Gay History, One Man's Memory

[Dat]

Here's a man who co-founded Act-Up Paris with my brother and who also HIVpositive

I forgot about Act Up. Thanks for the memories. I think I'd forgotten because I really don't like to remember those days. Those memories, if I allow myself to really think about them are quiet sad and quite anger inducing. LOL.

I remember Larry Kramer being considered too far out of the box by a lot of our community. Me as well. He was just too in your face for my liking. He did a lot of good though.

I now am of the opinion that we need all kinds to finish this. The in your face folks as well as the 'you get more flies with sugar' folks.

[charley]

To those who are satisfied with the situation at present. There is, looking at me, a red thing called a Panic Button.

What other discriminated group would have such a thing on their little site? That's good enough?

Settle, settle, oops here comes the boss, PANIC

Come on, people...

[fredv3b]

Dat,

Clearly we see history very differently. You see great step changes where I see multiple small steps.

[Dat]

Dat,

Clearly we see history very differently. You see great step changes where I see multiple small steps.

I do see it as many, many, many, many small steps. There were too many small steps to even count. Of course there were a few large steps thrown in there for good measure. There just wasn't any backward motion. It's no longer that way. Up until recently (last decade or so), there was no backward motion. Only forward. Always.

Maybe it's complacency. I don't know. I just find it amazing that people (not all) tend to sit around, do nothing, and just wait for someone to give them a little something. We have allowed this movement to be taken out of our hands. It isn't ours anymore.

Have you been to Pride over the last few years? When is the last time you've seen Pride based on politics and the civil rights movement? When is the last time you saw booths set up letting the community know about things that were being planned politically. Information on how the community could donate their time, money, and energy. The only booths you see now are the one's that sell the little trinkets. When was the last time a march ended on the state house lawn? With chanting, signs, etc. I think you'd have to go back to the late 90s or further to see that.

There is still some, albeit, minimal civil rights talk. It's more about partying. We lost our way. We stopped marching for our rights and began marching for fun. I guess IMO, Pride has very little to do with civil rights any more. Civil rights have take a backseat to much of our community when you are talking abut Pride.

That's pretty much why I don't march any more. I'll help set up a booth or two with information regarding upcoming events for politicians, upcoming protests. Guess what? A mere handful will stop by. We don't have the pretty bumper stickers or pins.

I really don't want to come off as angry nor do I think all is lost. It's just that the outcome is no longer fully in our hands. We have given too much of that responsibility away.

[fredv3b]

Thanks for the reply.

I do see it as many, many, many, many small steps.

Weren't each of those steps settling?

As for the rest of your comments, you're preaching to the choir with me.