Ran into some hatred yesterday. A small group of older-than-dirts and a couple of trying-way-too-hard-to-deny-their-manscaping boys. They were working very, very hard to angrily denounce theater. It escalated up to the point where they started using death threats.
That kind of time.
That’s about all the attention those idiots get. They are the set dressing to what I’m here to talk about.
Heroes
The library staff who worked to get that production in and supported it, because they knew it would lead to a room full of happy patrons. They endured harassment both written and visceral. But most of all they had to endure the sheer boredom of someone wailing again and again and again how much it offended them.
Yeah. If it offends you, don’t go. The room was filled with folks who wanted to be there and laughed and enjoyed the whole show.
The performer who came in and gave a whole-hearted performance, in costume, to an excited crowd. And who didn’t drop a beat when a couple of testosterone-poisoned youth tried to upset everyone (they failed).
The staff and councilmember of the 3rd District, who supported. And also attended and lauded the library staff and a popular program. In addition, the officers who covered the event, especially the female officer who made sure folks of ill intent were ejected as quickly and covertly as she could.
The two youth who deliberately disrupted a person at the end who was deliberately trying to intimidate mothers holding babies. They held that line, even when that same ass tried to intimidate them.
And last but not least to that wonderful black patron, tall and proud. Who, outside the event, faced down the angry small crowd and, with a broad grin, let them know–in the face of literal death threats–that they didn’t own this space. That their way was narrow and stupid and going away.
For the geeks out there, that man embodied Garnet.
The rest of us walked out after the performance heads, heads held high, singing out this message to the haters. “I am made oh-oh-oh-oh-of
Lo-oh-oh-oh-ove, oh-oh-oh-oh-ove Lo-oh-oh-oh-ove, lo-oh-oh-oh-ove, lo-oh-oh-oh-ove”
And it’s stronger than you.