A Call to Rainbow Arms; Or

Turns Out My Cultural Predictions (Wishes?) Could Come True...

So apparently on February 15th at Union Square Regal Cinemas a gay couple was beaten with glass bottles and slashed with a box cutter.

Great.

Michael Musto of the Village Voice published their letter in this article detailing the extent of negligence on the part of the movie theater (read, when complaining, the manager literally rolled his eyes and walked away).

Thanks.

I've been yelled at on a subway platform for minutes in Brooklyn, I've been called out from cars throughout the USA. Most recently, I've been kicked out of a cab for kissing the man I was with in Paris, but Union Square, New York City--in a movie theater--is somewhere where I would never think to not be myself. This... is astounding.

This response to Musto's article in the comments section below his article, is the most logical and at the same time least appropriate thing anyone could think of. But then again, what else can one do?

"This is why we have EVERY RIGHT (regardless of 'law') to carry weapons for self-defense. We cannot rely on ANYONE to defend us in a country where our family's rights are up for popular vote.GAYS, GUNS, and SELF-DEFENSE
http://gaytaxprotest.blogspot.com/2009/01/gays-and-self-defe"

The only logical reaction to being threatened is to take action, true. What happens when appealing to a higher power has no affect? You get beaten, apparently. If anything, this incident has proved yet again that we are expected to "deal" with our (sometimes violent) oppression.

How is it that I can get kicked out of a cab for kissing (an affectionate peck mind you) my lover and I just have to "deal with it?" I've had to "deal with" terms like "faggot" being hurled at me since middle school. I'm done with dealing; I want to carry a samurai sword.

I only hope that when the rage (second to last paragraph) really does come down, we all are familiar with pleading self-defense (remember, there's usually a retreat clause stipulating that once you've wounded the other party you have to make an effort to leave the scene).

Happy self-defense (revenge)!