This is my first diary. I am white and i am gay. My boyfriend Thomas died in 1993 of Hiv Aids.. He was the most beautiful man you could ever imagine.. I think of him often when i see images of the president. they both have the same beautiful smile.. tall..sexy...and kind. Thomas would have been blown away that a black man was president, a man that looked like him... Back then we couldn't even imagine it.. Thomas taught me a lot about racism... things i would never ever even think about.. like can you imagine how strange it would be to go to a club or bar where he was the only black man? i began to see some of the hidden racism.. ( and no i am not saying that i can fully understand what it was that he experienced... i would forever be on the outside of that experience) . i remember one time we were going to a dance club.. i am was several years younger than thomas, so i was surprised to NOT be ID'd. but they asked thomas for his and when he showed his ID .. they said that they needed to see TWO picture ID's... they wouldn't let him in... This was at a club in los angeles... in the 1980's... i wrote this in Robinswing's diary. (please read her Diary. i agree with everything shes says and it is exactly as i see it too. i am not alone.)
the main reason why i went from a lurker to actually setting up an account was from the way the picture diaries from black water dog were being trolled and belittled... at a democratic site the clique that you allude too would provoke supporters of the president.. and particularly black supporters.. my whole take was why cant obama critics leave those picture diaries alone.. couldnt they see how politically powerful it was as DEMS to show positive strong pictures of our first AA president and family to combat decades of images of showing black men as thugs or weak.. and then these same people started with the meme of Caver in chief.. weak ... ball less.. etc... and could not see the racism of those words....
One thing i learned from Thomas was to listen to him. to really hear what he had to say when he was talking about issues about race. if a majority of black users here are saying that there is a problem then there is a problem... another thing i learned from Thomas is that there is NO SUCH thing as reverse racism.. I will be joinning the boycott at midnight tonight. i will be gone for a week. i wish i was more articulate. i have a lot to say.... thanks for listening.. and thank you Thomas Chamberlain for being the beautiful kind man and taking care of me. i want to say this for you.. YES WE CAN! and i still believe in hope. with love, mark (Hardart)
4:58 PM PT: here is a link to Robinswing's diary http://www.dailykos.com/...