Faggots & Their Friends between Revolutions (1)
In the 1970’s, some amazing literature for gay men appeared. One such is “Faggots & Their Friends between Revolutions”, by Larry Mitchell. The copyright is 1977. I’m going to be quoting at length, because it is out of print. I did find some used copies for sale, with prices up to almost $100. This won’t do.
Part 1 The Way It Is
“Ain’t nobody perfect
‘Cause ain’t nobody free”
From “Blues for Mama” [p. viii]
Let’s drink to the old faggots who were there and helped make this happen just by being there [p. ix]
It’s been a long time since the last revolutions and the faggots and their friends are still not free [p. x]
I particularly wanted to post this [p. 2]:
The faggots and their friends now live in Ramrod. The leader of Ramrod is Warren-and-his-Fuckpole. He is the leader of Ramrod because he is the most paranoid and therefore the most vicious man in the land. Warren wants to know who the leader of the faggots is so he can rationalize with him. But the faggots have no leader. They have only dead heroes.
Ramrod is known to its neighbors for the fierceness of its weapons and the touchiness of its leaders. To support their violence, the rich men without color who own Ramrod send their tax collectors out to steal the people’s work; they send their shifty-eyed ones out to sell the people machines which do not work and security which is not dependable; they send their thugs and goons out to take peacefulness away from the people. The more the rich men without color can steal from or take from or sell to the people, the more violence they can buy.
Ramrod is known to its neighbors for the elaborateness of its violence and its eagerness to use it.
Tags: Change, Gay, Justice, Revolution, Sex
Bob
April 13th, 2008 at 1:31 am
Chilling! This was published in 1977? So do you think it was prophetic, or do you think it has always been this way, before 1977 and still today? And another thing: do you feel that you’re old enough now to be one of the old faggots who makes this happen by being there?
April 13th, 2008 at 6:17 am
I think that it was both prophetic and it has always been this way. My impression is that some of the people who live on the margin of society have the ability to see and to articulate just how messed up the society as a whole has become.
Usually, I don’t think of myself as doing anything special. Then I realize that some things that seem perfectly straighforward to me–marrying Jeremy and referring to him as “my husband”–might have the effect of smacking certain people upside the head.