“Must make black readers feel great to have a writer lump them together.”
I’ve had the same thought. For years the argument was that the new civil right was for gays. Gays were just like Black people. They are born that way and can’t help it.
It takes a while to figure out how many ways that is wrong. It’s true that we don’t choose our race. However, there is nothing of note here as race is irrelevant. Men do choose sodomy and there is something wrong with their choice.
Many, many years ago, diversity was being forced on folks in my company. We had a gay manager as part of the “let’s all get along and understand each other” framework.
His first action was to say, “Let’s list some of the stereotypes about gay people that aren’t true.” “It’s a choice” was the first one. I interrupted immediately.
“It IS a choice”, I said. “You say things are hereditary, and we have no choice, but I come from a family where alcoholism is common. My father was an alcoholic, so that means my heredity says I am. But I CHOOSE NOT TO DRINK. So, you can say what you want, but there IS a choice to be made.”
The best he could come up with was, “Well, I choose not to be lonely.” And he quickly moved on.