Hoodwinked

Last week, the black clergy was being wooed by the white conservatives on the issue of gay marriage. The story was covered by all major media including the L.A. Times.

I am so enraged over this I just can't see straight (no pun intended).

I am not only outraged over the complete waste of energy these "holy" men are putting forth to deny me and my counterparts the same quality of life they enjoy, but at the ignorance they are showing towards what I consider nothing more than a hoodwink.

Where were the white conservatives when black people started dying from AIDS? When the reports showed that black men and women were dying at disproportionate rate than White folks? Where were the white conservatives when our children didn't have books for school? during the riots? Where was their rhetoric in the fight to keep King-Drew open? Where are they when black boys are beaten by cops?

They are silent and oblivious because none of those issues are part of their political agenda.

I am stunned that the black clergy is shaking hands with the very men who most likely wouldn't let their black asses in their yacht club.

And what hurts me the most is that the black clergy is reaching a hand out to a stranger instead of embracing me because I am a lesbian. I am your sister, black clergy. I am the product of the same double-dutch, Al Green, Aretha Franklin black history you are. I am from the same Free Nelson Mandela, Fight the Power, No Justice, no Peace fight you fought in.

And yet you treat me like a stepchild.

The cornerstone of the black community has always been the church and white conservatives know this. They are using the black clergy to divide the black community and if you don't see that, you're just not paying attention. It's funny how money changes everything. How much "faith-based incentives" is your community worth, black clergy?

White conservatives told you there weren't a million men at the Million Man March, they told you affirmative action wasn't necessary and now you shake hands with them because they're writing you a check.

Somebody call Xzibit, he's got a new gig on "Pimp My Pastor".