Mall Rat

Michael and I are heading down to Washington in the afternoon for the big Stewart/Colbert Rally to Restore Sanity on Saturday. I can't say I'm really excited about going -- seeing old friend will be great, but I used up my enthusiasm for these type of big-crowd things when I was supposed to -- when I was young. But still, unlike the explicitly LGBT-focused National Equality March that took place last year, which I was completely incapable of mustering up the energy to go to, something deep inside is compelling me to be at this one.

With friends at NOW's March for Women's Lives, April 1989

I feel fortunate to have been able to attend two historic gatherings in our nation's capital -- NOW's March for Women's Lives in 1989, which took place in the shadow of Missouri's anti-abortion laws pending before the Supreme Court, and the Bush administration siding with anti-choice lunatics, explicitly urging reversal of Roe v. Wade, as well as the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1993 -- both of which were obviously more serious events than this one.

With my friend Paul at the March on Washington, April 25, 1993

But as the title indicates, we are living in an unprecedented era of insanity, and I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't stand up and be counted as someone who wants this "be-proud-that-you[re-ignorant," "make-up-shit-as-you-go-along-and-never-get-called-out-on-it" era to stop. Ironically, as much as I blog and tweet about how horrible things are becoming, my heart actually believes that good will surely win out over evil, and that equality will overcome the scare tactics and partisan hysteria, despite how frustrating the slowness of progress can be. But even so, it deeply disturbs me that we've allowed certain wingnuts to commandeer the national debate. So if standing up with these two smart men who have the balls to call these dispatriots out on their crap, I'll get in touch with my inner-youth for the afternoon and be there.