Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Open Forum
Would it have worked? Merged with "Would a SWEET LIFE ever have been possible?"
JT:
--- Quote from: dly64 on October 03, 2006, 08:06:24 pm ---I know we are going seriously OT here, but I had to put in my two cents (for what it's worth ... ;)).
I have friends who are minorities and who are gay. I am neither, so I can only relay what my friends have said to me. Being an African American is not easy, especially depending on where you live. There is still a lot of hatred. One of my friends refuses to drive to certain areas in southern Indiana because it is a hot bed of racial hatred. You are right, being gay is not visible. Depending on where you are, however, there are advantages to that. African Americans cannot hide their skin color. I also have a friend who is Vietnamese. She does not experience the same type of hatred that my African American friends or my Hispanic friends do. And being Caucasian, I forget how uncomfortable it must be at times when one of my friends is the only minority in the room!
There is an incredibly provocative song called “Strange Fruit” sung by Billie Holiday. Here are the lyrics:
Written By: Lewis Allen
Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.
Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.
Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.
The song is about lynching in America. I am attaching some links about this song and you can hear a clip or download it. It is one of the most haunting songs you will ever hear. Yes, the song was written before the Civil Rights movement. Sadly, it still pertains today. I encourage you to listen to it and read about it. Here are two links:
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/strangefruit/film.html
http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2000/05/20000526_b_main.asp
I bring this up because it is important not to differentiate between what is worse in American …. prejudice based on race or sexual orientation. Hatred is hatred, period. Depending on where you are, it is dangerous to be a Jew, an African American, a Hispanic, a Muslim, or a Gay American. The reality is that we have a long way to go.
Okay … I’ll get off of my soapbox. Thanks for indulging me. I will now shut up! ;)
--- End quote ---
That's a very sad song, Diane. It can be about anyone who has been beaten to death. I keep seeing the image of Jack when I read those lines. Yes, hate is hate no matter who its from and who it directs to. We all suffer.
Now could we all get back to the topic?
Bucky:
I live in a rural area and everyone knows everyone else. If I lived in a city I would more likely have the courage to come out. Right now though my life is generally peaceful and I don't have the burden of dealing with a relationship as I have been "burned" badly in the past. I am not so much afraid of getting burned right now as I just like the peace that I am having. However when you are 43 years old it is almost a safe bet that there will be a future relationship.
I just got over being burned a long time ago in a healing process since I saw Brokeback Mountain. I got in touch with the one who hurt me emotionally twenty two years ago. It was nice to catch up on his life and when he wanted to rekindle our relationship I said no. I put a lot of thought into it and feel that I made the right decision and for the right reasons. This time there is no bitterness like there was the first time. I suppose that there might be a right person for me out there somewhere but I am not looking for it right now. I just have a certain comfort that I am not having to deal with anyone but myself right now. Maybe when I feel completely right about myself I will be ready for another relationship but right now that is not my first priority.
JT:
--- Quote from: Bucky on October 16, 2006, 05:51:29 am ---I live in a rural area and everyone knows everyone else. If I lived in a city I would more likely have the courage to come out. Right now though my life is generally peaceful and I don't have the burden of dealing with a relationship as I have been "burned" badly in the past. I am not so much afraid of getting burned right now as I just like the peace that I am having. However when you are 43 years old it is almost a safe bet that there will be a future relationship.
I just got over being burned a long time ago in a healing process since I saw Brokeback Mountain. I got in touch with the one who hurt me emotionally twenty two years ago. It was nice to catch up on his life and when he wanted to rekindle our relationship I said no. I put a lot of thought into it and feel that I made the right decision and for the right reasons. This time there is no bitterness like there was the first time. I suppose that there might be a right person for me out there somewhere but I am not looking for it right now. I just have a certain comfort that I am not having to deal with anyone but myself right now. Maybe when I feel completely right about myself I will be ready for another relationship but right now that is not my first priority.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, how comfortable a person is depends one where he or she lives also. I do belief that everyone can have that sweet life. It all depend on how much we want it, how comfortable we feel about it, and our personal meaning of what that sweet life is. I'm glad you're holding strong Bucky. Brokeback seems to hurt us but yet heal us also. It did for me.
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