Independence Day

So Memorial Day blew over and I think the reason it disaffected me was because this year, everyday felt like a mini-memorial day and the ceremonies and special programs on television slid off my back. It just seemed kind of shallow, when the whole year for me was Remembering.
Maybe next year I'll be able to partake in the national mourning, though I kind of doubt it.

Independence day, because of tamara_russo's party being canceled *sob* I had to make alternate plans, and the universe worked to help me. Avihuh called and asked me if I'm coming the protest.
Protest?
Against Capelton (Jamaican Reggae Artist who has lyrics that call to burn gay men and rape lesbian women)?
And I go: "okay, whose going?"
So I ended up rekindling with things with Varda after having not spoken to her in months and we met up in her town, to watch the fireworks, before heading out to Tel-Aviv in order to stand with flags and signs and try to dissuade the nice Reggae fans (and they were nice, none of them bothered us, or shouted at us to go home, they tried their best to ignore us though, which is legitimate, but we sure made a hell of a lot of noise, my throat is so sore!).
There was one scuffle in the beginning where Avihih brought a two Israeli flags to the line a few people from "Kvisah Shchora - כביסה שחורה" - The anti-Zionist Anarcho-Queer group - and asked him to put the flag away because they wouldn't be able to stand under a flag of oppression.

o_O Seriously.

Now that I gave you that little teaser, I'm afraid I have to continue my regaling of last night's happening a little later in the day. I woke up not too long ago and must eat and have at least two comes of coffee.

Good Morning everyone and have a lovely day.

Independence Day, Part deax

I finished my last post about the fact that Kvisah Schorah asked Avihuh to move with the Israeli flag away from them.
I find it very ironic that a group that advocates the total freedom of expression, would ask someone to remove a flag that "they" don't identify with.
The queer community is not only Radicals, it's everybody.
I have my own issues with Israel, but on Independence day (which is also Nakba Day.) the Israeli flag means more than oppression and Zionism, at its most basic level the symbol of the county we live in, for better or worse.
Avihuh did move to the far left side of the line and I stood with him with a huge Pride Flag, and we discussed how they really were missing the point of this protest, how are we supposed to make a proper stand from the Queer community, when there so many mini-wars within the community itself.
I tried to tell them that they're not the only group being represented here and that it was not okay of them to tell one of the people who came to stand with them to move simply because you don't agree with him.
There was a resounding, *thud* when they ignored me.
So Avihuh and I decided to shout the loudest (I even used a megaphone :).

Obviously as the protest progressed and more and more people came for the Capelton concert the Radicals left and us the "Moderates" *snort* to hold the show, we started with about thirty people in the beginning of the night and in the end we were ten.

I ended up losing my voice after shouting at an asshole who came to bother us, I don't think he expected for the little femme (and I really was the femmiest one there, except for a few of the gay guys there) to have such a loud voice. Or to get into a shouting match with him.

I just love how these ignorant people come and tell me, ME that they understand, but why must we be so "provocative" and is a Reggae concert really the place?
Uh, yeah!

So long as I have to go through the Rabbi's to get a divorced (even if, hypothetically, got married abroad), there has to be a protest.
So long as people call Jerusalem "Their City" and not the "Capitol City" we must march there.
So long as people, any where in the world, for the death of "Sodomites and other deviants" the people must tell them "Shut Up and Listen!"

So we stood outside the club until one thirty in the morning, yelling, handing out flyers and basically "being there".

We'll always be here and there.