers children in our community to discriminate against their families by denying the legal protections of marriage to their parents.
As African Americans, we know that discrimination is wrong and that it damages us all when we exclude any group of Americans from equal protection under the law. That’s why the Maryland Black Family Alliance stands with President Barack Obama, singer and songwriter Jay-Z and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, to name a few, in support of all our families.
Our President said, “I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together … I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.”
We stand with Michelle Obama who said: “In a country where we teach our children that everyone is equal under the law, discriminating against same-sex couples just isn’t right. It’s as simple as that.”
And we are not alone: A new poll of Maryland voters shows that growth in African American support for marriage equality is helping to create a huge public opinion swing in favor of legal protections for all families in Maryland.
Overall, the Public Policy Poll of Maryland residents shows a decisive majority (57%) would vote in favor of The Civil Marriage Protection Act if it is on the ballot in November, while 37% would vote against. Fifty-five percent of African Americans now say they would vote for the law and only 36% oppose it.
These numbers confirm what those of us in the community already knew – that when we are faced squarely with the question of whether all Maryland families should be treated as equals, not in the church house, but in the State House – we stand on the side of justice for all families.
Ms. Murphy is a board member of the Maryland Black Family Alliance and can be reached at rmurphyjones66@yahoo.com
