#written on

[coveysux]

[nashville-street-photography]

Nashville Street Photography - Written On in Sharpie 2017

[political-musings]

Reagan’s LGBT record

Let us first start with a quote from the “great” man himself “Society cannot rightly condone the alternate gay lifestyle”. What type of message does that send to America? One of togetherness and sensibility. No of course not Reagan's message is clear, gay people are not right and are inferior. What type of president preaches against his own people?  To this day Reagan’s homophobia has effects. In part it can help you see why people like Ted Cruz believe that it is okay to talk about how Transgender women are men. So just why does the republican party, once a bastion for rights allow this vicious hate speech? The answer is quite simple and it is that they lure voters in with calls of “values” being under attack. However these “values” are simply hate mongering and ones of intolerance that should rightly be attacked. But no says the Reagan Republican, it is my right to hate a fellow man for something they cannot control. Under the Reagan administration homophobia was not just allowed it was openly encouraged.

The biggest stain on Reagan’s reputation with the gay community is his outright refusal to acknowledge the AIDs crisis. However just ignoring it wasn't enough for some of Reagan's staff, with his communications director Pat Buchanan claiming that AIDs was God's revenge upon the gays. Another member of the Reagan Revolution, Jerry Falwell claimed that “AIDs is the wrath of God upon the homosexuals”. This brazen allowance and nurturing of homophobia for political gain is quite disgusting. Along with his nearly 28,000 homosexual men died without help from their government. Eventually after a 1985 press conference Reagan would be forced to take action.

It is important to note that in his private life Reagan was moderately tolerant of homosexuals. However he still regarded homosexuality as a sickness. However this did not prevent him from befreinding some homsexuals and lesbians during his Holywood career. Reagan also vetoed a bill that would allow open discrimination against LGBTQ teachers by saying that sexuality is determined at a young age rather than through teachings. However one must remember that while he acted quite tolerant in private he was much more discriminatory in public and used fears of homophobia to his advantage politically. Even in private however he told gay jokes and made fun of homosexual lisps.

Another aspect of Reagan's life in which he showed disdain for homosexuals was when his own son wanted to do ballet. Instantly Reagan jumped to the conclusion that his son was gay and began worrying that his son was a closet homosexual. Now why exactly would this be an issue? For any truly tolerant person having a gay son is no different than having a straight son. But for Reagan he didn't want his son to be afflicted with, in his view was a sickness. Also he did not want his son's sexuality to tarnish his reputation among conservative, and often homophobic, groups. This once again shows his reluctance to stand up for what is truly right and stick up for his gay rights which is quite cowardly.

One important thing to remember about Reagan's public homophobia is that it would set a precedent for any good god fearing republican to be at the very least relatively homophobic. This effect is still seen to this day with puritanical candidates such as Ted Cruz being openly homophobic as well as transphobic. He was made it a campaign issue to say that transgender women are not women and in his own words are men. And to this day the conservative movement, who have held Reagan up as an idol, forces gay and transgender activists to fight tooth and nail for every single right that every other American has. His staunch conservative principles can also be seen failing in other areas of domestic such as the joke known as supply side economics. In conclusion it is fair to say that Ronald Reagan helped foster homophobic and transphobic sentiments in the conservative movement and allowed thousands to die without help due solely to the fact that they were gay and that it would have hurt him politically.

[starbuds-and-rosedust]

the moon is more than just a reflection of the sun. it’s is the promise of the peace, solitude, and secrecy of a wise mother for a person scorched. the cool hand to wipe away your tears when the sun’s spotlight has become too much. it is the herald of the outcasted, illusive, and mysterious. an enduring manifestation of the wonders that lie in the dark.

the ever-present, ever-blinding sun will burn out and engulf everyone in the aftermath of its death. but the moon slinks away only to return more wondrous the next night. it is the true teacher of the importance of rest.

[starbuds-and-rosedust]

how does love not devour itself when faced with such indomitable, infinite violence?

[starbuds-and-rosedust]

to me, to love is to devour. to latch, to cling, regardless of the whipping sand gouging my eyes, scoring my cheeks, and carving out chunks of my flesh. to never let go or face being engulfed by the crushing darkness that is all that life has left of my soul. to keep crawling closer to another’s flame with charcoal fingers and scorched hair. to chase after the dream of the brevity of being hailed in light even through consumption by fire. because the agony of eternal burns is more desirable than a mere moment spent enshrouded in the darkness of my own heart.

. . .

the irony is tragic, how one reduces themselves to a creature of pain and ash seeking the very flames they chased out of their palace.

[starbuds-and-rosedust]

flirting with death is not the only way to feel alive