return of the post

i had started this post before my computer went and died. i had started it after a talk at the (gay) center by formally incarcerated queer and trans folk. it originally had a different bent....
this link from postqueer reminded me to bring it back....

the discussion at the talk was great. and if i can manage to successfully stay out of the land of the headfucked and also not be doing 20 other things, i may come back to it. but there was a guy there from prison talk newsletter who brought to light some interesting information. (information which, *surprise*, major gay publications did not want to touch. who wants to talk or hear about the plight of criminals, afterall?)

fred phelps (yes, that fred phelps) is the father of many children. as a (disbarred) lawyer, he has spawned many more lawyers. while some of his offspring have sworn him off for reasons known but to themselves, others have gone on to work for the state of kansas corrections association. so, in the free time when they are not damning the gays to hell, they are overseeing, to one degree or another, sentencing aspects of queer/trans folks.

margie phelps pulled this off so well she won an employee award, from KS Correction Association (3rd quarter 2005)

free speech is great. as a journalism major, as a person, i do believe in it and its necessity.
just not nearly as absolutely much as i used to.

and if one is in the position of that sort of power to make those judgement calls.... yeah, ok, on some level i'm 'glad' you're showing your face and not masking your hate, (and still proceeding as you otherwise would), but, really. do i think there's a chance in hell that you can pull off being a 'model employee when you believe that queer (and trans) folks are abominations worthy of death?

seriously.

why should any of us be/remain anything but scared as fuck?

( text of linked article for the link-phobic and to ensure education of others )

(x-posted w/ variation)