It's possible that Ginsberg wasn't writing as a "gay" person. It's possible Ginsberg was writing as a Jew...or as the descendant of immigrants...or, plainly, as an outsider. I'm writing this as an outsider who owns a home, has sufficient creature comforts, and reaps the benefits of being an "intelligent" and hard working straight man. If anything, I think my outsider status comes from always being concerned with other outsiders such as injection drug users, undocumented immigrants, and sex workers.
NEW COKE
Today "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" nee-CIR was introduced into the lower house of the federal legislature. As most laws in this country which are painted as reform, it giveth whilst it taketh away. In exchange for reductions in backlogs, increased enforcement. In exchange for a pathway to legalization, increased border security which promised to further militarize our southern border. In exchange for increased employer sanctions, there's now an incentive to use employee verification. Finally, in exchange for family unification, there's a furthering of heteronomative standard in immigration law as to what a family is.
This is the new coke because it's the old coke in a new bottle with a better advertising campaign.
DO WE DESERVE THIS
I don't know if we get what we deserve...it sounds so fatalistic...maybe we get what we asked for. Our elected leaders started negotiating from a very safe space which ensured political viability even if that viability means mortality and morbidity for the people directly impacted by this legislation.
Yet these are the leaders that we continue to keep in office in spite of always, think of "health care reform" or torture, them voting in a manner contrary to progressive political beliefs. To those who offer the defense of "it's practical" or "it's politics" I offer them a gentle "fuck you" and a reminder that politics cease to be "politics" when we are talking about oppression and death. Politics is the art of letting oppression continue because you expect to get something out of your complicity.
NPIC
As ACORN found out, being complicit in helping the Democrats getting elected isn't going to ensure they have your back when repression rears its head.
In the immigrant rights tip, I know many folks in these organizations have hearts of gold but, like myself, need to get paid. The tragedy is that many of them have to stiffle how they feel about this so called "reform" because they need a paycheck...and, ultimately, we are quite easy to replace (OK, maybe I'm a little more difficult to replace).
But it is at these times when it is neccessary to issue a clarion call for people to do what's right: immigration reform must happen, but let's make sure that the electeds pay for starting at a low point of negotiation. Let's see if we are as good as the reactionary forces in moving legislation in our direction because if we can't improve the bill, then we have to admit that the reactionaries and racists are better organized, more effective, and politically powerful that "progressive" circles. Really, there are too many "liberals" who think they're better than Sarah Pallin or Joe Arpaio but fail to note that they get their opinions aired and turn people out (in favor) with better success that most progressive organizations.
MIEDO
And that's the frightening aspect: We can do it, we are the ones that we're waiting for. All we need to do is unite outside of political frameworks and dogmas. Once we're united and open to a variety of tactics, there's no stopping the train of justice.
The question is, which one of us are brave enough to be the pathfinders. Maybe it's a journey that, As Tatiana de la Tierra entitled one of her books, is Solo Para Las Duras (only for the hard ones). http://www.delatierra.net/index.php?For-the-Hard-Ones (Tati is a friend and a sweet soul...buy her book for your favorite lesbian!)
FIN
Back to seeing how my son's homework is coming along and a glass of wine....it's pretty fucked up and hetero-patriarchal to say, but my son makes me believe that a better world where many worlds fit is possible.
