A California judge ruled last week that the state’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional—a legal milestone that, if upheld on appeal, would open the door for the most populous state to follow Massachusetts in allowing same-sex couples to wed.

San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer’s decision raises a more daunting question for America’s African American community as it relates to the marriage debate:

“If the KKK was opposing gay marriage, I would ride with them.” When black Chicago Baptist minister, the Rev. Gregory Daniels took that provocative stance on same-sex marriage last fall he roiled liberals, moderates and conservatives alike. A day after Daniels shocked even the most conservative Christians, 10,000 black marchers, including Bernice King, the slain civil rights leader’s youngest daughter, called same-sex marriage black America’s “most pressing demon.”

One year after the world witnessed 29 days of San Francisco weddings new data suggests that Daniels, King and other black church leaders are on the wrong page.

“This is not our agenda,” says 27-year-old Megan Stack. Stack an Indiana University medical student who is black and lesbian points to images celebrating the first anniversary of the event. “These folks don’t look like me,” she said.

In fact that’s the picture painted by demographic data released by San Francisco officials who tracked the 4,037 licenses issued between February 12, 2004 when Mayor Gavin Newsom gave the go ahead to same-sex nuptials, and March 11 when the state Supreme Court ordered them stopped.

According to Carole Midgen, the lesbian chairwoman of the State Board of Equalization who got married, the weddings represented people from everywhere.

“The majority of the over 4,000 newlyweds were 30 to 60 year old, white collar Caucasians,” she said.

Thom Lynch, executive director of the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center agreed.

“We saw attorneys, artists, teachers, and couples from New York to Oregon, from Paris, France to Paris, Tennessee. Most couples were white, some were Latino and a few were African America or Asian-American,” Lynch said.

University of Pennsylvania professor, Eric Dyson questions the new black agenda that calls for among other things, privatization of Social Security and a ban on same-sex marriage. Dyson’s upcoming book is titled “Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has The Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind?” He said, “Many black church leaders have turned a blind eye to official data that states most gays and lesbians heading to the altar are non-black, middle aged, and have college degrees.”

The sparring over same-sex marriage personifies the deep divisions between black ministers and the black gay community. Raymond Dre Mayes is openly gay. The Fort Wayne short order cook says gay marriage is not a black agenda.

“Most black gays and lesbians are in the closet or so-called DL (down low). Most of us can’t afford to come out. Imagine an openly gay teacher, police officer or city councilman. We’ve got bigger fish to fry.” Mayes said.

Bestselling author J.L. King whose explosive book “On The Down Low” explores sex between closeted black men argues, “Shouldn’t black America be discussing the HIV/AIDS crisis, youth gangs and unprecedented unemployment among black males? Are we ignoring the real issues affecting black families?”

The author joins a growing number of black intellectuals who want the spotlight put on issues critical to black survival. Stack says, the headlines are screaming about the black HIV/AIDS crisis, joblessness, and health disparity.

“Have we allowed right wing conservatives to distract the back community from its real priorities?” asked Stack.

The California ruling striking down the ban on same-sex marriage is sure to turn up the volume on the marriage debate.

“It’s ironic that some black ministers would make these issues a national priority given the black church’s historical role in fighting for economic empowerment and a more just society,” said Dr. Martinl Luther King’s widow Coretta Scott King.

By Chris Levister

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 at 8:32 PM. Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.