Sorry Gays, Blacks Only

The struggle for Gay civil rights such as gay marriage is less important than the struggle was for Blacks to have civil rights, according to the failed Republican Presidential candidate and ex-Arkansas Governor turned Fox News TV host Mike Huckabee. While being interviewed on the ABC bitchfest "The View," Huckabee stated that he believed the struggle for Gay civil rights such as marriage doesn't compare to the Black struggle for civil rights.

Blacks did have to go through slavery and then fought a war for freedom and equality. President Lincoln may have abolished slavery, but that freedom and equality didn't come until nearly 100 years after his presidency. Black Americans did go through hundreds of years of abuse and were made to feel totally inferior to whites. But as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere."

Mike Huckabee is wrong for saying the gay struggle isn't as relevant or important as the black struggle for civil rights. A massive group of people do not have the right to marry or have their marriage recognized by the state. I am so proud of all of the journalists who have been covering such stories as the Proposition 8 protests. But I am even more proud as an American student journalist that citizen journalists have felt a responsibility to cover this story as well.

On November 4th, voters decided to ban gay marriage in California, Arizona and Florida. This sparked not only massive protests of the prop in and around Los Angeles, but it sparked protests all around this country including our foreign allies in England and Canada. I cannot believe the people of this country who just elected a Black President, not too long after segregation was the rule in many parts of this country, are the same people who voted to ban marriage to people based on their sexual orientation. It blows my mind!

I wasn't as shocked though that more than 70% of the black community in California voted to ban Gay marriage. I'm a black American who is a California native and I can assure you that their decision was a religious one. The Bible defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. Blacks are conservative when it comes to an issue like this. I'm not trying to justify their vote, but I'm just trying to make you understand where they are coming from because I know my community. Again, I'm black in California.

Mike Huckabee might as well say the struggle for women's rights wasn't and still isn't as important as the black struggle for civil rights. Huckabee cites specific examples of abuse that blacks have received over the centuries and even in the 21st century. Just because the behind the scenes abuse of gays and women in their struggle for rights and equality isn't as visual with black and white images of abuse doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

I first read about and watched Mike Huckabee's interview about this subject on the liberal blog Huffingtonpost.com. Their story led me to Towlelroad.com and their piece led me to liberal blog Think Progress.com. I think this story needs to be forwarded to other people. With talk about Huckabee possibly making a second run for President for the Republican Party in 2012, people need to know where he stands on this issue. Maybe by then at least the California Supreme Court will have overturned this ban. I can only imagine what Huckabee would have to say about that.

One other interesting thing about Mike Huckabee's interview is that he spoke about this issue on ABC's "The View." Even though the show annoys me time to time, *cough, cough* Elizabeth Hasselbeck, this show is really doing the job of most journalists these days; asking all of the tough questions to our politicians. I remember they grilled John McCain only weeks before the election and his very big mouthed aides said he didn't like that very much.

I think Fox News and MSNBC can be too partisan to ask the tough questions. But, I'm glad to say "The View" made sure to ask those questions. I can respect Mike Huckabee for his opinions, but I am very disappointed that he feels the way he does. I feel like people like him are keeping this country from moving forward. Sorry Gays. Mike Huckabee says civil rights are for blacks only.