A political statement
Photo by Michael Barone
I really like making political statements. Sometimes it’s speaking up and saying something. Sometimes, it’s standing on the 16th Street Mall in Denver with a sandwich board, where one side says “My library book, the Joy of Sex, is 2 weeks overdue” and the other says “Stop the Patriot Act.” Sometimes, it leading a rally to the state capital, and holding a burial for the bill of rights, in front of TV cameras.
All of that has gotten me put on lists (I’m sure I’ve done other things too).
People are probably watching me at various times. Hell, maybe they’re even reading this blog. *waves* I don’t know. But I think our voice is one of the most powerful things we have.
But sometimes the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” is also true. This photograph really speaks, at least to me. I feel like I am chained by the “right” way to be an American, the push to be patriotic, the “normal” ways to do things. I was sitting, waiting for the train on Sunday, and we were talking about so many things we didn’t like about America.
That’s OK. Constructive criticism is SUPPOSED to be good. It’s suppose to help people, and groups, and countries to grow, to become better.
When was it that suddenly, speaking your mind, chatting about what this country could do to improve, became this horrible offense? When did “National Pride” take over the right to free speech?
I’ve always been involved in speaking up, from my first civil rights rally at the age of 10. I’ve volunteered for Planned Parenthood, worked for the ACLU, stood on the steps of various places and shouted and spoke and yelled and called for change.
However, since becoming more involved in sexuality, I’ve realized exactly how much this country has wrapped chains around me. My body is no longer my own, my uterus isn’t my own, my gender isn’t my own, my sexual activities aren’t mine. They belong to the nation. My bedroom isn’t private; this blog sometimes pushes boundaries, the photos I’ve taken can possibly get me in trouble one day. The question of “what is pornography” and the answer of “I’ll know it when I see it” astound me. What the hell kind of way is that to define something?
I make no bones about it; I love Europe. I do. I loved living there, and hope to do so again. Socialized healthcare, required lengthy paid time off vacation days, fresh baked bread down the street, excellent public transportation, etc. Plus, it’s a lot more queer friendly (at least where I’ve been).
But I’m also not quite ready to give up on America yet…because while it chains me, and boxes me in, and holds me down, I have hope that one day, it’ll encourage me to fly. It’s been there before for other people; maybe one day, it’ll be there for me.
Essin’ Em
June 10, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Beautiful & strong, the words and of course the picture.
June 10, 2008 at 7:06 pm
amen, sister (excepting that the part of europe i was in was decidedly queer unfriendly).
i think it’s so strange that people think patriotism is the same as blind admiration. if i didn’t love this place, i wouldn’t care about fixing it’s problems – i’d just get the fuck out.
more eloquently, “a patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.” – edward abbey
June 11, 2008 at 4:24 pm
I would just like to say that this piece rang so true with me. My g/f lives in the States and I am from the UK and we are chained by the beaurocracy and middle American republican bible bashers who insist that same sex relationships are wrong and won’t alter the federal laws to include gays and lesbians as ‘equal citizens’ under the constitution.
You are so right about Europe. It is cosmopolitan, friendly, tolerant, accepting to all. Plus, as you say, paid vacations are mandatory. Everyone I know in the USA has to work for their vacation and they are lucky to get paid! It’s ridiculous! The UK is a brilliant (but expensive) place to live but they allow anyone equal rights under European human and civil rights laws. Most of Europe is tremendously queer friendly. It’s even a case of being friendly…..more that they are just people friendly and they don’t give a hoot about who a person sleeps with!
America is a great country. The people, largely, are fantastic, but what makes a country truly great is the reputation of it’s government around the world…
Anyway, just wanted to add that I liked what you said.
All the best, LP
June 20, 2008 at 5:38 pm
FASCINATING post.
Of course, I come from Europe, so my opinion of it is different (especially on the socialised healthcare aspect) but I do see your point. If the Conservative Christian right wing had their way, we’d all live in a twee, homogized Disneyland. Ick!
I congratulate you on standing up for people’s liberties – surely THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCEPT OF THE AMERICAN NATION! The right to do what you want, marry who you want, read want you want, say what you want.
Personally I think the left wing are almost (almost) as bad as the right wing. The Christian right call themselves our ‘moral leaders’ and censor us and control our behaviour in the name of ‘family values’ and other crap. The liberal left censor us if we say anything politically incorrect – a well intentioned form of fascism.
The answer lies somewhere in between – but at least the liberals have the CONCEPT right. I can’t believe the right wing lunatics still think that people can choose their sexuality and that a dissenting voice is ‘unpatriotic’ or ‘obscene.’
America was founded on the principle of having the freedom to do, say, live however you want, as long as it doesn’t infringe anybody else’s rights to do the same.