Pride 2008: Kill the closet

The 2006 Pride post talked strongly about the tendency amongst gay men to demean or denigrate other gay men in effort to establish themselves as "better than."

2008 sees things pretty much the same on that front. Yet, with the recent developments in respect to gay marriage in California, the current upturn in HIV infection rates amongst males, and well Matthew Rush's breakdown (link not particularly work friendly depending on one's place of employment) to be honest, I wonder if something is afoot.

All of these subjects--in my view at least--are symptoms of one thing: Gay is not sexy.

Lest you think that I've gotten very shallow here, I'll explain. By "sexy," I mean that it is STILL a world where tons of men (and likely a fair amount of women as well, one would assume) have no qualms whatsoever in participating in homosexual sex and activities, but vehemently deny the obvious fact that lies right in front of them: They are gay.

The fact that "gay" continues to be a pejorative amongst ill-informed people--both gay and straight of all ages--is alarming. Even moreso is the fact that they are rarely challenged on it.

The fact that there is still a fetishisation around supposedly "straight" men who are eager to participate in gay sex is alarming. What once was just another cliched porn theme has now emerged into the real world as a belief system complete with its own hierarchy of desirablity on full display on any internet sex site. While to some extent this may only involve fantasy role play, by it spilling into reality it's beginning to cost us our health. Not just our emotional health but our spiritual health as well.

And let us get into this fun subject of "gay for pay" while we're at it. How messed up is one's own sense of self when the idea of watching a man going against his own sexual drive--aided by god-knows-what--is actually a turn on? I could understand it if the point was to ridicule poor sexual performance, but it's not. It is merely a continuation of the belief that to be gay and open and honest about it is to be "less than," and openly gay men are making money off of it.

If I was just recently out these days, the very last kind of guy I would be chasing down would be someone who was closeted or even claimed discretion. It wouldn't be worth the medication nor the hit in terms of self-respect.

Pride 2008: Not Just For Us

But for everyone who has the courage to say this is who I am.

Pause today to think of what strides we have made and also what struggles wait ahead.

One day, perhaps sooner than we think, we may very well live in a world where the bigoted speech of a few is muted by the basic human compassion and understanding of many.

If he's on the list, then what exactly is the criteria?

If it was April, then I would believe this was a joke, but apparently it's not.

Nelson Mandela & The ANC were on the US government's terror watch list.

That's right, Nelson Mandela was on the terror watch list and only now is the US government making an effort to get him off it.

In theory, this would mean that Oprah and a slew of other celebrities associated with a possible terrorist. Publicly. In front of cameras.

What idiot during the past 2 administrations kept the man that helped end apartheid (which ended over a decade ago!) on the terror watch list?

The Zimbabwe Situation as I see it

Read the Wikipedia entry on Ian Smith, particularly on the fact that his old party is now the one of Mugabe's most prominent challenger.

Is anyone else thinking of a certain song by The Who?

And now everyone can shoot themselves (part 2)

Interesting coverage of the Supreme Court handgun decision on the Journal Sentinel's NewsWatch.

Guess who supports the decision? Russ Feingold.

Then again he is from Green Bay and not Madison.

Proof that a broken clock can be right twice a day, I'm with Tom Barrett and Bloomie.

This country is too big with too many variables to really definitively say that handguns in the home are acceptable everywhere...at least when loaded.

Chris Rock was onto something when he said that "what we need is not gun control, but bullet control."

And now everyone can shoot themselves

So the Supreme court says that an individual has a right to have a handgun in their own home.

But the question is why would a person feel compelled to do so?

The one thing that I believe--and I admit that I am not a legal scholar--that the majority is missing is that the Constitution was meant to be flexible. If it wasn't I would (as well as Clarence Thomas) not even be considered a citizen, or even a human being.

Now I wonder if the Court is now courting (no pun intended) lawmakers to put a law--or even an amendment--in place that would put in no uncertain terms that handguns have no business being in someone's home in this day and age where we do not live under the tyranny of British troops marching in unannounced into our homes.

Just nationalise the damn thing

American outlines more cuts.

Dear lord, if the government effectively saved Bear Stearns, then why can't they just take over American and United. It's like the airlines are daring them to come in and do so.

Tuesday Jukebox Says Loneliness Is Such A Sad Affair

Hands down--at least over here--no one beats The Carpenters' Superstar.



KPop singer Wheesung manages to do an adequate version, but I think there's a bit of disconnect between him and the meaning of the lyrics.

Sonic Youth gets the meaning, underlines it, and puts exclamation points on it.

Then there's Luther. Luther got the meaning, and I tell you, if you pay attention to the lyrics, his version allows for the interpretation that this is a love song sung by a man to another man who doesn't know the depth of the other man's feelings.



This interpretation is very clear when Usher sings Luther's version as a tribute.



And this may be just me that see this, but I always thought Karmen Stavec's Lep Poletni Dan is effectively an upbeat interpretation of Superstar.

And manna shall rain from the heavens

Joe Bruno won't be running again!

Now if we could just get rid of Sensenbrenner in Wisconsin. (Not that I hold out much hope that the North Shore bigotry and self-entitled brigade would actually do the right thing.)

Just Give My Social Security Now

It is arguably a bit wrong to criticise fundraisers for AIDS charities, but I'm going to do it.

I just flat out do not understand, nor get the point of Broadway Bares.

You could argue that it's pastiche, but it's just rather inane in my point of view, particularly for 2008.

Is wearing next to nothing while making tons of camp and gay references really that shocking?

What I find surprising is that given that these days HIV is often transmitted via drug-fueled sex parties, the show seems to revel in encouraging a wild sexual abandon often found in (drum-roll please) drug-fueled sex parties.

Call me a crackpot, but it all seems like it's perpetuating a vicious circle: go see the show, get aroused, go off and have bareback sex, and seroconvert. (Not that everyone does this, but it certainly could serve as a tipping point.)

I feel the same way about the White Party.

Photos from this year's Broadway Bares can be found here.

Something Heartwarming

From the Journal Sentinel: A Navy Reservist joins a community theatre group after watching their production during his tour in Afghanistan. (For those from the Milwaukee area: why am I not surprised he's from Shorewood?)

Now as sweet as that story is, one has to wonder what the state of the US military is when the navy is sent to Afghanistan.

The Wisconsin Tourism Industry

Wisconsin Department of Tourism claims that the $13 billion state tourism industry is at risk due to the flooding and gas prices.

My question is this: When did Wisconsin get a $13 billion tourism industry?

Does seeing Frank Lloyd Wright's house and a state full of flat land and trees hold that much interest?

Is it the casino gaming? (That dog track has been losing money since the day it was founded.)

Is it the dairy & grain products?

I know Summerfest is big, but Jesus Wept, it's not that big.

I could understand it--somewhat--if they were concerned about the fall and winter travel seasons, but they shouldn't be worried a whit about summer. The Chicagoans & Twin Cities residents will still come, and I reckon most of the Wisconsinites will stay.

Why?

Because it's too expensive to go anywhere else.

Friday Jukebox Rings That Bell

We love Akiko Wada here at this corner of the internet. So let's take one of her big hits, Ano kane wo narasu no wa anata (or as this site puts it "you're the one that rings that bell") and see the various versions of it through the years.

First up, Miss Wada winning the Japan Record Award in 1972 for the song, performing--I think--it through tears.



Now the Seikima II version. Lordi didn't invent camp rock.



A shaky (in my view) acapella version by BAM B CREW



Next, a unique version by some group called Dynamite Pops. Whether they meant it to be camp or not is up for debate.



And finally--bringing it full circle--Miss Wada sings it in 1994 complete with swaying and clapping choir (note what they sing before Akiko makes her entrance)*.



I like Miss Wada, but yet, I suspect this is the most OTT of the lot, even more than Seikima II.

As for my own personal favourite Akiko Wada song, sadly, I haven't been able to find a clip it yet.

Ooooh, you're in trouble

Well, that is if these 144 defendants get convicted, which is debatable.

The Hikaruland June Video Log

Slightly out of sync, but that is oddly appropriate as I have been relatively out of sync as well.

Nonetheless, here's the June Video Log with a personal update and my thoughts on "change."

Wednesday Jukebox Feels Old

Because I can remember when looking like this didn't look odd...



I have a soft spot for Toshi[nobu] Kubota. It's hard to say why, save for the fact that he's talented and just a little bit comically OTT, particularly during the 1990s.

Further evidence: The videos for AHHHHHH! and Dance If You Want It (of course this may also be the march of time that makes them OTT).






The Japanese Al B. Sure? Keith Sweat? Well, his latest suggests that he's aiming to be Teddy Riley.

Election 2008: So this is the Democrat

Well, thank god that is over. Since I was out of commission when it actually was news, I'm a bit late to the game, but it's worth discussing for a bit.

Obama is the nominee. Full stop.

Shockingly enough--barring some huge scandal--he's likely the one to win in November.

I don't know exactly how I feel about this. It is extremely surprising to me to realise that before I turn 30, I stand a good chance of actually witnessing the first African-American president--I would've preferred Carol Moseley Braun, Shirley Chisholm, or even Jesse Jackson, but that's for parallel universes to hash out.

Then I start thinking about several things:

• This is going to be a thankless job. Obama is going to have to clean up 8 years of Bush II missteps and only 2-4 years to do it, meanwhile a significant and vocal group is expecting manna from the heavens and peace to reign from shore to shore upon his election.
• The Obama supporters have been some of the most childish and arrogant people I have come across ever since I voted in my first stateside election (2000). I don't think the campaign thought that by engaging the youth vote, they would also have to hold their hand when the campaign suffered a setback.
• It's funny how the subject of race goes in and out of the Obama campaign. Some white and black Obama supporters have been thoroughly surprised that I was not behind Obama during the primary, as if my vote was a given because of his racial background. I'm a moderate Socialist, Obama is to the right of me. Hillary was a little less to the right, and Edwards & Gravel even less. I'm going to vote for the candidate that matches my views not my skin colour. (I supported Governor Doyle of Wisconsin because his policies match my views, not because his sons are black.)
• The identity politics also give me pause for thought. If some people assume that because of his race, I support Obama, then by extension, the same small-mindedness may automatically make all blacks a scapegoat when Obama fails. I certainly hope that is not the case, but if you look at how "change" occurs in this country, then it does make one worry: Only last year did we have the Jena 6, the race-triggered murder of James Byrd was only 10 years ago, the heavily biased media coverage and government response to Hurricane Katrina was only 3 years ago, and only 44 years ago did the government agree to help prevent me being discriminated against due to the colour of my skin, but I have yet to have the same protection extended to me in regards to sexual orientation. Quite honestly, I have to wonder whether American society is prepared to have these conversations, and I can only hope that having them will not leave any further casualties.
• Remember that we, as Americans, do not ever vote directly for president under the current system in place. It may seem like a minor detail, but psychologically, I reckon, the fact that our vote is merely a suggestion for our representatives in the electoral college as to who to vote for, provides us with little impetus to choose someone to solve our nation's problems, and a major reason to enshrine our apathy and "right" to complain.

Good luck, Mr. Obama. I'll vote for you without reserve, but I certainly don't envy your position.

Fat Man Dies

A man died of a heart attack brought on (essentially) by obesity.

This man served in both the Korean & Vietnam Wars as a Army Ranger.

He fought in several key Korean War battles when he was 17.

He was also a POW who had his teeth knocked out by Vietcong captures.

He was declared dead by the US government, but managed to escape.

Finding his marriage annulled, he started rebuilding his life, got remarried, and had a son.

This man wasn't Tim Russert. He was my father, and his death was not marked by 5 days of public mourning, followed by a LIVE memorial service.

So let's put this in perspective. Peter Jennings was not given this amount of accolade, and quite arguably he was more influential.

We're all going to die. Get over it.

Wisdom from Overseas

For most of us who were born before pharmaceutical adverts were allowed on television, it is rather interesting and disturbing to realise how much we have come to accept them as a way of life.

Take a gander at this report from the BBC's Kevin Connolly, which points out the rather cynical (and quite likely dangerous) motives at work.

Now where's my Ambien?

This Is Why Wisconsin Elections Are So Crazy

These are our delegates.

A Clinton delegate from Wisconsin is now behind McCain, according to the Journal-Sentinel.

Btw: Normal service will be resumed on Monday.