MassEquality Jumps the Broom, Trips and Falls

The MassEquality Corporation's First Initiative, "Jumping the Broom" Garners Sharp Criticism From Members of African-American Community

According to a recent Boston Globe article, MassEquality's reach-out to explain gay marriage to the Black Community is being strongly criticized from not only the expected religious standpoint but from a point of view of the integrity (or lack there of) behind the initiative. 

The Reverend Irene Monroe, a very outspoken Black, lesbian minister and same-sex marriage advocate has called MassEquality's effort a "token gesture."  She said that MassEquality should have been speaking to the Black Community all along, tying same-sex marriage to the need to strengthen family bonds.  And she was quoted in the Boston Globe, "The tension around class is so sharp here in this community, this issue (same-sex marriage) is one more way in which it happens.  To think of us as an afterthought is not a perception, it's a reality."

BayWindows also published a letter from an African-American woman which sharply criticized MassEquality, "Jumping the Broom," and it's failure regarding minorities.  Though this letter was published in BayWindows "print" edition one week after MassEquality voted itself to continue, this very poignant letter failed to be posted on-line, Download thank_you_but_no_thank_you_mass_equality.pdf.htm .

KnowThyNeighbor has also criticized MassEquality for scrambling to find reasons to continue its existence and I believe "Jumping the Broom" to be one of them.  We all as LGBT leaders need to first look inwardly and own that we as a whole have not done a very good job in reach-out and inclusion of minorities even within our community itself.  And I am not talking in terms of same-sex marriage, though can anyone name the Black on Black Goodridge Plaintiff couple?   

But the point being here is that maybe we should ask members of the LGBT in the Black Community and other communities of color what they feel is important from our leadership instead of our leadership "reaching out" to explain the importance of same-sex marriage to them.  I am sorry this whole thing and even my phrasing in this blog feels condescending and patronizing to the Black Community and I apologize.  This is not my intent.  I think Reverend Monroe hits the nail right on the head in the Boston Globe article.  But on a more pragmatic note, I certainly hope that David Wilson and MassEquality are not thinking about bringing its message to the Black Community by asking the Black Community to pay for it.  That is my concern.

It is important to understand different perspectives and The Reverend Irene Monroe's webpage and articles found there are not only insightful but a very good read.  Check them out.  It is time to start thinking about our diverse community as a whole and our individual contributions to it before we continue to propose "initiatives" that may continue to divide us.

Tom Lang, Director

Comments

[Ben]

I am a American in a binational relationship who has moved to Canada in order to be able to live with my partner without the fear of being separated by the US government. We would like to get married at some point, and since most of my family and friends are in New England, I am wondering if Massachusetts law allows Canadian residents to marry there (since there are no restrictions in Ontario against gays marrying). If Mass allows Rhode Island residents to marry (since there is no law on the books against gay marriage) wouldn't it be the same for Canadian residents?

[Tom Lang]

Hi Ben and Welcome to KTN,

If you reside in a country that allows same-sex marriage (such as Canada) you are able to marry in Massachusetts. The infamous 1913 law applies to other countries, so you are right, the situation is similar but not exact to Rhode Island. You see Rhode Island does not "prohibit" same-sex marriage so the 1913 Law will allow RIers to marry in Massachusetts. Canada allows ssm so you are in a 100% positive place to marry in Mass.

But seriously, unless you are doing this just for symbolic means, why not get married in Canada? Your marriage would be immediately recognized in Massachusetts and you would not even need to get re-married here.

[John Hosty-Grinnell]

Tom, you and KTN are a great source of information for those trying to cut the BS out of the situation here in Massachusetts.

Thanks for keeping us up to date on these issues. Perhaps if we continue to expose MassEquality's they will start to address the problem.

So long as they consider themselves above working with the other activist groups I will see them as both part of the problem and the solution. I can't deny them some of the things they have done, but I have also seen them do things that hold us back. One such thing is their utter lack of effort to reach out and draw in other interested parties, and find out on what avenues they can work together. You don't have to see eye to eye on everything in order to have a working relationship.

All too often MEQ sees working with other groups as a liability.

[Tom Lang]

Hi John,

Thanks. I have tried to work with the HRC in the past on a "ground" level. First, during the Jacob Robida/Puzzles Lounge Hate Crime to get real support from them to go directly to the victims (money, and violence recovery). I was told that they could only help us with "National Hate Crimes Bill Issues" or hold a press conference. And of course, during the petition fraud and the information I was getting at the time regarding the Mass Food Association and their sharing of the sig gatherer labor pool with the VOM people AND the Food Association's inner knowledge of what was going on in Mass with the fraud...again I went to the HRC because they had connections with these various companies and was told that the HRC corporate structure only allows them to put other companies on their "pro-gay" meter, not talk to them.

The point of this is that I see ALOT of HRC in MassEquality. They are structuring themselves like HRC, they swap and use each other's leadership and as we see, in MassEquality, they control the press and manipulate history in order to pull in the millions. It is really sad that the only Equality State cannot seem to lead the rest of this country.

[Joe S.]

CHECK OUT THE NEWS FROM FLORIDA....THEIR SCREWY ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM DUPLICATED 20,000 PETITION SIGNATURES....THAT MEANS THAT IN LESS THAN 16 DAYS IF THEY DON'T COME UP WITH 20,000 SIGNATURES TO BE FILED MANUALLY ACCORDING TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WILL NOT BE ON THE 2008 BALLOT IN FLORIDA....

HUMMMM....IS GOD STILL SPEAKING?

[Tom Lang]

Thanks Joe S. as always for keeping us up to date and current.