--------------------------------------------------------------
Permission granted by author for anyone to distribute this
writing free of charge (including translation into any
language)...under condition that no profit is made therefrom,
and that it remain intact and complete, including title and
credit to the original author.
Ezekiel J. Krahlin
http://www.gay-bible.org
--------------------------------------------------------------
REGARDING BADLANDS, THE PENDULUM, THE CASTRO, AND RACISM
(A True Tale From The Castro. Eat your heart out, Armistead!)
©2005 by Ezekiel J. Krahlin
To: The San Francisco Bay Area Reporter
Date: June 16, 2005
From: Zeke Krahlin
Subject: Regarding Badlands, The Pendulum, The Castro, And Racism
There is definitely a SERIOUS problem with racism by many of our
Caucasian brothers. I myself have WITNESSED a white leather daddy step
out of a bar in the Castro, and holler down the street with a booming
voice: "I'm sure GLAD I'm not a Nigger." (That was three months ago.)
The constant influx of queer refugees from the deep south and midwest
effectively GUARANTEES a continued problem with racism (as well as
internalized homophobia and misogyny).
He was a rather LARGE man, as was his companion (I think they were
"bears")...but that did not stop me from speaking out. I hollered
back:
"Aren't YOU a sorry soul! I'M glad I don't KNOW you."
As expected, he snarled and hurled cuss words at me.
(Who am I by the way? I'm a resident and gay activist of San Francisco
since 1973. I've WITNESSED a lot staying in the same place--Gay
Mecca--for so many years. I'm also a "Caucasian vegan who did NOT vote
for RayGun". I'm 54 years young.)
Considering the issue of racism at The Badlands Bar, I decided to
return to hanging out at the Pendulum, to support our ONLY real
African-American gay bar in all of Gay Mecca. However, I was
threatened with IMMINENT and BRUTAL violence by a new patron...right
in front of the bartender Barren, and just a few feet away from the
other bartender on shift, Muggereet (no apologies if I did not spell
either name correctly.)
When Barren did NOTHING but smile dumbly, I told him to kick him out.
He did NOT, and it was only after the threatening patron left, that I
felt safe enough to grab my jacket and LEAVE the Pendulum, never to
return. (Said dangerous patron is Caucasian, and a danger to all good
folks who care to hang out in the Castro. He is a hair trigger maniac,
who may be the next homophobic killer to find temporary REFUGE at the
Pendulum.)
There are at lease FIVE witnesses to this imminent threat on my
existence...who ALSO saw that the bartender did NOT kick out a
dangerous patron. Sad to say, I can NOT support the Pendulum as part
of my boycott against racism in the Castro. As I see it, BOTH bars
should be shut down...if ALL the long term employees at the Pendulum
are NOT fired and immediately replaced with true friends (not enemies)
of the black and queer community. At least THREE of the present
employees at the Pendulum are SABOTAGING real efforts to unite our
community, by participating in vicious back stabbing and manipulation
of the patrons. This also makes that bar a most DANGEROUS place for
anyone to hang out. (One could say as much for ANY of our bars, due to
the violent nature of many alcohol addicts...so let's just consider
the Pendulum and Badlands as textbook examples of what's so WRONG with
gay bars these days.)
Barren isn't the ONLY bartender there, who has either ALLOWED or
ENCOURAGED a seriously deranged person to threaten me with violence
and death...and done NOTHING about it. (Butty is another; Henry also;
and FrankyBoy who's no longer working there thank gawd ('cause he grew
CHUMMY with a patron who turned out to have MURDERED a regular patron,
and was selling illegal substances via his work place). This
effectively puts my life at great risk simply for hanging out in a gay
bar, and even in the Castro, which is MY neighborhood, too. To REFUSE
to protect a patron from violence--when such protection could swiftly
and easily be achieved--is to PARTICIPATE with WILLFUL INTENT to
commit serious bodily harm (even death) to another patron; simply
because he or she is NOT part of this or that Castro-clone clique!
There is also the matter of BULLYING and INTIMIDATION that goes on at
the Pendulum, by certain regulars against newer patrons. This does NOT
a welcoming atmosphere make! But in all fairness, I can't say that the
Pendulum has a problem with racism (in either direction). But the
problem they DO have is as EQUALLY abhorrent as racism...and for that
reason, does not bode well for that bar, regardless of the terrible
anti-black prejudice so prevalent in our Gay Mecca. The Pendulum is an
important landmark and symbol of LGBT black pride...and those who now
run it are taking advantage of that fact, in order to ply their OWN
selfish interests that continue to cause GREAT DAMAGE and HOSTILITY
within our long suffering community. (The new owner included, no
doubt. He knows where the cash registers ring!)
Along with racism and alcoholism, the problems are: elitism, misogyny,
internalized homophobia, and (probably the MOST terrible): hard drug
abuse. And they ALL need to be addressed and resolved NOW, if we ever
hope to beat down the beast of homophobia, and turn our community into
the shining vanguard of a New and Peaceful Epoch. It will happen.
Unfortunately, in order to GET from point A (anti-gay worldwide
terrorism and holocaust) to point Z (global queer liberation)...we
must not only declare war against a vast majority; we must also do
same for a significant SEGMENT of our own queer population. We can NO
LONGER afford such promoters of divisiveness and grief in our own
ranks. They are NOT allies; not even NEUTRAL powers. They are WILFUL
SABOTEURS who pretend a gay presence in order to PREVENT us from ever
uniting at all. MANY are actually bisexual, thus excellent fence
jumpers and back stabbers. They get to have their cocks sucked and
asses licked while ALSO stabbing our good gay brothers and sisters in
the back. What a pathetically SORDID bunch of dysfunctional goons!
We need NEW, non-alcoholic venues to form a cohesive network of true
liberators. It is through THAT option we will successfully dismantle
the demons of racism, addiction, etc....including the MOST evil one of
all: homophobia. Do it now, or perish. Just remember one thing above
all else:
Many are called, but few are chosen...so step right up for your
lederhosen!
Sinqueerly,
Zeke Krahlin
http://www.gay-bible.org
---finis
Badlands and the Pendulum are almost directly across the street from each other. They both stink, as do all gay bars.
Substance abuse (whether legal or not; for they have BOTH) and Gay Rights just don't mix.