I’m unable to post the video on Instant Tea right now because the embed code has been disabled, but here’s a link to footage of the above-titled remarks by J.D. Anderson during Queer Liberaction’s Milk Box community forum last weekend on Cedar Springs.
“Attention alcoholics, functional or otherwise,” Anderson begins. “I have a confession: I like vodka. I love beer. I like pretty much any alcohol except for spiced rum. But I have a problem that doesn’t go away no matter how many drinks I have, and it’s the fact that my boss can fire me just for being gay, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Do you know how many drinks you can buy if you don’t have a job and no trust fund in my case? None. It sucks. The beauty of it is that alcoholism and activism do not have to be mutually exclusive. Let me share some of my secrets …”
LOL…John thanx for posting this. As a functioning drunk, I totally agree with DJ and hopes other functioning drunks show up for the next Milk Box and have your say.
JOIN QL AT THE MILK BOX THIS SUNDAY
June 7th, 6-8pm, at the Southeast corner of West Village on McKinney, between Lemmon East & City Place West.
Ambassadors and leaders from the Queer community will for the first time be setting up Queer Liberaction’s Milk box outside of the gayborhood as a way spread the love and engage the public in a discussion on GLBT equality. Named in honor of Harvey Milk, our public free speech event is a fun and engaging way which encourages dialog regarding homophobia and the civil rights denied to GLBT people. Join Queer Liberaction as we stand up and speak OUT to our neighbors about how discrimination affects us all.
http://www.queerliberaction.org
Thanks John! Awesome speakers last time! This Sunday should be really interesting and a lot of fun as it will be our fisrt time to set up the Milk box outside of the gayborhood.
Nice speech DJ!
Is this supposed to be funny? Is this the kind of rhetoric that we’re supposed to unite behind? Should it inspire pride? I think it’s sad.
Bob, I would love for you to come out to the next milk box event. You obviously are the voice we have been missing in our struggle for equality… seriously, knowing the guy in this video, there is no one more committed to the LGBT cause! What he said was cute, funny and looking at the number of alcoholics in our community VERY relevant. Until I see you being brave enough to speak out, and not just from behind a computer screen.. then I invite you to kindly shut it.
This is my favorite thing in the world. I love DJ! This video is so dead on.
Yes, it iactually is pretty funny. If your taking this seriously then your just looking for a way to crticize indiivduals that are trying to make a diffrence. DJ’s intention was to try and challenge the indivduals at Jr’s to come out and speak on the Milk Box. Most people in our community are no acticely partiicapating in organizations and fighting for our equality. People rather accept the conservative nature of Dallas then to do anyhting about it. DJ was trying to make a joke about the the lack of GLBT indivduals that patricpate in our fight for equality.
Bob,
Maybe you should come check out one of the Milk Boxes… There is a verity of speakers from all different back grounds, ethnicity and sexual orientations. I’m sure there is someone there that can speak to you that you can unite behind. Unity is all inclusive, funny or not.
If D.J.’s speech doesn’t inspire pride, perhaps another persons speech would… I encourage you to join Queer LiberAction at the milk box and bring your voice to inspire people and invite them to feel what its like to be prideful – in whatever way you believe pride should be felt.
=)
God, take a freakin chill pill, Bob! This is an open forum. People are free to talk about whatever they feel in their heart and mind (whether the audience agrees or not). It is encouraging our community to SPEAK UP! DJ’s rant was targeted towards a specific group, bar patrons. So, if you have a problem with this video or any other issues, please feel free to join us at our next Milk Box and say what you feel.
Kudos to those that stood up and spoke. It takes a lot of courage to stand up and speak your mind about such hot button topics, especially given the amount of venom that comes from our own community. I think it’s sad…
Bob, a quick semantic note: one unites WITH rather than BEHIND. If we want equality and all those high ideals we talk about then we can’t wait for someone else to take the lead. It takes all of us acting together to achieve our common goals. Are you waiting for someone to hide behind?
I must say I agree with you. It is sad. It is sad that the only places we can feel respected are in the bars which serve us. It is sad that the only recourse we have against discrimination both external and, more importantly, internalized is in drink. It’s sad that the speaker clearly struggles with this too, though he makes light of it. What’s more sad is that our internalized homophobia causes us to see those standing for our rights as a ‘them’ completely removed as a group from the ‘us’ who watch from the safety of the bars. Yes, I agree, it’s sad. Why would anyone be proud of that?
I’m glad you spoke out to voice your opinion, even if it is to rebuke the speaker. I think it’s great that you didn’t wait for someone else to voice criticism before you united behind it. I think that’s something we need more of in our community.
If you look at the video objectively, you might realize that the speaker is addressing the crowd on the balcony at the bar acoss the street. From his appearance and delivery, it is quite obvious that he is not a falling-down drunk and never has been. He is speaking to his audience, as any good speaker will do. Historically (and I am old enough to have seen it), activisim began in the places where we socialized and among the people who patronized those places. Since we were not welcome in the churches or the Elks clubs in the old days, the places where we gathered, and still do, are the bars that welcome us. There is nothing sad about it, to say so is totally wrong. You must be “internalizing” your own problems.
Yo, Bob.. I don’t know what your problem is with my video… I posted it because its very important. He’s speaking on how its unfair that he can be fired from his job based on his orientation. Its directed towards others in our community who sit back and knock back drinks accepting the reality rather and make a move for change and in a very clever and entertaining manner stating that they don’t have to put down their beers to be active. That just their mere presence makes a statement that means something, and something is better than nothing.