Aisha C. Moodie-Mills from the Center for American Progress raises a fascinating notion: That President Obama's embrace of marriage equality has fueled in the black community a much-needed discussion about gay civil rights. Great piece in the Atlantic, here are a few grafs:
The most profound impact of Obama's "evolution" on same-sex marriage could come in the form of dismantling decades-old anti-gay prejudices within the black church.
The ripple effect of Obama's evolution also moved beyond the black church into uncharted territory, such as the massively influential hip hop, film, and sports arenas. Celebrities like Jay-Z, Will Smith, T.I., and Floyd Mayweather were inspired to join the president and vocalize their support for marriage equality.
This is huge: Straight black men are publicly endorsing same-sex marriage. Now if that doesn't signify a seismic shift in the black community, I don't know what does.
To be fair, the black community is not monolithic and doesn't think with one brain. There are plenty of dissenters rallying against the president's new view on gay couples' freedom to marry. A recent poll by the Pew Research Center shows that, like the president, the black community is continuing to evolve, though overall support for marriage equality hovers around 40 percent.
