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NAACP's Benjamin Jealous in NYT: Gays Should Mobilize Blacks

The Sunday New York Times 'Race Matters' column, which is normally very thoughtful, publishes a rather lackluster interview with Benjamin Todd Jealous, the young and newish president of the NAACP. Deborah Soloman's interview quotes the terribly inaccurate and debunked 70 percent exit poll figures in California's Proposition 8.

The N.A.A.C.P., which just held its 100th annual convention amid much fanfare, was founded to advance civil rights. Why has the organization failed to take a stand on same-sex marriage, one of the most urgent civil rights issues of our day?
We’re engaged in fighting a whole range of issues of urgent relevance to the gay community and people of color in our country, including school bullying, hate crimes and employment discrimination. But we’re a barge, not a speedboat. We’re not going to repeat the mistakes of so many other institutions that have literally torn themselves apart over this divisive issue.

Exit polling suggested that 70 percent of black voters — the largest by far of any minority group — voted to make gay marriage illegal in California by voting in favor of Proposition 8 last fall. How do you explain that? The bond between black culture and church culture?
You’re looking at this from 50,000 feet. I’m looking at if from the ground, and I know that church leaders are on both sides of the debate. Black voters have been scapegoated — so many pundits blamed the passage of Proposition 8 on them. But it would have passed even if 100 percent of the black voters had voted against it.

Why do you think it’s such a divisive issue in the black community?
If gay rights groups want to change the opinion polls in the black community, they have to invest in it. It’s a long-term conversation. The battle to oppose Prop 8 could have been much better run. They came to the black community late, with the expectation that they were going to get certain results.

Jealous adds that the gay community should engage and "mobilize", not the other other way around. That is the take-away to Jealous' message.

On the upside, under his leadership, the NAACP now has an LGBT Equality Task Force. And of course the the national board of the NAACP took a position on marriage equality and called for the overturn of California's Proposition 8. But the organization is still largely controlled by the black churches and ministers. Some are progressive and gay-friendly but many, such as Rev. Keith Ratliff, Iowa's leading black pastor and the anti-gay chair of the Iowa/Nebraska chapter, are vehemently anti-gay. But the new partnership with the National Black Justice Coalition should slowly educate membership on LGBT issues.

Questions for Benjamin Todd Jealous [NYT]

Some Background ...
NAACP Doesn't Take a Position on Gay Marriage [R20]
NAACP, Julian Bond Call for Overturn Prop 8 [R20]
NBJC First Black LGBT Group to Address NAACP [R20]
Obama to NAACP: "Gays Still Denied Their Rights" [R20]

Benjamin Jealous: NAACP Doesn't Take a Position on Gay Marriage

This week, the NAACP celebrates its centennial, marking 100 years as the nation's oldest and arguably most high profile civil rights organization. President Barack Obama will address the conference on Thursday.

Long indifferent on LGBT rights and concerns, the NAACP has made some strides under Benjamin Todd Jealous, the newest and youngest president of the civil rights group. In February, for the first time ever, the national board of the NAACP took a position on marriage equality and called for the overturn of California's Proposition 8. And of course, National Board Chair Julian Bond—who has an excellent record on LGBT rights and marriage equality. But when will the group take a national position on gay rights and marriage, CNN's T.J. Holmes asked jealous over the weekend.

Jealous told CNN: "We don't take a position on that nationally."

JEALOUS: We have been steadfast advocates for the basic civil rights of gay people, making sure that, for instance, hate-crimes protection is extended to gay people. ... We want to make sure that - that our children and our family members who are gay is - basic civil rights and human rights are protected.

HOLMES: Is that not considered then, in you all's estimation, a civil rights? Some would call it that kind of civil right, a - a issue of equality, a gay person being able to marry who they want to marry?

JEALOUS: That's a very tense debate inside our association. You know, and there have been branches and state conferences - like, for instance, in California and San Francisco, come out very clearly on the issue. There are others, some of our national board members for instance, from the Midwest, who have taken an entirely opposite position. We're a democratic, small 'd,' organization, where issues are debated until a consensus is reached. And that one is very much still under debate amongst the membership of the association.

It's also worth noting despite the NAACP's recent movement on Prop 8 and August Provost—the black gay sailor found brutally murdered at Camp Pendleton—the organization is still largely controlled by the black churches and ministers. Such as Rev. Keith Ratliff, Iowa's leading black pastor and the anti-gay chair of the Iowa/Nebraska chapter. Perhaps this explains why there are no seminars or topics on LGBT rights at this year's conference, and, HIV/AIDS is only mentioned as far as its impact on black women. 

AFTER THE JUMP, via Queer Isn't It?, watch Benjamin Jealous discuss the NAACP, gay rights and marriage equality. There is also some personal reflection by Jealous on growing up biracial, and, having a longtime friend who is gay (or transgender?). Jealous tells Holmes: "I've seen the homophobia he experienced in the black community. I've seen the racism he experienced in the gay community. No one should have to hide their identity."

NAACP and Julian Bond Call for Overturn of Proposition 8

Now this is major. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) storms into the 21st century and calls for the overturn of California's Proposition 8. National Board Chair Julian Bond—who has an excellent record on LGBT rights and marriage equality—and newish CEO Benjamin Jealous announce the veteran civil rights organizations supports measures before the state legislature that challenge the amendment which denied marriage rights to same-sex couples.

Bond and Jealous urged passage of HR 5 and SR 7, resolutions which call for the invalidation of Prop 8 and ask the California Supreme Court to overturn it. Bond says it's a matter of equal protection. "The NAACP has long opposed any proposal that would alter the federal or state constitutions for the purpose of excluding any groups or individuals from guarantees of equal protection," adding the amendment "threaten[ed] civil rights and all vulnerable minorities."

This is the first time the national organization has weighed in on same sex marriage. Last fall the California chapter of the NAACP filed amicus briefs with the California Supreme Court in the legal challenges against Prop. 8. The state chapter was also part of the original lawsuit that brought same sex marriage to California. This is significant because its  Only a week after its 100th birthday, this signals a welcome and dramatic policy change. "This is not your grandfather's NAACP," notes Ron Buckmire, the black gay California activist and political strategist.

So much for blacks opposing gay rights and marriage equality.

Thanks MICHAEL, RON and KEITH