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The Trouble With Paradise - The Gay Word 9-1-2015
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7KH 7URXEOH ZLWK 3DUDGLVH 7KH *D\ :RUG KWWSWKHJD\ZRUGFRPWKHWURXEOHZLWKSDUDGLVH9HGSS3O9K%F Navigation The Trouble with Paradise by Michael Chanak on September 2, 2015 in Politics Let M. Goose plead guilty on the front end of having a particularly cynical point of view. As folks will tell you, I love people but I can be “poison.” I think “poison” in this context generally means I will speak my mind openly and directly. I also know that look of STFU. I offer this as a matter of self-disclosure. Some would tell you I have a passion about things, a more genteel description. Either way, you have been “alerted.” I have rambled on before about the world of queerdom we find ourselves in. Instant FB celebrity with the attendant “awe, awe” comments and the “repetitive likes” from admirers, or people who wish to believe others care about them. Wink! In a moment of clarity, I said “if saying it made it so, then we would be living in paradise.” In common terms, “talk is cheap.” Indeed, even the grand and noble Goose is guilty of the crime of self-promotion posing with elites with big “pride checks” for the cause. For the unaware, we call such photo ops “cameos.” It is very similar to photobombing. Even we old timers realize that is how the game is played; now, if you are in pictures, whether your role is important or not, the mere appearance gives the illusion of gravitas. You know exactly what I mean. For instance, ever notice that the same group of folks that attends this event or that event, bartends, posts some relevant photos and figures for charity, then rushes off to the next event and repeats. Now, I am all for charity. But, sometimes I do wonder what happened to the many who participate who do so with humility, privately, anonymously for years. Not to be “Trump” lite – all this says is they enjoy nightlife, I’d surely never confuse it with leadership. I guess it is a generational difference; folks need to be praised and feel special because they got out of bed. Now, far be it from the Goose to be “a cameo blocker.” I believe in the power of “stardom.” After all, in the day, even the Goose was a “B grade actress with an old movie house.” All of my friends and pundits, often the same, know the Goose shares her cameos. The whole thing, of course, would collapse in a heap – if folks call for figures, budgets, financial reports and board meetings into question. Therein lies the problem, no one calls the question – and if one dares, the
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The Trouble with Paradiseby Michael Chanak on September 2, 2015 in Politics
Let M. Goose plead guilty on the front end of having a particularly cynical point of view. As folks will tell you,I love people but I can be “poison.” I think “poison” in this context generally means I will speak my mindopenly and directly. I also know that look of STFU. I offer this as a matter of self-disclosure. Some would tellyou I have a passion about things, a more genteel description. Either way, you have been “alerted.”
I have rambled on before about the world of queerdom we find ourselves in. Instant FB celebrity with theattendant “awe, awe” comments and the “repetitive likes” from admirers, or people who wish to believeothers care about them. Wink! In a moment of clarity, I said “if saying it made it so, then we would be livingin paradise.” In common terms, “talk is cheap.” Indeed, even the grand and noble Goose is guilty of thecrime of self-promotion posing with elites with big “pride checks” for the cause. For the unaware, we callsuch photo ops “cameos.” It is very similar to photobombing. Even we old timers realize that is how thegame is played; now, if you are in pictures, whether your role is important or not, the mere appearance givesthe illusion of gravitas.
You know exactly what I mean. For instance, ever notice that the same group of folks that attends this eventor that event, bartends, posts some relevant photos and figures for charity, then rushes off to the next eventand repeats. Now, I am all for charity. But, sometimes I do wonder what happened to the many whoparticipate who do so with humility, privately, anonymously for years. Not to be “Trump” lite – all this saysis they enjoy nightlife, I’d surely never confuse it with leadership.
I guess it is a generational difference; folks need to be praised and feel special because they got out of bed.Now, far be it from the Goose to be “a cameo blocker.” I believe in the power of “stardom.” After all, in theday, even the Goose was a “B grade actress with an old movie house.” All of my friends and pundits, oftenthe same, know the Goose shares her cameos.
The whole thing, of course, would collapse in a heap – if folks call for figures, budgets, financial reports andboard meetings into question. Therein lies the problem, no one calls the question – and if one dares, the
9/2/2015 The Trouble with Paradise - The Gay Word
http://thegayword.com/the-trouble-with-paradise/#.VedppPlVhBc 2/5
STFU look, followed by the inevitable whispers about “being a bitch.” I know something of it havingexperienced it. You will hear no regrets from the Goose. But if there was some “leadership” maybe lesstime would be spent on shunning and the whispering campaign, and more on directly answering fairquestions?
If I could name one of my all-time gripes about how we do business as a community is how we don’t dobusiness. People demand we support the latest worthy cause of face ostracism. The very first thing when Ire-evaluate any group/event is – when do they meet, where do they meet, are their open board meetings, istheir membership, do they publish their finances. Um, where is that 990? How can the same person, run fourmajor groups and do a good job? Yes, I am one of those.
Ironic also, it seems in the old days before “the e-world” that we have monthly coalition meetings. All open,all sometimes rough, but always enlightening. They served a purpose. Somehow modern communicationskips this step. We just go from idea, talk to your “personal group of friends” post on FB. Boom. Done.Guess what?
The whole open discussion piece, however inconvenient is skipped. Then folks will blame the community orthe full moon when their schemes don’t fly. Or whine, if someone dares call it out publicly.
Before Worley Rodehaver, the former editor of the GLBTQ News of Cincinnati passed away July of 2014,he counted 550 groups in greater Cincinnati that claimed to be helping or serving us somehow. He reallywas onto something, although I think he was ignored. His point as I read it was – where is all this help?Exactly.
I am thankful that in spite of much criticism many old timers often say to me how they enjoyed me takingdown the power brokers, questioning and all folks out. Now, I don’t do it so much. Partially, in spite of onlysmall successes, I continue to believe it is better to work with than making everyone an enemy. I also hopethat sometimes if a person advocates for openness and demonstrates in their conduct it has a value. Besides,I don’t ever believe in isolating myself or anyone from participating. If you do, it becomes too easy for othersto say “who are they, and what have they done lately?”
Recently, a person who was well placed in our communities ran into a bit of a problem which resulted inpeople questioning their integrity and “where the money went.” Fair questions, I would think. But, when Isaw some of the people who lodged these complaints, I quickly asked them – when does your group meet,when are the board meetings, what are your finances? Would you be surprised by the silence that followed?
I doubt it. Yes, I know that being open to all of these things, heck even disagreement isn’t always easy, super-efficient, or comfortable even for those who have some acid burns. But, this is “our communities.” I hearthat a lot – especially when people say “my community.” Isn’t that the trouble in our Paradise?
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