moocow in the city

one cow. many pastures.

humanity

Daily Practice Judaism Spirituality & Faith

As we approach Pesach 5783:

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We remember that the plagues were not evil, not to be wished away: they were holy, iterative and equal in their parts of warning and divine retribution. They were a promise to the oppressed of redemption, of Exodus. They were safety. Within this context, we recognize that what we often quip are modern ‘plagues’ aren’t.

Plagues are meant to discomfort those who must be awakened, those who must be afflicted to shake them from their obstinance, to have them move away from their destructive paths.

We do not celebrate plagues, rather we pray for the holy awakening of those who become afflicted, that they turn from their path of evil, hate, harm, and destruction.

As we enter 2023 may those who need discomfort be awakened in their beds, may they find no peace…and may those who unjustly suffer be granted Refuah Shlemah.

May we all be the plagues our Earth needs. May we cause the trouble necessary to awaken those who slumber as our world burns.

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Amazed

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Amazed

I am always amazed that the ‘master race’  – with all its flannel bravado – seems to think that us queer folks are weak.

As if we didn’t grow up in New York or Appalachia or Louisiana alongside you. As if we haven’t served in every war since humans began walking upright and out of their caves. As if we haven’t been steel and rig workers. As if we haven’t worked alongside you on the farms and in the coal mines. As if proficiency in wearing high heels and field stripping an M16 are mutually exclusive things.

We are not, have not been, and will not be afraid of you. We know you so much better than you can ever hope to know us. We are your daughters and sons. Brothers and sisters. We infiltrated you at our birth. We have been watching and learning from you for as many years as we have walked this Earth. We know your tactics. We know the size of your forces. We know you.

For every song lamenting the loss of ‘real men’ and their pickup trucks, there’s a dozen of you scared to go into a drag club, to shop in Harlem, to welcome in refugees, and to heal the sick…hundreds who wouldn’t recognize your Jesus Christ if he asked you personally to crawl through the eye of the needle to escape your narrow and hateful worldview.

For each Bible that’s come crashing down on our heads there are a dozen success stories of our people who made it against the odds, who have found love and community and happiness. We’re as tough as our full set of acrylic nails. We’ve had to be.

Go ahead. Try and silence us. You can’t. We’re loud as fuck. Make our existence illegal all over again. History loves to repeat itself and we know how the history books will remember you. We also know how they will remember us. Try and arrest us. We’re good with bricks and fabulous with spray paint.

Be gay. Do crime. Expect us.

Header Image by kalhh from Pixabay.