June 15, 2016 THIS WEEK! The official guide to Gay Palm Springs for 21 years.

PRAY FOR ORLANDO The official
death toll was released by the city of
Orlando and has the names and ages of the
49 victims who were killed in a nightclub
shooting. Six of the more than 50 wounded
were listed in critical condition Tuesday
and five others were in guarded condition.
We know this because the gay movement
has been successful, not only in changing
laws, but wining allies in the hearts and
minds of many in this nation. While the
LGBT community continues to suffer the
slings and arrows of outrageous biblical
references, it is clear we have so many
more on our side, far more than those seek
to oppress us. I stand proud and happy
because, those that hate us, have clearly
also shown hate for others and that means
their end is near. Because Gay rights are
human rights, as our first woman democratic
nominee has stated internationally,
everyone can understand the comparison.
A new dawn has landed, a new nation is
beginning to see a new reality that is inclusive
and differentiated in a positive way.
You still have to look for it, but it’s there
and it is growing. The notion all gays are
bad, is not any different than all Muslims
are bad, all people of color are criminal.
Consider the notion that gays “pop out” of
all people, white, black, rich or poor, we are
unique in the hate-ism category and the
word gay-ism seems more like a sexy thing.
We are also the shape shifters of that world,
for the most part we can blend straight and
mask our identity to our genders. When we
came out, it was a bigot-al game changer,
replaced only by social networking biggest
function. The Facebook status! “I feel so
happy to be Gay today” followed quickly by
Facebooks worst function the “reply” button.
“Happy? Because I hate you
#Iamtellingeveryone”.
Clearly, Facebook showed what we have
been telling everyone forever! That they
hate us. When no one is looking they call
us fag, disgusting. And BTW it’s not just
us, they do it to YOU too when you’re not
looking, because of your color, your economic
statues, race anything. But they also
bashed us, tied us to a fence and left to die
alone, they make laws to hurt us, they walk
to a bar and shoot us. Remember, gays
pop out of racist and bigots too and worse
homophobes, they carry those notions into
adulthood and they become conflicted,
angry and quite often lost. Sometimes they
become radicalized and then do something
crazy.
When our leaders talk about mental health,
I say, get on that bus, now! Because we are
one crazy lot of people. If we really look
at it are going to need a bigger looney
bin. This world is so crazy it often takes
a level 9 crazy episode before someone
suggests “you need help.” I am not sure
but bomb building and weapon stockpiling
are signs too. Signs for others,
because you have already snapped! The
truth is the troubled person is the least
likely person to determine mental health,
as the homeless person to help them-
Continued on page 45
32 Your weekly LGBT Gay Desert Guide. View our Free Digital Version on-line.