This is a Rant…That’s about it. Kyle Lawson

If there is anything that gained attention during this past election, it’s whenever a Tea Party candidate suggested that if things don’t get better in Washington D.C. the “citizens” might have to get their guns. While this makes them sound crazy, maybe they have a point. Considering the Democrats did little to help us when they had you know control of the government, and the Republicans sure as hell won’t, maybe we should take a page from the Tea Party and revolt.

I don’t mean we should start something now, the Republicans have control and their asses are in front of the electric fence. They have to cut spending and reduce the size of government before they get to us. After all, that’s what they promised, so when they fail let’s make sure they can’t use us to save their skin.

If they even try to pass something to restrict our rights even further, let’s revolt. Not write letters, not call offices, not refuse to donate to candidates; but get into the street and start throwing pennies. Fuck permits and lets march in front of the capitol on a Wednesday. Make anyone who would use us as political fodder, realize that we are not the Tea Party.

Teabaggers complain about taxes, we complain about being unable to visit our loved ones as they die in a hospital. They whine about being painted as racists because of a sign, we have to defend ourselves from being called child molesters because of fake science. They can marry a complete stranger and gain more rights then we can get after thirty years of being together.

We don’t need to make idle threats. We have revolted, whether as small groups or an entire city Compton’s Cafeteria in 1966, Stonewall 1969, The White Night Riots of 1979. Why should we be afraid to resort back to that? Will we continue to rely on ineffective organizations or politicians because we are afraid of not being the most popular kid at the party? Are we victims waiting for our eventual martyrdom?

We won’t win any new allies by doing something violent. Hell, there will be those sitting on the fence who will decide we aren’t worth associating with, but that’s not the point. Every time we stand up and fight, every time we react, we change something. Never right away, the White Night Riots didn’t change Dan White’s manslaughter conviction, and it gave the cops an excuse to attack. But, we didn’t apologize. I like to think that for one brief moment those protestors terrified anyone who thought we were worthless, that our lives were worth less than a Twinkie.

If our own history should have taught us anything, it is we can’t be worried about being liked. Our community has fought our best fights alone. When no one wanted to associate with us, and politicians pretended we did not exist. We can’t pretend that eventually people are going to be nice to us if we walk in a circle dressed in suits holding a sign. Everything we gain can be taken away from us, that is all our history is.

So yes, this is a rant. We need to stand up for ourselves and be prepared to throw a punch and show that we can take them. Every anti-GLBT organization is gloating and ready to stomp us down into the dirt. So what are we going to do?

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