Whenever the lgbt community would have a legislative setback or lose a marriage equality referendum, I would always play the tough guy. "Mourn now if you must, but get off your ass and prepare for round two," I'd say.
I can't say something like that now. Ever since yesterday, I've been moving slow. My spirit has been in disarray. I've been walking around in a slight mental haze, unable to say or do anything to put myself on the road to mental recovery surrounding the events in Orlando.
There will be a myriad of rationalizations and issues raised regarding the night evil decided to take form of a madman and blanket The Pulse in the putrid cloak of death and insanity.
I've railed for almost 10 years against anti-lgbt propaganda, exposed the lies of false morality groups, and complained about how enough attention wasn't be paid to how this rhetoric dehumanizes our community, and especially our children.
One could argue one of the reasons why the shooting in Orlando happened was because of this rhetoric.
To me, that's like constantly warning people that the monsters are coming. And now that they are here, I can't be a bad ass. I can't wag my finger and say "see I told you so."
I can only mourn at their arrival.
The lgbt community will overcome this madness. We won't let it destroy us. We've lived through the rhetoric and violence propagated by countless people throughout history who sought to either cage and annihilate us. We've have lived and continue to live through the crisis of an awful disease and the deliberate ignorance of bureaucrats who watched that disease ravage our community.
We will get through this insanity, this attack on our safe spaces and the places where we gather away from the ignorance of some in the world.
But damn, it doesn't mean it gets easier .
I can't say something like that now. Ever since yesterday, I've been moving slow. My spirit has been in disarray. I've been walking around in a slight mental haze, unable to say or do anything to put myself on the road to mental recovery surrounding the events in Orlando.
There will be a myriad of rationalizations and issues raised regarding the night evil decided to take form of a madman and blanket The Pulse in the putrid cloak of death and insanity.
I've railed for almost 10 years against anti-lgbt propaganda, exposed the lies of false morality groups, and complained about how enough attention wasn't be paid to how this rhetoric dehumanizes our community, and especially our children.
One could argue one of the reasons why the shooting in Orlando happened was because of this rhetoric.
To me, that's like constantly warning people that the monsters are coming. And now that they are here, I can't be a bad ass. I can't wag my finger and say "see I told you so."
I can only mourn at their arrival.
The lgbt community will overcome this madness. We won't let it destroy us. We've lived through the rhetoric and violence propagated by countless people throughout history who sought to either cage and annihilate us. We've have lived and continue to live through the crisis of an awful disease and the deliberate ignorance of bureaucrats who watched that disease ravage our community.
We will get through this insanity, this attack on our safe spaces and the places where we gather away from the ignorance of some in the world.
But damn, it doesn't mean it gets easier .
2 comments:
Allow me to combine two old metaphors. While we have begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the first notes of the Lady singing the final aria are yet to be heard.
Alvin, let the Community be what it is. You always say that when we reach a success we act as though it is the end of a fight, and then act shocked when it isn't. Well, the counter to that is when we experience some form of devastation we find a way to rally around one another. If you are having a rough time, let us hold you up, as you have held us up.
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