Violence in The Castro
Ezekiel Krahlin
political, and activist newsgroups. But my friends get to see it first:
---begin letter:
October 12, 2002
Dear Editor,
The Castro has suffered a recent spate of violent deaths in a short period, all directly linked to homeless people (or "drifters") who are also quite
homophobic (though some hide it well). Oh, about a month ago, a gay cop died in the line of duty (and another severely brain damaged) in pursuit of a
violent convict attempting to find sanctuary here in the Castro. His name is "Monty", and he had just left his girlfriend beaten within an inch of her life,
one eye gouged out. Prior to this incident, Monty had been a long-term vagrant of the Castro, intimidating other decent folks (both houseless and
housed) throughout our valley. (Fortunately, he was apprehended in the chase...but what a horrid price to pay for such worthless trash: two brave
young police attempting to protect our gay community from this monster, paid the ultimate price. My heart goes out to them, and all their comrades in
blue.)
And a few weeks ago, a long-term (and friendly) regular at the popular neighborhood bar, The Pendulum, was brutally murdered by another who
frequented that place, and had built up a circle of trust among local residents. (Let me say this about the Pendulum: it's a great place with very friendly
and community-supportive, culturally diverse bartenders. And for the most part, a great crowd hangs there throughout the day. I invite everyone to
show their support by spending some time, and money, there. The good folks of the Pendulum certainly deserve a boost of positive support, after that
shocking murder of a favorite customer. But do I hear them whining? No way; they're such great soldiers!)
And, less than a week ago, a crazed street person screaming "faggot" and wielding two butcher knives in and around the Baghdad Cafe, was shot
just as he lunged at an armed officer of the law.
And I also see that these deaths are the likely outcome of years of our neighborhood having to put up with violent ex-cons and drug-crazed bullies
lurking our streets at all times of the day and night. (In my examples above: one's African American, one's Caucasian, and another's Arab American
perhaps...so race has little, if anything, to do with it.) For the above incidents are examples of the most dangerous among the street denizen, in the
Castro. As those who live and frequent this area know too well: these streets are overrun with a whole crowd of very nasty, homophobic thugs and
their cohorts. And I know who they are. I even know a few who are 100% homosexual, yet in public act out as if they're totally straight--strutting
around with bowed legs to prove this to the world--in order to defend themselves from possible attacks from other bullies of their peer. They don't want
their "secret" known; no, not even here in the Castro, the heart of the heart of Gay Mecca.
There are some decent street folk, and I know them too...and they suffer constantly from threats by these thugs...and are driven out, or live in fearful
truce. Also terrorized by these criminals, are our own gay houseless, who must acquiesce to these hetero-supremacist bullies; often going back into
the closet to minimize the odds of being bashed. Imagine that: in our own gay areas, the gay homeless are still in danger of bashing, because the
streets themselves are very homophobic. (And what's to stop hetero street trash from claiming they're "bisexual", in order to take up what few beds
we can provide to our own sexual-minority houseless? Nothing, because the law is biased against homosexual equality.)
I speak with familiarity on the homeless and gay issues, because I've been an activist in our community since 1973: for sexual minorities, including
those who are without any roof over their heads. And, I was homeless myself, for a time (1973-1974). My history as an activist is laid out for the world
to see, via my writing and art, at: www.gay-bible.org . The queer papers know me well, as I have been sending letters to the editor since 1985, under
my birth name of Gene Catalano...and in the last few years under my new name (legally changed): Zeke Krahlin. (Proof of name change can easily
found on my web site.)
My intent was to reach out to as many of my gay sisters and brothers on the Castro streets, to advocate for them. But so many heteros (most clueless
about gay rights, some hostile) among our local street people have made it impossible for me to freely seek out these gays, as they remain in fear of
being bashed, even in Gay Mecca. And it's quite true, sad to say. I know of one gay homeless man who got on welfare, and had to share a cruddy
hotel room with a guy who turned out to be very homophobic, and beat him up. The social services ignored his plea for help, so he dropped out of this
program, and is now back on the streets. Streets which are every bit as anti-gay as a welfare hotel rife with homophobic vermin.
I never thought things would come to this, being an advocate for the homeless and all...but: our streets are truly dangerous for gay folk these days,
due to thugs overrunning our sidewalks and parks. But this is not a homeless issue; it is a street issue, a behavior issue. For some of these thugs do
have homes; and some housed (often affluent) gays do sell, buy and partake hard drugs with some homeless. The situation is so tragic at this point in
time, that our community is under siege by bratty monsters strutting our neighborhood like they own it (because godammit, they're STRAIGHT hence
SUPERIOR to the damn faggots around here). So even though I have houseless friends, I MUST stand with those good people who are FED UP
WITH THIS HOMOPHOBIC CRAP terrorizing us in our own neighborhood...and join them in flushing any and all street thugs OUT of our once-safe
community.
I may be a homeless advocate, but I sure as hell am NOT a bullshit advocate...and that's what these thugs are: the dregs of humanity who, for the
"good fortune" of a corrupt legal system releasing them to the public prematurely (without warning or protection), have insinuated themselves into our
queer community. Why? Because that's where desperate thugs run to, when they are in serious trouble again. Like Monty who gouged out his
battered girlfriend's eye: "I'll hide out in the Castro, shack up with some rich fag, maybe bash him or some others, and rape a homeless girl or two while
I'm at it." You should know that the state prison system releases most prisoners to either Los Angeles, Sacramento, or San Francisco. And they ALL
know the Castro; much to my alarm (likewise, West Hollywood).
When a society ignores the homeless issue, this is what we finally wind up with: wonderful neighborhoods in all the major cities and towns overrun
with undesireables or unloved homeless vagrants. And many gravitate to gay communities, for the intrinsic homophobia of the legal system sees fit to
create holding cells for these outcasts, in gay neighborhoods. And this social disease that rages on, called "homophobia", infects MOST of the
homeless who find their way here...for that is the baggage they took with them, from their home town. It is their God-given DUTY to harass and beat
us, even when we offer them our food, clothes, money, and other hospitality. They are like perfect brainwashed puppets of the Religious Reich, sent
to create mayhem and dissent within gay communities, in order to sabotage their progress. Talk about cheap, expendable warriors!
I blame the rise of our government's anti-gay "Religious Reich" into power, right up to the White House. They call the Taliban "faggots", thus
exacerbating the hatred against our gay citizens. They deem us unworthy of fighting for our nation, or of raising a family, or giving blood to our soldiers.
They whip up fear and disgust against us. And Pres. Clinton did us no big favor when he signed DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) in 1996; which as
good as proclaims that we gays are an imminent threat to American hetero-family values. This act empowered the Republican Reich to point their
finger at Clinton and say: "See, your own liberal President of the Democratic Party even agrees with us about you faggots," then point to gays as the
cause of all social ills...rising to such heights of absurdity as to blame us for 9/11. It is this rising pitch in anti-gay sentiment that is creating these ugly
street scenes and murders across our sorry nation...and even into the heart of our own sexual-minority neighborhoods. We have a dumbed-down
populace with an itch to bash gays. And that is why statistics show a rapid rise each year in anti-gay violence, since DOMA, and even more so, since
Dubya's usurpation of our ailing democracy.
But there ARE ways to convert these jar heads to our side of the war. Just as their home folk put the fear of God into them (with anti-gay attitude
being a BIG part of it), we can put the fear of the Lawn Mower Man in them, to get them to protect our neighborhood from other rough types. Granted,
it's preferable to do away with jar heads completely, but as long as we're stuck with their presence amid our community, we need to make them work
for us, to make our neighborhood safer. We can turn the jar heads AGAINST those more dangerous, cunning street thugs who keep the homophobic
flames burning in the streets.
We can also reach out to the smaller number of DECENT houseless--especially sexual minorities--to both protect them from these hostile vagrants, as
well as to assist us in forming an effective neighborhood watch. We CAN work with the good homeless--and I'll even participate in the selection--who
know very well, all the dangerous types that have trashed and terrorized our streets for much too long...and some of whom are pretty big guys
themselves. But I feel the situation of anti-gay thugs is so urgent, I'd have no qualms with helping to flush out ALL the homeless...if that's the only way
our community at large wants to do it.
In fact, I already have some of my street friends watching my back, because another bully has been harassing and stalking me for over two months
now. (Unfortunately, he is also gay...which goes to show that we can't assume someone is decent, just because s/he is queer.) He is a long-term
houseless vagrant in the Castro, who screams and bullies a lot of folks; name of "Dane". Unfortunately, I am more often a target of hate from the
streets, since I am part of the street counterculture myself, and very adamant about maintaining gay turf, and gay presence, in the streets of the
Castro. I am willing to take a risk on my own well-being, by posting this letter to gay papers and Internet newsgroups...for I know some of my street
enemies watch my every move, and know I am going for the jugular, this time around. (And I don't at present have another place to stay in the city,
until the dust settles in the Castro where I live. Guess I'll just have to grin and bear it...and carry my pepper spray and put on my steel-toes before
stepping out.)
I am not the only queer FED UP with constant harassment of nasty vagrants, and ineffectual legal action that could discourage these idiots from such
horrid behavior in the first place. We must develop a perfectly legal method that is also EFFECTIVE with or without the police, that uses peer pressure
and other low-key strategies to drive the dangerous ones away.
And I know we can do it, for the time is right, the need is urgent...and I've met more than enough outraged Castro denizens and visitors to realize we
won't lack in numbers or resources. We can approach the hostile ones as a group, and suggest they leave. We can volunteer to hang out in groups
at the hot spots in the neighborhood, where thugs tend to congregate...and make them feel quite unwelcome. And these are just two effective
strategies among others that can be applied. But whether the community likes my idea of seeking out the decent homeless to join this effort, remains
to be seen. Either way, I am now totally devoted to inspiring an overwhelming desire by these heterocentric thugs to leave the vicinity of our queer
community ASAP.
I am gay; I was homeless; my soul mate was a cop. So I have a heart for all these groups. But in this matter of street thugs, I must side with those who
are sick of what they define as "the homeless". The threat of anti-queer violence is just way too out of hand, for us to afford much compassion for
houseless people in our long-suffering neighborhood. Daily, I see crazed fools "acting out" in violent gestures, often with clubs, sticks, or some other
wieldy weapon...up and down Market Street, or 17th, or Castro, or 18th. And you tell me that the police can't do anything about this? Can't take away
their weapons? Can't be arrested in order to discourage such unruly behavior? (Is there perhaps a wish among some in City Hall, to let the street thugs
harass the faggot neighborhoods? Because I don't see our straight 'hoods having much trouble keeping the bottom dwellers away!)
The hypocrisy of "Gay Mecca" in pretending there isn't much homophobia still, in our local institutions of government, education, and medicine, is also
to blame. Gays can barely be safe in most areas of The City, without the risk of imminent violence on their persons...and thus do NOT walk hand-in-
hand or kiss, in most of "Gay Mecca". A few years ago, a gay couple were shot--one, to death--just for holding hands walking down Haight Street.
"Da Mayor" played the homophobic card to help win his second term, by advertising in local newspapers a photo of men in drag (Sisters of Perpetual
Indulgence) with the proclamation "Do we really want these kinds of people running our city?" (or something in that same vein). And on August 16
1998, the Sunday Examiner/Chronicle printed a full-page anti-gay ad, page A-22 titled "Toward a new national discussion of homosexuality" (paid for
by a Christian church, to the tune of a handsome $30,000).
Now, we have anti-gay violence and murders all around the same time: the Castro, West Hollywood, Mayor of Paris, prime-ministerial candidate for the
Netherlands, etc. The trend is nationwide, and global; thus these eruptions mark but the beginning of an awful trend. A trend which, however, I
believe will inspire our gay family across the world, to rise up and fight back...and finally, gain our Desired Victory. I remember years ago (mid-70's), a
political cartoon in some gay newspapers that depicted a giant labeled "Gay Rights" beginning to wake up from a long slumber...breaking the cords
of anti-gay bigotry that have been holding him down. The caption went something like "The Sleeping Giant will someday awaken." Well, I have not
the slightest doubt that that "someday" has finally arrived.
I hang at the Pendulum most every day, ready to serve as a community ear and coordinator in matters of our right to live in reasonable peace and
safety...not just in our own 'hood, but in this country which is supposed to protect legitimate minorities from the tyranny of majority coercion. I intend to
see that it does; down to my last breath, if need be.
One final thought. Perhaps the latest crimes are a warning to thugs: Act out in violent suggestive manners, or scream "faggot" in our 'hood, and
maybe someone will just up and shoot you in the head, like a cop did on Monday night October 8th in front of Baghdad Cafe. That officer has all the
positive support I can muster, to protect his career and hopefully win him an award and a beefy raise.
Sincerely,
Zeke Krahlin
---
Lavender-Velvet Revolution
http://www.gay-bible.org
---end of letter
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