Gay In America

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GAY IN AMERICA

Trevor K. McNeil

Not Ashamed

Shame is one of the strongest human emotions. It has long been a key weapon used by the powerful, particularly those in religious authority. The Catholic Church was a prime offender. Popes even stooped so low as to peddle Papal Indulgences.   Papal Indulgences were basically ‘Get Out of Hell Free Cards’ for so-called infractions the church decided were “sinful.” Queer behavior was often targeted as “sinful” by religious leaders.

Targets Of Shame

Two of the biggest targets of shame through the eons have been women and members of the Queer community (or LGBTQ+ if you prefer). As with all unjust behavior comes opposition, injustice inflaming those who fight to bring about change. That push for change culminated recently when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that civil right’s law protect gay and transgender individuals, making it illegal to dismiss individuals from their employment for being homosexual.

Death Sentence

All has not been rosy for our dear friends of Dorothy. For a sickeningly long time, in even the alleged “land of the free”, it was illegal to be gay. Punishments ranging from torture and death to imprisonment, depending if it was the courts, or a posse who decided an individual were “deviant” as it was then called. Prison often being the best of the options available.

Kenneth Anger

A 2oth century warrior against gay discrimination was filmmaker Kenneth Anger. Anger is an open Luciferian (he has the word LUCIFER tattooed across his chest). He is a life-long contrarian with a near-suicidal need to thumb his nose at oppressive authority. The fact that Anger (still kickin’ at 93) is also gay is actually the least interesting, or controversial, thing about him.  He was used to being hated and knew his life was at risk for speaking out.  But still, Anger had no qualms and pulled no punches in terms of overtly gay imagery in his films, knowing full well he could be arrested or even killed.

They Said What Now?

In 1968 playwright Mart Crowley’s groundbreaking play The Boys In the Band premiered off Broadway. The play focused on a group LGBTQ+ males but every one of the characters is a fleshed out human being, going well beyond the stereotypes of the time. Some of those stereotypes enforced by law, such as the section of the Hays Film Code which dictated that all gay characters be villains and/or tragic. Crowley presented neither.  The Boys has long been credited with inspiring what would come just one year later.

I Predict A Riot

There is still some disagreement about when or how the modern LGBTQ+ Rights Movement started. After years of police intimidation in the summer 1969 the gay community fought back. On the morning of June 28th police raided the Stonewall Inn. Yet another in a sustained pattern of harassment against New York City’s sizable LGBTQ+ community. On that day, years of abuse came to a head and the Stonewall Inn occupants started fighting back. What was supposed to be a routine raid, at least from a police perspective, turned into a full-on, brick throwing riot.

White Night Riots

The Stonewall riot happened four years before San Francisco politician Harvey Milk became the first openly gay man elected to public office in 1973.  The election became a bitter-sweet victory when Milk was murdered by his colleague Dan White. White, a former police officer, claimed he was in a psychotic state from eating too many sweets. According to White he killed Mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk while on a “sugar” high.  It would later become known as “The Twinkie Defense.” White was ultimately convicted of man-slaughter, sparking off what became known as the White Night Riots in 1978. White committed suicide in 1985.

The Value of Persistence

Things are moving in the right direction for  LGBTQ+ rights. Certainly miles ahead of where they used to be. Though it is important that we not get complacent. All my Queer brothers and sisters, along with our allies and friends, must keep an eye on things to ensure that the advancements made over the last few decades remain intact.

 

EDITORIAL: The Ugly Face Of RACISM

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The Ugly Face Of RACISM 

By Trevor K. McNeil

Dark History

America has an ugly history of racism, on both the systemic and individual level. Even the Irish, who are known to crackle audibly in the sun, were not considered “White” in the capital W social-economic sense in America until the late 19th century. One of the most diverse places in American cities during the Victorian era were the ghettos. Irish, Scots, Pols, Blacks and Asians all lived side by side, often in close quarters with little animosity between them.   A grouping galvanized by their common enemy. The White Anglo-Saxon Protestant elites who thought they owned the land because their families fended off the British after stealing it from the natives. It wasn’t until after the Civil War and enforcement of Jim Crow Laws that black and white separation was solidified.

Not Exceptional

This situation is not, of course unique to America. There have been many instances of the intentional segregation of “othered” minority groups throughout the history of the world.  Two groups often targeted for exclusion are the Jews and the Roma. The oppression of Africans, while mostly limited to nations involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, primarily Britain (who abolished it in 1833), the United States of America, and the islands of the Caribbean, have been among some of the longest lasting and most brutal.

Shockingly Similar

An example of colonialism on Africans in Africa, is South Africa. Despite constituting roughly 8% of the overall population, the Dutch and British settlers in the southern tip of Africa managed to dominate the entire area. At least that is the simplest description of what happened.  The white colonialists created the segregated state that the Republic of South Africa was to become. A long history of separation of the races in South Africa was perpetuated after the Boar War which ended in 1902.  The National Party election in 1948 led to enforcing policies of formalized segregation.  Control allowed them to push through the notorious Apartheid doctrine.

South Africa

Change would eventually come to both America and South Africa, though it would come in very different ways at different times. Both nations have gone through years of unrest. Many black groups including the African National Congress battled against the government of South Africa and the apartheid model.  The world took notice and placed paralyzing sanctions on South Africa.

Facing the Truth

The Apartheid era in South Africa was deeply and openly racist. No one denied it, least of all white South Africans. Though it is easy to forget that the end of the Afrikaans Party was spelled by the party itself. First came the release of Nelson Mandela form prison in 1990 and then the opening of the 1994 general election to the native population for the first time since colonization in 1652. The election ended in a historic moment of poetic justice, when Nelson Mandela became the nation’s first black president. There is still a long way to go to repair the damage of hundreds of years of colonialism but they are at least aware of this and taking the first steps.

Denial

The general belief by white Americans has been that systemic racism ended with the Emancipation Proclamation and went away entirely, including on the personal level, some time in the late 1960s. The names changed but the situation hasn’t. The policy of segregation turned to red-lining, voter suppression, mass incarceration and veiled police brutality.

Civil Rights

In America the Civil Rights movement fought for change with aggressive activities in the 1960’s. Two factions evolved. One militant and one peaceable, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King occupying opposite ends of the spectrum. MLK and Malcolm bravely stood  up against government oppression, most clearly represented by the segregation doctrine of Jim Crow.  This era of activism peaked with the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

 Devils In the Details

Recent events have shown racism is alive and well in America.  Numerous high profile murders of African Americans by the police or individuals claiming to be making citizen’s arrests on the behalf of the police have inflamed activists. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Rayshard Brooks have spotlighted police brutality. These murders have slapped complacent white America in the face. Nearly nine minutes with a police officer’s knee on a black man’s neck caught on video shook up the American psyche. White America for the first time has been shaken to its core. Black Lives Matter activists have filled the streets with protesters. For the first time, protesters are as much white as black.  Hopefully, America is finally looking racism in the eye and is willing and ready to do something about it. The demand for a multi-racial democracy is louder in the United States than ever before.

 

NOTE FROM CALAMITY

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NOTE FROM CALAMITY

Dear Readers.

I have been busy writing a book. I know. Everybody is writing a book. I’m not done yet but I have finished the first draft and I have a friend taking a look at it.  So, I have temporarily  come up for air and will be posting again.  I want to thank  Trevor K. McNeil for supplying some great articles for Calamity News and Politics while I have been busy with my project.

D. S. Mitchell

 

EDITORIAL: American Empire & COVID-19

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EDITORIAL: AMERICAN EMPIRE & COVID-19

By Trevor K. McNeil

Divided We Stand

In most things the states stand united. Particularly in times of crisis. The current confusion and diverging policies between the states is more proof of the damage caused by the Trump administration.  Donald Trump has made saving American lives a political issue. COVID-19 does not recognize state-lines and neither should we. The crass and opportunistic among us are trying to turn a public health emergency into the latest front in the culture war. Some states have taken serious action to combat COVID-19 while  others  apparently have decided it will just disappear. The result has become a mismatch of response tactics ranging from mandatory masks to COVID-19 parties. The bizarre approach has led to 147,000 U.S. citizens dying from the virus. And that number is growing everyday.  Alarmed nations, including allies and trading partners such as Britain, Australia and France, have decided to ban U.S travelers.

The Spaces Between Us

While initially shocking, especially in light of the united front put up against other threats such as Swine Flu, SARS and Ebola, not to mention the many, many war efforts, the gaps in response when it comes to COVID-19 are easily explained. It all comes down to the Trump administration choosing division over unification. Trump has decided instead of drawing the states together to present a united government supported policy to defeat COVID-19 he would rather dump reaction and response to the individual state governors. His lack of leadership has created one of the most lame responses to a national emergency in the  history of the country.

Using Federalism To Fail

The Founding Fathers drew up a Constitution that granted state’s and their officials dramatic powers of self governance. Governors have unprecedented powers within their own states. The caveat being that the states can be encouraged through both legal and appeals to nationalism to work together to follow the initiatives of the federal government. Trump is using federalism as his excuse for a pathetic national response to COVID-19. Trump due to his personality disorders and his weak character has intentionally abdicated leadership.

American Empire

The U.S. Constitution is a hybrid of ideas and ideals.  The governmental structure of the United States was an evolution of many factors. Many of those influences are directly related to the institution of slavery, the impact of British law, and historical empires, on the thinking of the fathers of the constitution. Without a doubt British tradition was a primary influence. The U.S. judicial system certainly is  a reflection of British Common Law.  The idea of  a constitutional republic where representatives are elected to represent a segment of the population as with the House of Commons is an example of British tradition.

The Powers Of Governors

An aspect of the American system that often goes unmentioned is the government structure. The United States of America in many ways has a political structure that resembles that of the Roman Empire. A decentralized union of district geopolitical entities held together by a central seat of power. In most instances there is a hands-off approach to regional governance. The term governor for a regional ruler dates back to the Romans.

National History

Hold on now. I know it sounds crazy. Empires are made up of nations after all. Except that the massive political and cultural differences between individual states makes the United States functionally similar to a continent of micro-nations as opposed to a single nation. Maybe a good analogy would be the European Union.

A Country, Or A State

The original 13 colonies were each unique and different with their own history and geopolitical characteristics. The country as it expanded purchased large land tracks from the French and the Russians  and stole and annexed land from the indigenous peoples. Each of those regions as they were divided into states brought their histories and cultures to the map of the United States

Mixing It Up

There is a deep French influence in Louisiana. Including the Cajun population who originated from a group of Métis (a mix of white French-Canadians and Native North Americans) known as Acadians who were driven out of Canada’s East coast. The name Cajun being a contraction of “Canadian Injun.” Alaska was also purchased from a foreign power, namely Russia, and also stands distinct from the rest of the American persona. Not least because of its geographical distance, proximity to Northern Canada and strong Native American influence.

Nation States

There are also states that literally started out as nations. Texas comes immediately to mind. Originally a province of Mexico, Texas fought to break free of the chains of imperial Spain, becoming a sovereign republic, before eventually becoming a state of the Confederacy and finally a state of the Union. Keeping a strong sense of what could only be called national pride. Another nation that became a state is Hawaii, which was straight up invaded and annexed a clear example of imperialists expansionism. The same kind of manifest destiny that led to the seizing of much of the mid-West from the Natives and Puerto Rico.  Some of these regions have become states others “possessions”  or “territories.”

A Crisis of Trust

The reason the United States is in the top five in terms of global infection rate, comes down to a lack of leadership from the federal government. In fact, the current administration is pushing for a state’s go it alone policy. Rather than pulling the states together Trump is highlighting the differences between the   interest and politics of each individual state.  Individual liberty trumping (pun intended) self-preservation.

 

OPINION: Memories Of Evil

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Monuments to confederates

OPINION: Memories Of Evil

By Trevor K. McNeil

Uses And Abuses of History

I love history. That is probably why I have spent eight years of my life studying the subject on a post-secondary level. Such love and enthusiasm goes a long way to explain why my hackles raise up when I see the  cynical and ignorant misuse of  history.  The twisting of history to bolster racist ideas and perpetuate such beliefs is down right infuriating, and should be constantly challenged with facts. A recent example is the dogged defense of Confederate Memorials. Whether it be the Confederate war flag, statues, or naming military bases after traitors.

Let Us Forget

I have and will continue to argue against the notation of memorials themselves. I believe there is no better way to forget the real history than commemorating it. Which is not the same thing as recording it. Museums help people connect with the past using tools such as written documents, books,  physical artifacts, and photographs.  Seeing a memorial to Jews killed during the war is one thing. Seeing photographic evidence of the gas chambers and the attic from which Anne Frank and her family were dragged is something else. A context which can also be applied to war memorials of all types.

Answering the Rhetoric

Historical-illiterates deny slavery in their defense of the American Civil War. Grabbing on to “states rights” and  “northern aggression” as their go to defense of Confederate memorials. The Civil War was a terrible and distasteful part of American history that should be remembered with sober clarity. Mythologizing, glorifying and commemorating traitors like Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee is bad for America and is a foolish rejection of history.

Long After The Civil War

These monuments went up long after the Civil War. Most were erected in the 1950’s. These memorials can be directly related to the intent to rehabilitate the image of Confederate traitors and justify separation of the races. The ugliness of racism, continued in the South long after the Civil War.  Jim Crow laws and segregation in the United States replaced slavery. Fear, abuse and lynching were typical methods used to suppress blacks who challenged the white power structure. Statues and flying the stars and bars were methods of intimidation used to reinforce the white power structure.

Foreign Entity

For a comparatively brief and horrible period, from 1861 to 1865, there were four nations on the North American continent. British North America (now Canada) administered by the British parliament. The United States of America led by President Abraham Lincoln. The Confederate States of America led by President Jefferson Davies. And the Republic of Mexico, led by President Benito Juarez.

Geography Tells A Story

Keep in mind here that ‘America’ is a geographical designation including the continents of North, South and Central America. The modern descriptor ‘American’ refers specifically to citizens of The United States of America. The nation-state in North America which decided to make the fact it was made up of states and located within the Americas the center of its identity. While the Confederate states and their citizens were ‘Americans’ by virtue of being located in the Americas, they were no longer part of the American nation. This was by their choice. They had their own constitution, president and flag. The secessionists were ready to continue indefinitely as a distinct political, legal and social entity. The Confederates were, by any criteria, traitors to the United States and ‘enemies of the state.’

The Bad Guy

Traitors tend to be hated and executed not venerated and glorified. Even today a statue to the likes of Benedict Arnold would cause riots. Despite the Revolutionary War being “part of our history.” Arnold  was actually an American in the usual sense. The Confederates were quite simply traitors intent on destroying the union. Taking up arms in a military campaign against the United States is treasonous.

Other Examples

Using WWII as another example. There are no statues to Emperor Hirohito or Adolph Hitler. Or indeed, schools named after Erwin “The Desert Fox” Rommel. No German state would dare fly the Swastika emblazoned on a flag over government buildings. In the same way, it makes no sense to defend Confederate memorials, or any other memorabilia of the southern secessionists.

OPINION: We Are The “Others”

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Police enforce the stigmatization of groups including people of color.

We Are the Others

By Trevor K. McNeil

Something Rotten

To paraphrase the immortal words of Shakespeare, “there is something rotten in the state”(s) of the union. A creeping specter striking down the innocence and protecting the guilty. Most will point to police prejudice, particularly racism, in the exercising of State power over the citizenry. The problem is greater than brutal policing. It is in fact a society wide issue. But, policing is a very visible factor in the lives of the oppressed that frequently leads to the incarceration or death of the oppressed. It does not help matters that policing is basically grunt work. Almost anyone can apply for the  job of a cop. Many police applicants have  less education than EMTs, or firefighters. People certainly die in the hand of these professionals, but it is always an accident. Police officers, on the other hand, frequently serve up death through inhumane tactics, brutal force and malfeasance.

Shadows Around the Fire

Fear of ‘the other’ is ingrained in the human DNA. It is the self-protective mechanism that predates man stabbing mammoths on the tundra. In fact, it is probably responsible for the wiping out of the Neanderthals to make Homo sapiens the only higher humanoid species on the planet. Generally speaking, the term ‘othering’ is understood as an undesirable objectification of another person or group. In effect this social process, labels those defined as ‘different’ in a negative manner, whether it be by skin color, sex, sexual orientation, economic status, ethnicity, religion, or even disabilities.

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Grab and Go Strategies

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Whether it is a tornado, a hurricane or a blizzard it is essential to be ready at a moments notice

Grab And Go Strategies

D.S. Mitchell

AARP Does It Again

I love AARP magazine. It is loaded with information for the young, and the old.  I was on a clean everything mode recently. As I was cleaning out a closet I found an October 2017 issue of the iconic magazine. The issue was loaded with a bonanza of knowledge. I thought Jeff Rossen did a great job of telling the public how to put together a “To Go Bag.” A “To Go Bag” is exactly what it sounds like; a bag, a backpack, or suitcase (he recommends one on wheels) packed with life essentials.

Be Prepared

It is an important message. Being prepared, being ready for any emergency, is a good thing.  You never know when an untoward event will occur. The recent flooding and dam collapse events in the Midwest highlight our need to be ready for dangerous situations, day or night. Over the last couple of years we have seen the devastation and chaos caused by floods, fires and hurricanes. It can happen anytime, anywhere.  In my little corner of the world, the North Oregon coast, we are subject to evacuation orders because of  earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, floods and even a rare tornado.

Don’t Wait Till The Last Minute

No matter where you live there is always the possibility that you will be forced to move quickly out of harm’s way. Not all incidents of danger are caused by natural events, often these tragedies are man-made disasters, such as toxic spills. The principle idea in the AARP article is to take personal responsibility for your safety. One key way to help yourself is by being prepared for an emergency. A “To Go Bag” is a good place to start.

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COVID-19 Is Taking A Mental Toll

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COVID-19 Is Taking A Mental Toll,

But We Can Fight Back

By Wes and Anna Hessel

 Coronavirus Cuts Deep

As we move into summer, we leave Mental Health Awareness Month (May) behind. We are now looking forward to longer, warmer days, and the associated activities. But, the cold chill of COVID-19 and the resulting restrictions are creating problems well beyond the physical illness.  Researchers are now documenting emotional and psychological issues related to the coronavirus. An article in psychologytoday.com looked at the mental and the physical effects of the illness. Studies in China found lingering physical symptoms such as myalgia and dizziness. On a self-rated health status questionnaire patients also noted significant mental disturbances related to the pandemic.  People described increased occurrence of anxiety, stress, and depression.  In a study group of over 1250 individuals exposed to the coronavirus, more than 33%  exhibited insomnia, 45% had anxiety, 50% reported depression, and almost 72% described distress.

Long Term Effects

The SARS-CoV epidemic in 2003 showed the emotional cost is unlikely to be a passing problem.  Researchers in Hong Kong looked at 90 survivors of that virus.  The study group was considered well-educated with a mean age of 41. Thirty percent of them were health care professionals. One in ten in that study had at least one family member die of SARS-CoV. Overall, close to 60% had some form of mental disorder – over 6% a type of agoraphobia, 13% had a panic issue, more than 44% suffered from major depression, and nearly 48% suffered from PTSD.  When re-examined 2½ years after recovery, 3% still suffered from agoraphobia, almost 8% still suffered from a panic disorder, 13% major depression, and 25% displayed PTSD.

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HUMOR: He Who Laughs Last

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Donald Trump brings little intentional humor, but a whole lot of unintended laughs and gaffs

HUMOR: He Who Laughs Last

By Trevor K. McNeil

A Mystery Wrapped In An Enigma

There are mysteries that have yet to be revealed to mere mortals. Like, how do they get the caramel in the Cadbury Caramilk bar?  Or, how much wood would, indeed, a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck, could, in fact, chuck wood? Another mystery of gargantuan proportions, is how someone as unabashedly baffoonish and obscenely unqualified as Donald J. Trump, could be elected to the highest office in the land. “Leader of the Free-World” a bit too arrogant and, well, bullshit, to be taken seriously. There are many theories. Some crack cocaine nonsense, while others more reality-based; though the reality may be much stranger than anyone ever suspected.

An Honest Man

If you ask a Trump supporter why they like him, they are likely to say some version of “he’s a great businessman” despite him having gone through bankruptcy six times. Or, perhaps, “he’s an honest man in a den of thieves,” despite Trump agreeing to pay 25 million dollars to plaintiffs for seemingly illegal activities in the Trump University case. Common sense seems to have no effect on the electorate when it comes to Donald Trump. He has become a joke, and the joke seems to be on the United States. But who cares, at least he’s not a politician. The general distrust of “establishment politicians” goes back to the founding of America. Even George Washington, the pillar of Americana, as blasphemous as it may now seem, was often lambasted during his life. The cartoonists of his time, choosing to point their poisoned pens at him as often as at any other mortal man.

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