sundries

[rm]

Good morning world. No, really, GOOD MORNING, WORLD. It is a very good morning, indeed.
 

First Inception: the Musical rehearsal last night. I was shakier vocally than I expected to be, but I also handled my shit better than I expected, and it will be fine, because I'm a hard worker, and when it comes, it comes. Also, I have no voice after eating brie, not sleeping and being on the rag (does anyone else have this, where you totally lose your range when you're menstruating?)

Also, Megan is the fuck HILARIOUS as Eames, although I confess to possibly finding all of that funnier since she's my ex-roommate AND because there's a whole long sequence in which she hits on the The Mark by doing all this "Well, helloooooo, Mr. Director" stuff, that's funny even if you aren't Megan and I, but is stupidly funny if you are.

And, most importantly, perhaps, things are afoot.
 

No, no, things are really afoot. Dogboy & Justine is totally happening. And last night, I, in thinking about something that got said in the Luhrmann masterclass and how I was actually applying that to something else, somewhere else, had an inspiration for what this project is and how it should perhaps be tonally. The other party involved totally gets my ideas, is running around with her own awesome ideas and can compose the fuck out of anything. Which is to say, er, hey, now we're naming our production company.
 

And, there was a Friends of the Text meeting that was AWESOME. In part because we are all awesome, in part because thank god Kali can keep people focused. In part because we are closing in one some great ideas for 2011. In part because, OH SHIT, everything I'm doing totally related to everything else I'm doing, and if this goes the direction I think it is, I know exactly the abstract I'm writing up for this thing and it's SO GOOD. And so about my sweet spot of fixation. And I am SO EXCITED.
 

On the other hand, I've slept way, way too much today. So the schedule of things I must do today, is perhaps different than I thought it was going to be last night. But that's okay, I needed the sleep, and the important thing is no fucking off. I've things to do! Both in terms of art and grocery shopping and Cleaning All the Things and such-like.
 

Tomorrow, Patty and I have a date!
 

Right now, it's not raining. IT'S NOT RAINING. I've decided, among other things, to go out and take a walk. Soho is calling to me. I don't know why. But I listen when called.
 

Got a birthday card from my parent, which in all its birthday card sentiment was really and truly sweet and really and truly moved me. In short, the translation could be "You're a queer artist and we actually think that's kinda awesome." Seriously, the card is that good.
 

Weirdly, I still have no plan for my birthday and still feel okay about that. Is it crazy that I think something's going to come, or that my own work ethic is plenty to keep me entertained?
 

Am I being too intense lately? I feel so jazzed, but like this all must be really tiring to read.
 

The legal debate around the suicide of Tyler Clementi. Lots of people have been talking about "well, no matter how bad it is, you don't kill yourself if there isn't an underlying problem, and you can't blame cruelty for that." Cruelty is cruelty. Abuse is abuse. Any person can be vulnerable. Any act of casual maliciousness can be fatal. Tyler Clementi killed himself because Tyler Clementi killed himself. Tyler Clementi also killed himself because he was ridiculed, harassed and had his privacy invaded because of his sexual orientation. All these things can be true at once. And are.
 

There will be a vigil in Washington Square Park in NYC on Sunday October 3rd at 9pm related to the recent suicides of gay teens. Yes, this is not a new phenomenon. Yes, it is disgusting that it is only being acknowledged now by the mainstream media like it's this year's shark attack, but it is vitally important than we keep the story alive, in hopes that that can engender change which will help keep kids alive.
 

Michigan ADA who bullied, stalked and harassed campus leader, now on leave.

For October, Mud Brick is focusing on the archaeology of death.

Comments

[tacky-tramp.livejournal.com]

Manslaughter, no. The hate crime addition has nothing to do with his death -- it could have been applied if he hadn't killed himself.

As for Oscar Grant, he was shot. That cop fired a gun at him with the intention of killing him. I really don't see the similarity.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

Ah, but the jury thought that the cop didn't fire it at him with intent. Perhaps the parallel is a little clearer now.

[tacky-tramp.livejournal.com]

That's because the jury was fucking stupid.

Again, I see a clear difference between using a lethal-force weapon on someone, and perpetrating an incident of harassment/invasion of privacy.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

The parallel I am drawing isn't between lethal force vs. harassment and invasion of privacy. It's about two situations underpinned with the same type of social/institutional permissions. In the Grant case, permission for police to use possibly lethal force; in the other, for college students to harass their roommates for being gay.

I'm not sure that the two students should be charged with manslaughter, but I am absolutely positive it shouldn't be ruled out just because society as a whole is homophobic, too. Or, just because cops often shoot people doesn't mean Mehserle shouldn't've been convicted of a greater charge. Clearer now? If not, let's just move on.

[tacky-tramp.livejournal.com]

OHHHHH okay, I see what you mean now. This was the bit I wasn't getting:

I am absolutely positive it shouldn't be ruled out just because society as a whole is homophobic, too

That's not why I'm in favor of ruling it out.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I understand the meaning of your reply to my comment, then.

(edited because wait, that didn't come out right.)

[tacky-tramp.livejournal.com]

My first reply in this thread was deeply imprecise, so I'm not surprised!

What I meant was, societal homophobia seems to be part of what made Clementi react to this incident the way he did. Ultimately, suicide is a choice on the part of the suicidal person, and it's a choice that's shaped by a lifetime of events. If Clementi had grown up in a society that told him, "It's perfectly fine that you're gay, and anyone who says otherwise is going to be quickly and severely punished by us," then this incident of harassment would have been hurtful but may have been easier to cope with.

Assuming, of course, that his suicide was related to this incident. Which we still don't know for sure, right? No note has been found? I think the conclusion that it was related is reasonable and very likely; just pointing out that we're making an educated guess rather than talking about something with solid evidence. Another reason a manslaughter charge doesn't make sense.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

OK. As I said, I'm not sure I agree about the manslaughter charge, but I follow your logic.