Tag: Culture and Current Events

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Cow-Town, by Will Stanton

“Cow-Town” generally has two definitions. The first, obvious one connotes a city or town that is noted for being involved in the cattle-trade. This is an old, traditional definition. The second meaning implies that a city or town, along with its inhabitants, is to some degree uninformed, uncultured, and unsophisticated. I remember while I was growing up in Ohio, Columbus was regarded as a “cow-town” for those reasons. I haven’t been back there for a generation, so probably it has changed some. I have heard that it has. For some time, Denver, too, was considered to be a “cow-town,” although it still is connected with the cattle trade and life-style.

While considering this topic “cow-town,” I began to ponder just how many cities, towns, and villages in the U.S. would fit that second definition. That reputation would have little or nothing to do with cows, nor the dazzle of modern infrastructure or sky-scrapers. It would have more to do with people, the inhabitants of those places.

I have been a long-term observer of human behavior, society, culture, and politics, particularly politics over the last thirty years and culminating with this Presidential election. I know that this conclusion may sound cynical, but I’m beginning to think that many municipalities might be considered to be “cow-towns,” regardless of size, based upon so many people being ill-informed, unsophisticated, uncultured, along with, too often, morally bankrupt.

For example, I’ve witnessed millions of Americans enthusiastically supporting politicians who spew fear, hate, anger, and who promote programs that are profoundly harmful, rather than beneficial. I have been forced to conclude that this reality of today defies all reason. I am unable to comprehend how so many Americans can be so delusional and apparently without moral-compass, failing to think and behave according to the “better angels of their natures.”

Whereas as the Democratic party, whatever its mistakes, weaknesses, or disliked candidates, does try to create policies and programs designed to improve society and the nation, the other does not. Increasingly over the last thirty years, it appears that those radicals who have taken over the Republican have focused only upon attempts to garner and to maintain power; and they have succeeded dramatically. Democrats have allowed themselves to be blind-sided and have been very slow in reacting. For example, Republican operatives cleverly figured out years ago that all they had to do was to grab power in state-houses, then gerrymander voting districts to disenfranchise Democratic voters. Records show that, in several states, Democrats have won discernible majorities of the votes; however, they have been given in those states only twenty-some percent of the seats in Congress. So much for democracy. The voting public was so unsophisticated that it allowed this to happen.

Today’s so-called “Republicans” appear to have to resort to stealing elections (sometimes with seriously felonious machinations, which I could go into detail covering the last sixty years), rather than presenting to the American public viable programs that could help the nation and its citizens. They seem to vote so consistently against good measures and, instead, vote for greedy, harmful ones. I’m not religious, but I wonder whether these nefarious power-brokers have consciously chosen to be in league with Beelzebub.

Why are so many Americans so unsophisticated that they allow themselves to be manipulated into feelings of fear, hate, anger, deep delusions, and to voting even against their own best interests and that of the nation? Could we consider ignorance and irrationality part of being unsophisticated? I certainly think so, regardless of how sophisticated some believe they are.

In addition to egocentric manipulators’ unbridled grab for power, there also is the sad emphasis upon greed. Why do a few feel entitled to billions of dollars while the majority of the population struggle? Where is the logic? Where is the empathy and care for others?

I suppose the word “culture” may be defined in two ways, also. One may use it in general terms to denote a wide spectrum of a nation’s society. It legitimately also may be used to connote the highest quality of humankind’s creative efforts in art, music, architecture, and societal interactions. In this nation, however, culture, in that second sense, no longer appears to be of any importance to the majority of the American population, especially in contrast to some other nations, where the people and their governments care for, and support, culture. During World War II, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer suggested to Prime Minister Winston Churchill that financial support should be cut off from all British cultural programs of art and music and, instead, be added to the war-effort. Churchill’s reply was, “No. Why else are we fighting?” Churchill obviously understood the importance of creating and maintaining a high level of culture in a civilized country.

In just the last eighteen years, the United States has lost 1,083 symphony orchestras, in addition to numerous opera companies, ballet companies, and school programs in art and music. Hours of operation for libraries and museums have been shortened. Apparently, most Americans just do not seem to care. They would much rather be entertained by far less sophisticated diversions. At the same time that America has been rapidly losing its culture, the American taxpayer has shelled out 5.4 billion dollars to build twenty-two new football stadiums just since 1997. Then there is pro-wrestling, cage-fighting, monster-truck contests, and rap. No, it is not “just a matter of taste,” as some claim. Medical/psychological research has documented that much of the nation’s population prefers humanly toxic exposures rather than beneficial, uplifting experiences. Of course, as today’s Republicans constantly remind us, “Science should not be believed, nor does it matter. Culture does not matter, either.”

And, this is where I get back to “cow-towns.” If “cow-towns” are made up of people who are ignorant, uncultured, and unsophisticated, then there must be many, many such places in America. My concerns bring to mind some thought-provoking words from one of the most brilliant authors of the 20-21st-century, David Cornwell (pen-name John le Carré), from his superlative book “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.” I often quote these words. With one of the major characters, Carré had him speak feelings of dismay and sense of betrayal: “Do you know what is killing western democracy? Greed – – and constipation – – moral, political, aesthetic, – – – the economic repression of the masses, institutionalized.” Those words of condemnation were written forty-two years ago. Now look at us. Welcome to a nation of “cow-towns.”

© 20 July 2016

About the Author

I have had a life-long fascination with people and their life stories. I also realize that, although my own life has not brought me particular fame or fortune, I too have had some noteworthy experiences and, at times, unusual ones. Since I joined this Story Time group, I have derived pleasure and satisfaction participating in the group. I do put some thought and effort into my stories, and I hope that you find them interesting.

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Public Places, by Ray S

How very clever the person who suggested today’s topic
must think he or she must be. Even smug when he or she imagined how much
control he or she would have over all the Storytime minions. It is positively
evil, but still waters run deep and we will get you in the end.
Now, we have the opportunity to rise to the challenge.
Are you enjoying this imposed agony? Perhaps you have already determined the
muse I rely on is not trying nor inspired. May be the time of day, lack of
sleep or absent inspiration.
Perhaps ‘Public Places’ brings to mind somewhere that
you discovered true love, or the golden splendor of a South Dakota wheat field.
California Highway #1 and the first view of the Pacific Ocean, or the enfolding
serenity of Big Sur, or the majesty of Muir Woods.
Another discovery is the beauty and charm of the city
of Savannah with its 200-year-old array of parks that seemed interspersed every
other block.
Then you mustn’t overlook the public places resorted
to for various nefarious reasons, but we don’t put them in the same box with
Mt. Rushmore or the steps of our Capitol the day same sex marriage was
celebrated.
My muse has finally surfaced and brings our minds back
to the NOW: to kick start an important PUBLIC PLACE where all are welcome, and
the beautiful celebration last Friday of two of our most beautiful compatriots.
On a wonderful sunny morning on the rooftop of our Center was a validation of
the right place for all of us to be.
[NOTE: Two SAGE members were honored for their GLBT
work.]
© 6 June 2016 
About the Author 

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Hail to the Watch Queen, by Pat Gourley

Just when I think I can’t stumble on anything new in the queer world I discover an old name for a sub-genre of gay men I was not aware of. This occurred last week when I happened on the phenomenon of the “watch queen.” Richard Black posting in the Urban Dictionary back in 2005 offered three common definitions for the Watch Queen: 1st somebody who just gets off watching others have sex, which I assume could now apply to any Internet porn watcher, 2nd the lookout who watches for security or the vice squad while others are having sex in Public Spaces and 3rd the gay men too old (his words not mine) to engage in sex but still enjoy watching.

I am certainly familiar with the voyeuristic joys of watching other men have sex but I had never associated the descriptive phrase, “watch queen” as someone who is a lookout while others have at it. Watch Queen I think could be another archetypical gay male role that should be enshrined in out pantheon of identities – The Noble Protector has a nice ring to it.

As it turns out being a Watch Queen was something that Laud Humphries was accused of being when doing extensive research for his groundbreaking 1970 observational work on gay men having sex in public restrooms called The Tearoom Trade. His work is considered seminal in many ways about the sub-group of homosexually inclined men who cruise specifically public restrooms. This work has also been severely criticized as unethical since he never revealed his true purpose to those he was observing and subsequent publication of his findings was done without participant consent though no one’s identity was ever compromised near as I can tell. The role he would often take when in the field doing his research apparently was as the Watch Queen. Now he was a gay man himself, married and a former Episcopal clergyman who came out only after the publication of Tearoom Trade. Humphries died in 1988 in his late 50’s.

Though I do think public restroom cruising is no longer as widespread as it once was it is still alive and well. A form of almost totally non-verbal communication through a series of subtle and sometimes not so subtle gestures, postures and eye contact leading to sex, if not on the spot then onto a nearby hookup in a car or bushes, so much for the necessity of the spoken word.

In one of the better pieces I found describing and providing an analysis of Humphries work was by Tristen Bridges titled Laud Humphries’ Discussion of Space in “Tearoom Trade”. Quoting from Tristen’s article: “He {Humphries} found that a large percentage of the men participating were married {to women}, many were religious (mostly Catholic), a large percentage were either in the military or veterans, and perhaps most interestingly of all – a large majority of the men who did not identify as gay were socially and politically conservative. In fact, Humphries found that only 14% of the men in this study could be said to be a “typical” gay man.” https://inequalitybyinteriordesign.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/laud-humphreys-discussion-of-space-in-tearoom-trade/

An extremely sophomoric interpretation of Humphries’ work would be to conflate his findings with the current unbelievable flap around transgender bathroom access. Such use of his work for justifying this form of blatant discrimination misses the mark on so many levels it really does not deserve to be addressed at all. In no way is gay male use of public space for sex predatory. The vast majority of predation happens in secret, non-public space, offices of congressmen and churches come to mind.

If anything, taking Humphries work to heart it should be a clarion call for gay liberation. Let me say though that the fine art of the silent, public cruise for mutual sex can be engaged in by the truly liberated if that is their cup of tea so to speak. It could be viewed as preserving a uniquely queer and time-honored form of human interaction and communication.

I would venture to say if you really want to protect kids in public restrooms we should hire a Watch Queen for every public restroom. These are gay men who truly know how to keep public spaces safe not only for mutual consenting hookups but for peeing and pooping unmolested.

© June 2016

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The Invisible Line of Cigar Store Wooden Indian, by Carlos Castillo

The Plaza Theater in El Paso is one of those 1930’s iconic theaters built to immortalize cinematography. Entering into the Spanish colonial building festooned with ornate furnishings, red velvet curtains and ornate plasterwork propelled me to a world I could only imagine. After all, I lived in a 3-room adobe with no indoor plumbing. As I sat marveling at the ornate proscenium arch before me and the overhead ceiling with astronomically correct twinkling stars and projected gauzy clouds, I felt the awe of peasants in the Middle Ages when they walked into Gothic cathedrals radiating light through stained glass rose windows. I was on a school-sponsored trip to watch John Wayne’s rendition of Texas’ war of independence at the Alamo. When the camera panned the battlefield depicting Mexican soldiers falling in a barrage of bullets, my peers applauded and yelled enthusiastically at the carnage. After all, we were fellow Texans, disdainful of the Mexican hoard. It did not matter that the Mexicans spoke our language and looked like most of us. During the climactic scene when the small band of Texas insurgents were overwhelmed by the formidable Mexican army of Santa Ana, I felt strangely uncomfortable although I did not really understand why. Later, when I asked mi papá who at that time had not yet become a naturalized citizen to explain, he replied that films do not always depict history accurately, thereby challenging my vision of truth.

Throughout the years, being a child of immigrant parents had thrust me into a spiral of doubt. Although I ate beans and tortillas at every meal and considered La Virgen de Guadalupe my spiritual benefactress, the last thing I wanted to be labeled as was Mexican. Being accused of being one invariable resulted in angry words and school yard brawls. After all, the Hollywood stock character of Mexicans as poor and uneducated at best, corrupt and violent at worst, nettled my consciousness. I did not question this perception until years later when mis padres took me back to their native Jalisco in an effort to show me another facet of my identity. They, the Mexican people I encountered, did not fit the cartoonish stereotypes of sarape-draped men leading donkeys by the halter nor rebozo-cocooned women selling calla lilies at the marketplace. The relatives and human beings I met were poetic, cosmopolitan, and generous in their affection for me. My Tía Concha slaughter a hen from her garden and prepared a mole redolent with spices that left me lapping up the bowl with delight that evening. Noting my gustatory seduction, she again prepared the same complex dish the following day. Years later, I would recall a similar awe when after being legally deaf for years, I again heard after the advancement of deaf technology. Thus, I returned back home with a new-found appreciation for being Latino. Endlessly I played the rancheros/ bolero recordings of Javier Solís with his liquid brown eyes, bronze face, and moustache draping his pouting lips. I sat at the edge of my seat watching movies of Cantinflas, internalizing his typical we-live-to-laugh Mexican philosophy. I immersed myself in the national consciousness of my parents’ homeland while simultaneously remaining firmly rooted in my pride of the red, white and blue. I became a scion of two cultures, recognizing that my soul was forged of the silver of Taxco as well as in the coal of West Virginia. Thus, I started to reject the stereotypes that had calcified in me over a lifetime, to reject the scurrilous labels and images I had internalized, as a Mexican, as an American, and as an American of Mexican descent, and to drink water made sweet in earthenware cantaros even as I indulged in Oscar Mayer hotdogs.

Because The Alamo became a lesson for me about illusions, ultimately I recognized that even darkness can lead to vision. However, to see, it was important that I first embrace my blindness. Indigenous peoples have consistently been stereotyped. The oversimplified and inaccurate stereotypical depictions of identities run the gamut from noble savage to ignoble barbarian and from Indian princess and squaw pejorative to wise sage. The stereotypical influences are so pervasive many Native peoples today are actively pursuing a more accurate understanding of themselves and their cultures in an attempt to reject the internalized effects of these misconceptions and labels. Many are reclaiming their native identities, recognizing they are the people; they are human beings, not cigar store wooden Indian caricatures. Likewise, we gay and lesbian people struggle to define who we are as we confront the insidious stereotypes foisted about us by media even in this era of social progress. We struggle to reject the offensive humor and defamatory stereotypes. I weary of the sociopathic, effeminate and butch, dangerous and predatory, immortal, suicidal labels queer folk are subjected to. These stereotypes only foster hatred and prejudice. Like Native peoples, we too have become caricatures, metaphoric cigar store gays and lesbians. Of course, I understand that the media stigmatizes many groups from repressed Brits to evil Mexicans, and from racist white Southerners to doddering elders. After all, stereotypes are invaluable because audiences have been conditioned to expect certain behaviors from stock characters. The point is that audiences willingly accept established archetypes in place of genuine character development, thus freeing up remaining frames to more interesting and adrenaline-pumping scenes. Thus, unfortunately the cigar store wooden Indian, in its many manifestations, persists.

Over time, I have learned to savor the diversity and complexity of the human experience. Yet, false depictions continue to drift through the air like the stench of something unspeakable. Most recently, the vitriolic venom being spewed like explosive diarrhea by a “You’re fired” candidate and his followers about people who are like you and me angers me, but in my anger I find the courage to speak up and pull back the fog of blindness, the silence of deafness. I will not sanction cigar store wooden icons of any of God’s creations. I will not be a cigar store Latino or gay wooden icon.

The adage a picture is worth a thousand words is heartening. One balmy fall day in l960, I walked into a theater intent on immersing myself into a world I little understood. Several hours later, I emerged transfixed and transformed, pondering the implications of what I had witnessed. Although we have all been invited to attend a banquet in which all forms of delights, both sweet and savory, are ladled unto our bowls, unfortunately too often we pull back from the table because we fear the unknown. And in fearing, in withdrawing, and in condemning, we deny ourselves the wonders of an elaborately prepared spicy mole, made rich by old world and new world hands. Life is a journey in which we need not behold others nor ourselves reflected on the prism of cigar store wooden misrepresentations.

© August 19, 2016, Denver

Cervantes wrote, “I know who I am and who I may choose to be.”  In spite of my constant quest to live up to this proposition, I often falter.  I am a man who has been defined as sensitive, intuitive, and altruistic, but I have also been defined as being too shy, too retrospective, too pragmatic.  Something I know to be true. I am a survivor, a contradictory balance of a realist and a dreamer, and on occasions, quite charming.  Nevertheless, I often ask Spirit to keep His arms around my shoulder and His hand over my mouth.  My heroes range from Henry David Thoreau to Sheldon Cooper, and I always have time to watch Big Bang Theory or Under the Tuscan Sun.  I am a pragmatic romantic and a consummate lover of ideas and words, nature and time.  My beloved husband and our three rambunctious cocker spaniels are the souls that populate my heart. I could spend the rest of my life restoring our Victorian home, planting tomatoes, and lying under coconut palms on tropical sands.  I believe in Spirit, and have zero tolerance for irresponsibility, victim’s mentalities, political and religious orthodoxy, and intentional cruelty.  I am always on the look-out for friends, people who find that life just doesn’t get any better than breaking bread together and finding humor in the world around us.
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The Rise of Dr. Jill Stein by Louis

Since I did not know what today’s topic was supposed to be, I would just like to give my impressions of and my reactions to the presidential election.

My favorite candidate by far until recently was Bernie Sanders. When he endorsed Hillary Clinton so as to defeat Donald Trump, suddenly Jill Stein of the Green Party became much, much more important. Though I understand why Bernie did what he did, I do not agree with him that it is paramount to defeat Donald Trump. After Jill Stein, Donald Trump is my second choice.

In other words, Jill not Hill, Jill not Hill.

I voted for Barack Obama twice, but ultimately he failed; supporting TPP with such zeal demonstrates his first loyalty is to Wall Street not to the American public. Also his EPA did nothing to call out the governor of Michigan over the issue of the poisoned water in Flint, Michigan. Also he prolonged the pointless war in Afghanistan, and, ten years from now, the American public will still derive no benefit from this war, and the public will still be against it.

I’m disillusioned with Women’s Lib. Many women have risen to the heights of power: Margaret Thatcher in Great Britain, Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State in the George W. Bush administration, Kelly Ayotte, Senator from New Hampshire, Dick Cheney’s heterosexual daughter, Liz Cheney. Women libbers should not be particularly proud of these “successful” women. The nicest women politicians I remember from the old days were Bela Abzug from New York. Now of course there is Dr. Jill Stein and Jane Sanders. These three are a little more likeable.

Colin Powell tried hard to sound more reasonable during the years of the W administration. Then, when General Powell got enthused about invading Iraq, his credibility instantly collapsed. More disillusion.

One of Bernie Sander’s team called Hillary Clinton “a whore of Wall Street.” I do not like the word “whore.” Let us just call her a puppet of Wall Street.

The main trend we should be following is the continued rise in the percentage of non-voters. It is now about 80%. In November, I estimate it will probably increase to 85%. In other words, we live in a nation with no leaders.

© 20 August 2016

About the Author

I was born in 1944, I lived most of my life in New York City, Queens County. I still commute there. I worked for many years as a Caseworker for New York City Human Resources Administration, dealing with mentally impaired clients, then as a social work Supervisor dealing with homeless PWA’s. I have an apartment in Wheat Ridge, CO. I retired in 2002. I have a few interesting stories to tell. My boyfriend Kevin lives in New York City. I graduated Queens College, CUNY, in 1967.

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Memorial Day, by Ray S

It is hard to remember the real
reason for this national holiday, especially considering all the events that
have been tacked on to this Monday celebration. Originally a day of remembrance
of Americas’ war veterans and families, was simply called “Decoration Day.”
But, due to becoming a three-day
holiday by US Government decree, it soon became a day of numerous other
activities. No longer just an annual trip to the cemetery but a stop at the
shopping mall, used car lot, picnic and/or campgrounds, beach, and of course
sporting events, most importantly the Indianapolis 500.
So here we gather to celebrate
besides all of the above, also each other’s friendship and sharing so many
diverse stories. “The best of times is now.” And right now is the time to
remember all of our fallen comrades for their sacrifices in the name of
patriotic cause, whatever that may be and according to someone’s needs or
belief.
In light of that, probably each of
us can recall a friend, family member, or loved one lost in one of our
country’s causes or conflicts, whether self-inflicted or in self-defense.
The
question that keeps growing larger and more insistent in my mind is WHY MUST IT
BE?
Certainly our nation’s graveyards
record the names of our forefathers and foremothers. But why must the
cemeteries and memorials be filled with men and women sent to their graves by
war? It is an unanswerable question that humanity has pondered forever. The
seeming obvious solutions are, as we have seen, impracticable. What a waste in
the name of nationalism, religions, or some sociopath’s conquest of the masses’
minds.
These are the very many colors of
my Decoration Day: a time to remember and again as I have written, a time to
rejoice in one another. Submitted humbly and with love to all of you, I remain
sincerely ME.
© 30
May 2016 
About the Author 

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Disconnect and Fear in the Aftermath of the Orlando Massacre, by Donaciano Martinez

There is a major disconnect between the
experiences of LGBTQ young people of color and the broader LGBTQ community.
That was the main message behind the need for a separate vigil that took place
in mid-June 2016 in Denver to remember the victims of the Orlando massacre.
Organized by the nonprofit Survivors Organizing for Liberation (SOL) and Buried
Seedz of Resistance (BSEEDZ), a youth project of SOL, the vigil was led by
LGBTQ young people of color.
The separate vigil was in direct response to the
first vigil that was hastily organized at a Denver gay nightclub that featured
speeches by public officials and spokespeople from a few nonprofit
organizations. When two carloads of SOL and BSEEDZ activists arrived at the
nightclub, they were shocked at the extensive presence of police officers who
were searching people as they entered the building. Appalled, SOL and BSEEDZ
activists unanimously decided not to attend the event.
“The history of queer and trans communal spaces
are rooted in acts of resistance against police brutality,” proclaimed the
public statement of BSEEDZ and SOL in direct reference to the 1969 Stonewall
Rebellion, which is widely recognized as the start of the movement that has
evolved to the modern-day fight for human rights for LGBTQ people. “We refuse
to accept suggestions that increased police presence in our queer and trans
spaces will improve risks of violence or increase any sense of safety.”
The BSEEDZ and SOL vigil was attended by a
diverse group of about 100 people from the Latina/Latino, Muslim, LGBTQ,
American Indian, Two-Spirit communities and allies. In addition to remembering
and reading the names of the victims of the Orlando massacre, attendees paid
tribute to and read the names of 14 trans women of color who have been murdered
so far in 2016.
“We wanted to let everybody know and remind
folks that this isn’t an isolated incident, that this has been happening, that
we forget the 25 plus transwomen who were murdered last year, the 14 transwomen
who have already been murdered this year,” stated BSEEDZ activist Diana Amaya
at the start of the vigil. “All of this is just part of genocide to our
people.”
The murders of 25 transwomen last year marked
the deadliest on record for transgender people in the U.S., according to
statistics tracked by SOL and other nonprofit entities that are part of the
National Coalition of Anti Violence Programs (NCAVP). According to NCAVP, last
year’s record does not include trans women whose deaths were not reported or
investigated nor do the statistics include victims whose gender was
misidentified or not even recognized by police and the media.
Speaking about why LGBTQ young people of color
oftentimes feel disconnected from Denver’s Pride event that has been organized
annually over the past 40 years by the nonprofit GLBT Community Center, a
BSEEDZ activist noted that it “hurts so much” that Pride’s history is being
erased and that the LGBTQ largest organizations “sell out.” Attendees were
urged to remember Pride’s history, which started as an act of resistance at the
Stonewall Rebellion.
Other vigil speakers included an American Indian
Two-Spirit individual who is transgender from female to male. Recognizing the
privilege that comes with being a man, he said his life has been so much easier
as a man and he has been negligent upon forgetting that other people in the
LGBTQ community are not as fortunate as he is as a man. One mother spoke about
being “scared” and having a “hard time” upon learning that her child is a transboy. Another woman attendee recounted her gay brother’s recent experience of
being escorted off stage at his college graduation when he raised his fist and
yelled the “Orlando” word.
Ayla Sullivan and Emery Vela, both members of
the slam poetry team called Minor Disturbance, read a poem they wrote for the
occasion. Before reading the poem to the attendees, they acknowledged:
“Queerness has not always been something that was shamed before the colonizers
came, it was something that was sacred. It was something that was beautiful and
it’s still something that is beautiful.”
Addressing the irrational fears of LGBTQ people
and Muslims, BSEEDZ activist Amanas pointed out that the Orlando killer’s
Muslim identity makes all Muslims vulnerable to acts of violence by white
racists. “We know Islamophobia and homophobia as the same monster known by
different names,” said Amanas, who urged vigil attendees to break the fast
during the Muslim religious season of Ramadan by sharing a bowl of dates with
other people.
Fear was the topic of a recent communication
sent to the constituents of Denver City Council (DCC) elected member Robin
Kniech, an open lesbian who represents all of Denver as the at-large
representative at DCC. She stated that, despite the vigils and the camaraderie
at Denver’s Pride parade (which she noted had fewer spectators this year), she
is “not feeling better” nowadays. “Most of my LGBTQ friends and colleagues
don’t report feeling better, not when you ask them privately,” she added.
“The reason I don’t feel better is because I
feel fear,” proclaimed Representative Kniech. “And for me, it isn’t a new fear.
It’s about fears I’ve long held. Fears I struggled with, tried to talk myself
out of, suppressed. The inability to shake the feeling that all of these fears
were real and true after all. That at some point, someone who has real issues
with gay people, will want to hurt me because of who I am. Hurt
my partner. My son because he is with me. My friends. I am afraid, and angry
about my fear. In a state where I’m protected from being fired, could get
married, and was elected as an out lesbian, I am once again thinking twice
about whether and where to hold hands with my partner.”
Acknowledging that she has a certain privilege
status despite being a woman and an out lesbian, DCC Representative Kniech
stated: “Many folks who see me on the street don’t assume I’m gay, and I’m
white in a world where violence still happens less to those of my ethnic
background. So I feel even more fear for those in our community who don’t share
those privileges. And more anger about that fear.”
Regarding many people’s rush to prove that the
“terrorists haven’t won” in an effort to resume a life of normalcy,
Representative Kniech declared: “I write this piece to honor pausing. Pausing
to feel and name the personal fear and pain that was lying in wait and has been
triggered by these events, whether among Latino/a or LGBTQ folks, those
impacted by other forms of gun violence, or others. I don’t think naming this
personal pain disrespects those who were lost, or the causes that have to be
fought.”
Upon addressing the issue that pausing to face
the fear and pain somehow means that the terrorists have achieved their goal of
making people emotionally paralyzed from fear, Representative Kniech ended her
insightful communication by stating: “It doesn’t reward terrorists. In fact, I
think talking about fear, and how dangerous it can be, within ourselves, or
motivating evil acts by others, might be important to really changing the world
where these acts of hate motivated by fear are proliferating.”
© 12 Jul 2016 
About the Author 

Since 1964 Donaciano Martinez has
been an activist in peace and social justice movements in Colorado. His
activism began in 1964 by knocking on doors to urge people to vote for peace
and justice, but in 1965 he and other activists began marching in the streets
to protest against war and injustice. His family was part of a big migration of
Mexican-Americans from northern New Mexico to Colorado Springs in the 1940s. He
lived in Colorado Springs until 1975 and then moved to Denver, where he still
resides. He was among 20 people arrested and jailed in Colorado Springs during
a 1972 protest in support of the United Farm Workers union that was co-founded
by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. For his many years of activism, Martinez
received the 1998 Equality Award, 1999 Founders Award, 2000 Paul Hunter Award,
2001 Community Activist Award, 2005 Movement Veterans Award, 2006 Champion of
Health Award, 2008 Cesar Chavez Award, 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award, and the
2013 Pendleton Award. La Gente Unida,
a nonprofit co-founded by Martinez, received the 2002 Civil Rights Award. The
year 2014 marked the 50-year anniversary of his volunteer work in numerous
nonprofit situations.
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GALA Festival X – Music Can Heal, by Carol White

On the third day out from
having been immersed in the music of GALA Choruses Festival X for six days and
nights, with songs and melodies and harmonies and words swirling around in my
brain and my heart, I feel compelled to write down just a few stories from my
own personal experiences at the Festival to illustrate the Power of Music to
heal our souls and perhaps even to transform the world.
On Saturday, July 2,
2016, 6,600 gay and lesbian people from around the world showed up in Denver,
Colorado at our esteemed Performing Arts Complex with one goal in mind:  To Sing. 
There were over 200 choruses and ensembles who had been scheduled to
perform for each other at Boettcher Concert Hall, Temple Buell Theater, Ellie
Caulkins Opera House, the smaller Stage Theater, and the gigantic 5,000-seat
Bellco Theater.
The buzz in the air was
palpable at registration, lifting us to another plane before the music even
began.  And then it started — with over
400 voices from all of the Colorado GLBT choruses lined up on four levels of
the parking garage, overlooking the Galleria outside the theaters. 
The trumpets began and
the voices rang out with a special power as they proclaimed “In praise of song”
that echoed throughout the space in the garage and the covered Galleria, so
that the sound appeared to emanate straight from heaven itself.
This was followed by a
big and stirring arrangement of “America the Beautiful,” during which song
several large banners on the different levels were unfurled that said, “We
Stand With Orlando.”  Coming so soon
after the worst mass shooting in American history at a gay nightclub in
Orlando, Florida, the mass chorus added a verse for those we had lost, and
ended the song after the last verse with a rousing “America, America, America,”
each higher and louder and with more harmony than the one before.  Chill bumps and tears came easily and
naturally.  And a measure of pride that
said, “Those are MY PEOPLE singing that!”
Then came the third piece
commissioned for the occasion and conducted by the composer, “Mountains and
Rivers,” a song about Colorado to give a rousing welcome to everyone at the
Festival.
All this and we had not
even started yet.  On to Boettcher for
the Opening Ceremony, so to speak, featuring several choruses, including the
New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, One Voice mixed chorus from Minneapolis, the
Atlanta mixed chorus, the San Diego Women’s Chorus, and Take Note from Denver,
all singing in the round throughout the hall. 
And this concert had to be repeated to accommodate all of the attendees.
Keep in mind that, in
order to give everyone a chance to perform for at least a half-hour set,
concerts were happening in these three halls simultaneously mornings and
afternoons every day of the week, making it impossible to hear everyone and
forcing us to choose what to attend, and where and when.  So I can only comment on a few that Judith
and I attended, with no intention to leave anyone out.  We heard about 50 choruses out of 200, so
there were many that we unfortunately missed.
Probably the most moving
and memorable moment of the Festival came on the second day in Ellie Calkins
Opera House.  It was during the 3 to 5
p.m. “block concert,” each of which featured four different choruses.  The last choir to perform in this block was
the Orlando Gay Chorus.  Every seat in
Ellie was taken and people were standing behind every section in the
audience.  As approximately 65 men and women
took the stage and got onto the risers, there was a several-minutes-long
standing ovation before they sounded a note.
The conductor took the
podium and they sang three or four songs. 
Then he grabbed the microphone and began talking about the Pulse
Nightclub shooting and how it had shocked their whole community, and that their
chorus had come together and answered the call to help to heal the LGBTs and
everyone else in their city by singing at over 20 different events, vigils, and
memorial services within the last two weeks. 
Then he said, “If you know this next song, sing along with us.”  The song was “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” 
Well, 2,000 singers in
the audience joined with the Orlando chorus and we all raised our voices in a
gorgeous mutual message of assurance that gave that song more meaning than it
had ever had before.  The second time
through everyone was standing and holding hands as tears flowed freely down our
collective cheeks.  No one who was there
will ever forget it.
On the way out of the
theater, as the Orlando Chorus filed through the lobby and into the Galleria
outside, they were surrounded by 2,000 cheering and clapping and hugging
fans.  They said they had never
experienced such love.
Just to mention a few
other highlights:
1.   A chorus of 1,000 gay men with orchestra in
the Bellco Theater singing “I Am Harvey Milk” cantata with the composer from
Broadway singing the part of Harvey Milk.
2.  The Seattle Men’s Chorus performing with the
Seattle Women’s Chorus on stage at the Buell Theater for a mixed chorus of
approximately 300 people singing a stunning arrangement of “I Love You” and
“What A Wonderful World.”
3.  The Las Vegas Men’s Chorus singing a deeply
moving song called “Tell My Father” from the Civil War musical.
4.  One Voice mixed chorus from Charlotte singing
about “Glenda and Lauree: Certain Kinds of Love Never Die.”
5.  Our Song: The Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chorus
singing and staging Eric Whitacre’s “Fly To Paradise.”
6.  The 200-voice Turtle Creek Chorale from
Dallas singing “Angels Calling.”
7.  Combined choirs at the Opening Concert singing
“Glory” from the movie Selma.
8.  The Classical Masterworks Singalong in
Boettcher where hundreds of us got to sing with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra
on some famous choruses by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Brahms, Verdi, etc.
9.  International groups such as Mano a Mano,
five fabulous flamboyant men from Cuba; Homonics, three men in suits from
Dublin, Ireland; the European Queer Choir; Schola
Cantorosa, 25 excellent singers from Hamburg, Germany; the Beijing Queer
Choir, 12 darling women and men from China who were able to remove their masks
for the first time; and a combined International Chorus at the Closing Concert
singing “Imagine.”
10.  The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus recounting their
tour to the Middle East.
11.  Charis – St. Louis Women’s Chorus doing
“Sometimes we have to sing in unison, Sometimes we have to sing in harmony.”
12.  Denver Women’s Chorus singing “An
Exhortation,” words by Barack Obama, and “You Are My Music.”
13.  Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus, when the woman
conductor walked out onto the stage, had everyone in Boettcher stand, and on
July 4 conducted all of us in the best “Star Spangled Banner” I have ever
heard.
14.  Jubilate! The Women’s Chorus of Corvallis,
Oregon, singing “Endangered Species” by Denver’s own Diane Reeves.
15.  The largest and arguably the best – San
Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus – at least 300 men in tuxes and top hats overflowing
the risers at Boettcher and singing Broadway and more.
16.  The Turtle Creek Chorale Chamber Chorus doing
“Come Ye Disconsolate,” including the text, “Earth has no sorrow that heaven
cannot heal.” 
As you can tell, I could
go on and on.  Maybe from this small
sampling you get the idea.  The GALA
Festival that happens every four years is a coming together of GLBT voices that
is at the same time joyful and healing and powerful and unifying.  It is life-affirming and life-changing. 
When I was conducting
GALA choruses years ago, I had a motto: 
“Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em cry, and inspire ‘em.”  This Festival did all of that and more.  As they said at the end of the week, “We have
started a song and it cannot stop.” 
GALA Festival X has 6,600
stories.  This has been one of them.
© 19 Jul 2016 
About
the Author 
 I was born in Louisiana in
1939, went to Southern Methodist University in Dallas from 1957 through 1963,
with majors in sacred music and choral conducting, was a minister of music for
a large Methodist church in Houston for four years, and was fired for being gay
in 1967.  After five years of searching,
I settled in Denver and spent 30 years here as a freelance court reporter.  From 1980 forward I have been involved with
PFLAG Denver, and started and conducted four GLBT choruses:  the PFLAG Festival Chorus, the Denver Women’s
Chorus, the Celebration ’90 Festival Chorus for the Gay Games in Vancouver, and
Harmony.  I am enjoying my 11-year
retirement with my life partner of 32 years, Judith Nelson, riding our bikes, going
to concerts, and writing stories for the great SAGE group.
Posted on

Blue Skies – Socialism, by Louis

(a) The tune “Blue Skies” has an implied theme of long easy life without problems, a life of easy sailing.

(b) For me “Blue Skies” means optimism for the future.

(c) Nowadays, most Americans are wondering why our government is so hostile and backward. Also why do we have a perpetual war going on in Afghanistan and elsewhere?

(d) The answer is because we are stuck with a backward form of capitalism. Companies like Halliburton buy the government, exclude more peace-oriented political candidates. They purchase Republican governors who repress the vote and make a joke of democracy.

(e) Michael Moore’s recent movies point out that other in other western democracies the governments govern and promote the best interests of the citizens. “Where to invade next.” Universal health care is taken for granted. In France women are given a couple of months off with pay before and after child birth and after birth have a nurse, all paid for by the government. That was his movie “Sicko”. In Germany, working people have affordable housing in lavish housing complexes. That is because they have real union protections.

(f) Bernie Sanders’ campaign has opened up discussion of the merits of socialism. Under socialism, the profit motive is taken out of the business of weapons manufacturing. Without the profit motive, war-making pretty much stops, and we have world peace.

(g) I used to have discussions with my friend in New York City about what is the proper definition of socialism. As far as I last knew, it is the “Public ownership of the means of production.” This means that the public owns the public utilities such as gas and electricity, the companies that manufacture weapons for the military (which is all much smaller scale as compared with what we have now).

(h) Countries like Holland, Sweden, Denmark, France and most other countries on earth, have accepted socialism as the normal way of life.

(i) Under socialism, government officials are forbidden to accept campaign contributions from private people or corporations. Breaking this rule incurs severe penalties. In the U. S. this practice is accepted as normal practice. As a result, actual democracy is pretty much killed off.

(j) So Blue Skies reminds me of the socialist future we can all expect. It will be peaceful and devoid of financial worries, with universal health care.

(k) Socialism will come when the people face death by starvation at the all too predictable downturn of the business cycle. When that happens, 99% of jobs disappear. There will be no way to survive. When it’s death or socialism, people choose socialism.

(l) Back in 1840 in France, socialism was all the rage. The poet Victor Hugo believed the poet is also a prophet. In that spirit Victor wrote several prophetic poems, “The End of Hatred,” “The End of Hunger,” “The End of War,” and “The Triumph of Socialism”.

(m) Blue skies Smiling at me Nothing but blue skies Do I see

(n) Bluebirds Singing a song Nothing but bluebirds All day long

(o) Never saw the sun shining so bright Never saw things going so right Noticing the days hurrying by When you’re in love, my how they fly

(p) Blue days All of them gone Nothing but blue skies From now on

(q) (Scat)

(r) I never saw the sun shining so bright Never saw things going so right Noticing the days hurrying by When you’re in love, my how they fly

(s) Blue days All of them gone Nothing but blue skies From now on

(t) Songwriters (u) 13 Songs With Deeper Meaning Than You Think Hlntv.com

(v) (w) The Most Frequently Played Song in the World is One We All Hate Mentalfloss.com

© 17 May 2016

About the Author

I was born in 1944, I lived most of my life in New York City, Queens County. I still commute there. I worked for many years as a Caseworker for New York City Human Resources Administration, dealing with mentally impaired clients, then as a social work Supervisor dealing with homeless PWA’s. I have an apartment in Wheat Ridge, CO. I retired in 2002. I have a few interesting stories to tell. My boyfriend Kevin lives in New York City. I graduated Queens College, CUNY, in 1967.

Posted on

Terror, by Ricky

Not to “down-play” the feelings, but terror is nothing more than extreme fear. Fear caused by circumstances that are too horrible to even think about, like: being buried alive or being a passenger on an airliner that is falling to its doom from 40,000 feet or catching the Ebola virus or discovering too late that vampires, werewolves, and zombies are real. Since these thoughts really are too unsettling to think about, I will write about other forms of terror. (Those of you with weak hearts or stomachs may wish to skip reading this posting. Going to read on are you?? Well then, you have been warned.)

Among the less fearful terrors in the animal kingdom are the Wire Hair Fox Terror, the Boston Bull Terror, and the Scottish Terror.

Moving up the fear ladder, most of us can remember Dennis Mitchell, commonly known as Dennis the Menace. His neighbor, Mr. Wilson, considered Dennis to be a Holy Terror. Another such boy you may recall is Johnny Dorset who was made famous by O. Henry in his book, The Ransom of Red Chief. Johnny is such a Holy Terror that his kidnappers have to pay the boy’s father to take him back. Even “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena” is known as “The Terror of Colorado Boulevard”. Hmmmmm. Here’s a thought. Before their son was old enough to know right from wrong, would Joseph and Mary have described a mischievous Jesus as being a Holy Terror?

If you stop and think about it, we all have been a terror at one time or another. Most notably when we try to open a small letter or package where the instructions tell us, “To open, tear along the dotted line.” The act of doing so identifies us as a tearer. People who are very good at tearing are known as tearerists.

To paraphrase FDR, “The only thing we have to fear is…” in two years Republicans may again control Congress and the Presidency. Now that is a fear worthy of producing terror!

© 17 November 2014

About the Author

I was born in June of 1948 in Los Angeles, living first in Lawndale and then in Redondo Beach. Just prior to turning 8 years old in 1956, I began living with my grandparents on their farm in Isanti County, Minnesota for two years during which time my parents divorced.

When united with my mother and stepfather two years later in 1958, I lived first at Emerald Bay and then at South Lake Tahoe, California, graduating from South Tahoe High School in 1966. After three tours of duty with the Air Force, I moved to Denver, Colorado where I lived with my wife and four children until her passing away from complications of breast cancer four days after the 9-11 terrorist attack.

I came out as a gay man in the summer of 2010. I find writing these memories to be therapeutic.

My story blog is TheTahoeBoy.Blogspot.com