Sunday, August 15, 2010

I am an Anti-Nazi Fairy


"Chasing the Devil, catching his tail, fishing him out, we've reached our quota. Here is your answer, now go to hell! The Devil's daughter -- St. Petersburg farewell!"

It's one thing to be anti-Nazi, but it's another thing to have a 'tude about it. I don't mean an edge. I don't mean a slight gleam in the eye. I mean a middle school attitude full of, "Hey fatty!" and "Na-na-na-na-na!" But, more importantly, having a sign of Hitler shooting his head and blood spewing everywhere with the text, "Follow your leader," was a little too much for me. My reaction? Get a bunch of UUs to sing "We Shall Overcome." That didn't work, and I tried my best. But, my question, to start this dialog, is, "How do we raise our children to practice non-violent action when you have people holding signs that provoke the idea that we're asking our 'opposites' to kill themselves?"

Regardless, the rally was a whole bash of fun. I mean, it really was the best send off to Atlanta I could ask for. All my old friends were there. People got to see me and hug me and tell me how beautiful I am. We danced and screamed and sang and we were outrageous. For me, this is what I love about my community in Knoxville. It's stepping into a crowd of people and knowing everyone. It's the disregard for what's "appropriate" in some instances for what feels right. It's our need to grow from our mistakes, but our comfort in making them. I hope I can find something this powerful in Atlanta. I hope I can be there to make something this powerful for someone else.

At the rally itself, I was an anti-Nazi fairy. While Bob Marly blasted through my hair and around my waist and in my ears, and the rain cooled me, I danced ethereally in the middle of the crowd of clowns and accordion players. I felt the energy of my body, and I felt the fun. I hope they saw that on the other side and were a little envious, or maybe curious. I think that's what fairies are supposed to inspire. Behind all the, "That faggot..." I hope there was a little voice, or thought, that broached, "That looks fun!"

CONRAD'S DO'S
** DO HANG OUT WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND OF ALL TIME.
** DO HAVE TEA AND FALAFEL AT THE BISTRO.
** DO WEAR FAIRY WINGS AND GLITTER.
** DO LOVE YOUR COMMUNITY.

CONRAD'S DON'TS
** DON'T HOLD YOUR SIGN UPSIDE DOWN IF YOU ALREADY LOOK STUPID FOR BEING A NAZI.
** DON'T SHOUT BACK, "HEY!" TO MEN IN RED TRUCKS THAT CALL YOU SEXY.
** DON'T PARK DUMB.
** DON'T BRING HOOLA-HOOPS INTO RALLIES WHERE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO BE CLOWNS.

2 comments:

  1. I agree with you that the taunting was a bit much. I felt embarrassed when that guy kept on yelling in the mic. I get how that was drowning out the Nazis, but I think Bob Marley did it better.They should have played more of the I have a dream speech...why not the whole thing?I told him " More singing yes yelling" and a couple other people said similar things to it.
    I am reminded of my favorite MLKing quote "Darkness cannot drive out darkness...only light can do that."
    fare the well in Atlanta, Conrad the sparkley.

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  2. JohnB said:
    Good words - COnrad -- good to see you there with your wings!
    I agree about the violent signs and with Barbara about the yelling into -

    I thought our presence as a "gentle angry people" was better -- more singing, less yelling indeed!

    That's why we were there wasn't it?

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