Proposition 8, the California initiative defining marriage as being only between a man and a woman was voted into law by a 52% majority and black voters favored that outcome by a margin of 70%. In fact, Evangelical Christians were the only numerically significant demographic to favor Prop 8 by a larger margin - 80%. Those statistics leave many astounded at the seeming incongruity of one minority being so hostile to another. But it's far from clear that is a fair analysis of the facts.
Why is opposition to Prop 8 synonymous with homophobia, as many insist? According to news reports, proudly gay music star, Elton John, favors civil unions over gay marriages. Is he a homophobe?
Is there no room for people who have genuine concern about the rights of gay people, yet maintain reservations about redefining marriage, the definition of which has been largely agreed upon in the Western world for 1,000 years? Perhaps that kind of redefinition would be better accomplished in a healthier way through a longer process of consensus building that through a polarizing political fight.
Admittedly, were I voting in California, I would probably have voted against Prop 8, favoring a civil definition of marriage that includes same-sex couples. Yet, in the interest of full disclosure, I admit that I am also a rabbi who refrains from officiating at the marriages of same-sex couples. And before the extremists on both sides call, "hypocrite", I will explain my rationale.
As a traditional Jew, my best understanding of what is religiously demanded of my by God, precludes gay marriage. But I do not believe that my understanding need be everybody's for two important reasons. First, while I believe that religious wisdom can contribute to our thinking about public affairs, there is no room in this country for religion dogma to make public policy.
Second, experience teaches me that when it comes to hearing the voice of God, there are many ways to hear. In fact, if the voice of the God in whom any of us believes can be compressed into a single understanding or doctrine, we would be listening to a very small God. And the God in whom I believe is infinitely large.
So for reasons both Constitutional, and philosophical, I would probably have voted against proposition 8. But that does not mean I would count all those who voted differently as homophobes or self-serving minorities who would deny others the very rights which they have attained for themselves. And that is also why, despite significant data indicating plenty of anti-gay sentiment in the black community, equating opposition to gay marriage with homophobia, seems an unwarranted leap.
I wonder instead, if these numbers point to a new opportunity to engage people who appreciate the importance and the complexity of the struggle for rights. I wonder if having a President-Elect who was raised by his grandmother, we don't have an opportunity to open a national conversation of the redefinition of family. I wonder if that wouldn't be more helpful than labeling as hateful, those with whom we may disagree about public policy, even one as important as the definition of marriage.
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Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
Also, last time I checked, Elton John isn't even a citizen of the United States, let alone a citizen of California.
Thank you Rabbi Hirschfield for addressing this issue. One thing I want to say right now is that I do not appreciate anyone dragging African-Americans into the fray every time they are trying to justify gay rights. I hear it so often, that it makes me wonder why black people are expected to go along with whatever the gay community wants to do just because they have been categorized as a minority.
No one should ever have been denied the right to be human just because of the color of their skin so this has been and is still a horrible miscarriage of justice and, NO OTHER race of people has suffered and continues to suffer this type of injustice across the face of the earth. Gay people being denied the right to marry in no way compares to black people being denied the right to be considered human.
To say "black voters favored that outcome by a margin of 70%" and that "those statistics leave many astounded at the seeming incongruity of one minority being so hostile to another" is mixing apples and oranges. Who are the many and what has hostility got to do with this issue? A great deal of black voters believe in the Bible. Just because they voted against gay marriage does not make them hostile. Those same "many astounded" could care less about the reasons behind why black people think or feel as they do except to find fault. Stop making black people scapegoats for any issue that suits your fancy.
Personally, I do not believe the Bible supports gay marriage, but I have no problem with gay couples receiving benefits based on legal civil unions. They have as much right to care for and support each other financially as anyone else and should be allowed the opportunity to do so without discrimination. One last thing, there are other minority groups in this country. Start making them responsible for what happens to gays as well, OK?
I agree with JOyafrica77. I am white Jewish and born in Latin America__and I agree because not agreeing with gay "marriage"does not mean not agreeing with any sort of formality that would legalize a situation giving equivalent rights to people that consider themselves gay. __In my view to simplify the situation the word"marriage" could be changed.The problem resides in that "marriage" implies a religious union and that is the core of the issue, not the union itself.__On the other hand I cannot understand why these very private issues cannot be kept private so everybody can live their lives in peace without a host of others voicing opinions.
Hostility is relative. If, for the sake of the their own majority, they deprive you of what you desire, they are hostile. If, for the sake of your own minority, you deprive them of what they desire, then you are beautiful. Maybe this thing about majority rule is a bunch of crap. After all, Plato did write of the tyranny of it. Do you think that the wrong man might have been elected president of the no so US of A?
joyafrica____Black people have not gone through more oppression than any other group. that isn't historical and even if it was it's not a good argument. Black people are allowed to get married and they can now marry white people when they could not in the past. Gay people are not allowed to in most states in America. THat's what's important.____I'm tired of people bringing up slavery every time a minority wants equal rights. It's an excuse to act like bigots when you go to the voting polls.
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