One of my favorite films is Small Town Gay Bar, a 2006 documentary about two gay bars in the rural Deep South. When I first watched the film a decade ago, it resonated with me in a powerful way. I’m not from the South, but the topics explored by the film—closetedness, the risk of coming out, the danger of homophobic violence, the need for a safe space in a hostile environment—are relevant to most LGBT people, particularly those from small towns. As a closeted gay person fearing the repercussions and risks of living openly, my little town in rural northwestern Pennsylvania didn’t feel all that different from Meridian, Mississippi. Except where I’m from there were no safe places, save for a few in the nearest “big cities.”
Ten years have come and gone, and I’m a much different person today. I left my small town and moved to Houston, where I often take safety for granted (not that there aren’t plenty of risks here, don’t get me wrong). Instead of one safe haven miles away, there are seemingly countless. I still sometimes think about where I’m from and how difficult it was—and I can’t imagine that much has changed for LGBT folks there, even by 2017.
So I was shocked and saddened to read that one of the very few gay bars near my hometown went up in flames this week. Sneakers is an old gay bar in Jamestown, New York, about 15 miles north of where I’m from. As far as I know, it’s the only gay bar in the area except for the couple of bars in Erie (over an hour away). Arson is suspected, which immediately set off the alarm bells in my head, what with Pepe and his minions in the White House.
Reports on social media say the Jamestown Fire Department was called to the establishment around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, July 13. The extent of damage was reported to be confined to the lower area of the building where the bar is located, and not the apartments upstairs.
[…]
WRFA has reached out to the Jamestown Police Department to get a confirmation on whether or not the cause of the fire has officially been ruled as intentional and, if so, whether it would qualify as a possible hate crime because of the bar being a long-time local LGBTQ establishment.
In response, Jamestown Police Lt. Fred DeGolier said, “We are investigating this incident as a suspicious fire in culmination with a burglary. At this time there is no indicators of hate crime activity.”
Mary Green, the owner of Sneakers, made a Facebook post the morning of the fire:
Sneakers will be closed indefinitely due to someone breaking in and setting us on fire. Thanks to the Jamestown Fire Dept the damage was pretty much contained to the downstairs but cleanup will be quite extensive. This fire was deliberately set and came very close to killing all of us that live here.
It seems that many locals, understandably, started to think there might have been a hate-based motivation for the fire. The incident spurred a petition demanding a full and proper investigation of the fire, with several comments going in the hate crime direction.
Please join this petition in a act of solidarity for the LGBTQ+ community in Jamestown, NY, and in demand for a proper investigation of this crime. A safe place is needed. Now is the time for you to exercise your power as an ally.
For her part, Green responded on Facebook to the outcry with the following:
I would like to set the record straight about what is happening. First of all the Jamestown Fire Dept has been investigating from the beginning. They have also been more than supportive to me & my tenants. They have helped me out in other instances when I have flooded and have always been very kind and supportive. JPD was also on scene and did thorough investigation. They are now putting this knowledge together and are working to find who did this. I have never stated I thought it was a hate crime. I stated it is more likely to be someone who knows me/Sneakers because of their knowledge in gaining entry. Thank you to everyone for their prayers and support. We're going to get this joint cleaned up and back open ASAP.
Hate crime or not (I’m not jumping to that conclusion), I’m deeply saddened for the LGBT locals who have lost one of their precious few safe places for at least the near future. And I’m reminded again of how much I now take for granted—and how far we still have to go.
On to the tops...
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Top Comments (July 13, 2017):
From MBBrit:
Excellent summing up of the dynamics of Dems, Libertarians and Republicans by Krotor. I particularly liked:
With Libertarians, you just need one: give him a few minutes and he’ll accuse himself of illegitimate use of force because one part of him wants to grab a chair and sit down and the other part wants to make him pay to use the chair.
Comment of the week please!
From MikeTheLiberal:
I am nominating Noodles’ comment in WB Reeves’ diary Is Bernie Sanders the Democrats’ front-runner for 2020? Nate Silver Says “Yes.” The comment is much more of a reflection not on Sanders, but on what he perceives as the real goal of the Democratic Party.
From greenbird:
Celebrate! And this whole thread (started by Fordmandalay) is great.
From Canadian Reader:
Bluestategreen flagged this comment by journeyman as a top comment. Well, I heartily concur. This one deserves recognition!
Top Mojo (July 12, 2017):
Top Mojo is courtesy of mik! Click here for more on how Top Mojo works.
Top Pictures (July 12, 2017):
Tonight’s photo quilt is courtesy of jotter!