Monday, September 23, 2013

Lynching Then, Anti-LGBT Violence Now, Know-Your-Place Aggression Always


A month after Living with Lynching was published, I gave a lecture at a community center and was asked a question that stayed with me and demanded a thorough response. Almost two years later, that response now appears in Callaloo as a 30-page article titled "Love in Action: Noting Similarities between Lynching Then and Anti-LGBT Violence Now." Of course, I wrote keenly aware of the tensions that can arise with such comparisons, and I think I did justice to the issues. Further, I think we can all benefit from grappling with these realities. If you get a chance to read it and tell me what you think—good or bad—I would appreciate it. And, if you find any value in it, I hope you'll share widely. 

One of the most striking similarities is know-your-place aggression, most directly discussed on pages 700 - 702 of the article.

The full-text essay can be downloaded from here: 
"Love in Action: Noting Similarities between Lynching Then and Anti-LGBT Violence Now"