AS A MATTER OF EQUALITY

On Sunday, the Razorback football team lost an amazing player, Garret Uekman.  Within hours people had posted pictures, quotes, and ribbons memorializing this outstanding athlete.  People from across the State of Arkansas and even from outside of the state were quickly establishing a memorial.  Monday night there was a vigil held for him that was attended by hundreds of people from the University of Arkansas campus.  It included students, staff, faculty, and administrators. While his family and close friends mourn the loss of such a young life it made me ask, “Where was the ribbon for Cassidy Vickers?”  Hardly anyone from the Community could answer that because almost all of them didn’t have a clue who she was.  Now before I go into this article it is not about sports nor is it about the loss of an athlete who sportscasters said could have made it to the NFL.  This is about a Community, our gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender Community and the absence of our collective mourning.

On Monday night, hundreds of people gathered together for the loss Garret.  On Sunday, 21 people from around NWA gathered together at the NWA Center for Equality to mourn the loss of 23 people who were murdered this year.  These 23 innocent human beings were transgendered.  One of these victims was Marcal Tye, of Forrest City, who was shot and then dragged behind a car.  This happened March 8th of this year.  I remember the loss of this life.  I remember seeing the news stories.  What is another horrifying aspect about this past weekend?  Three days before Transgender Day of Remembrance, which was yesterday, the 20th, in Hollywood, Cassidy Vickers was shot and killed.   Not one post did I see from anyone of the Community speak out against the loss of this life.  Her memory was memorialized at the Transgender Remembrance for which we lit a candle in honor of her.  To one individual who stated to me, “Why mourn those who dress like that to piss people off?”  I was speechless.  Yet, this is somewhat close, not really though, of what I’m trying to address.

It is also the wider Community that seems to not acknowledge the atrocities that befall our brothers and sisters.  A recent example is the unbelievable act of pure hatred that lead 3 men to nearly kill Burke Burnett in Texas.  It was a miracle that he survived.  Luckily his friends jumped in to stop the gay bashing and rushed him to the hospital.  Even though he did not die, he came close.  It was not because he was being obscene.  It was not because of him mouthing off to anyone.  It was not because he wanted to fight.  It *was* because he was one of us, gay.   People read the details of the attack and might have posted it on their Facebook wall or Tweeted it but that was it.

When I got home from work Monday afternoon I was browsing the latest Community news.  I was relieved to finally see that Lawrence King‘s killer has finally been handed a sentence of 21 years in prison.  Though I was happy to see this news, I was saddened that I came across it from CNN.  Where are those people whom I know that speak of equality, that seek to be able to live their lives with the full rights as citizens of this Nation, that “talk” about how they love who they are; be it gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer yet fall silent when darkness falls upon us?

Almost all of my “friends” on Facebook do not speak out against the hatred that is captured by the news that talks about the violence which is done to our Community.  Hardly anyone demands that we speak out against such ignorant violence that befalls us.  We are great to rejoice the amazing strides that are being done for full equality.  We fail when we ignore the tragic loss of life from our Community.

What mentality is it that allows some people to not take an interest, or better yet take a stand, when such horrendous acts of extremism are done to the Community?  Does the Community think, “That happened in that city, not ours” or “This could never happen to me” or finally, “Bad things happen and there’s no point in speaking out against it.”  Now let me tell you, these are not things that I assume people conjure up when such atrocities happen, these are quotes from people I’ve heard say.  These are individuals from the Community right here in Northwest Arkansas.

In a recent book I just finished reading,  Night, by Elie Wiesel, he talks about his experience before first being sent into the ghetto and then into concentration camps.  He talks about the rumors that people were circulating about what really happened at the concentration  death camps and how the community he lived in didn’t believe them.  They were so “out there” that no one could believe such inhumane acts could be done to an entire group of people.  It wasn’t until they saw what was happening that the “unbelievable” became a reality.  Today, there is Yad Vashem, “A place and a name,” in Israel where the memories of the lives taken will be remembered forever.

Is that what it will take for the Community to wake up and realize what is happening around us?  Is that what it will take for the Community to finally rally together and say, “No more! We will remember!”  But who knows.  All I know is that a  hundred of my friends, gay and ally, dedicated their Facebooks and Tweets to one individual but not one dedicated a picture, a quote, or a ribbon to Cassidy Vickers.

“Those who kept silent yesterday will remain silent tomorrow.” — Elie Wiesel

With Pride & Equality,

-Jason Rogers

The opinions expressed by the Contributor and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the NWA Center for Equality, its Members, or any employee thereof. The NWA Center for Equality is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by the Contributor.