Social Terrorism
In childhood, we are taught not to stare. Not to point. Not to laugh. But what of the new society? The one where social terrorists want our attention. They break the "rules" on purpose to garner our discomfort and revel in it. They challenge humanity by forcing us to act properly while they act as they wish. They are not crazy. Oh, you might think so by looking at them, but if you look in their eyes, they is well aware of what they're doing -- and they like it.
In contrast to social rules, there are things in life that are inherently funny. Just as we were taught not to point and stare, we were taught that men in dresses are humorous. It started with Tony Curtis in "Some Like it Hot", then Flip Wilson as Geraldine, Dana Carvey as the church lady, Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire. Face it, men in dresses make us laugh. Perhaps I'm a simple person, easily amused you might say, but my local, social terrorist is a six-foot-four inch, linebacker sized man who dons full makeup, dresses, size twelve heels and walks through Target, the health food store, Safeway -- feeding on our reactions.
Children act in fear. They cower at the sight of the bad wig that doesn't match the eyebrows. The great, big Frankenstein giant with the lipstick strewn around the mustache line and the pancake makeup slathered over the stubble. "Mommy?" They say, as they stare while clinging to your legs. How do I explain this? I have no idea why the guy is in a dress! (In the summer, he's in a denim mini.)
To each his own, I say. You want to wear a dress? Have at it. (He can have mine, I hate dresses!) But it's the public challenge that makes it about more than his fetish. He is forcing himself on society, forcing us to "accept" him without laughter and chiding. To be "normal". Recently, a group called "Breasts not Bombs" tried to rally at the state capital topless to show their protest of the war.
I got news for you, gals. Guys hear breasts? And they don't hear a thing after it, so your point is totally moot. "Breasts not...breasts! Yes, I am ALL for breasts!" My kids are going to the State Capital for their field trip. I'd rather they not be subjected to your "protest".
So while I'm not ready to go back to Victorian times when my ankle was shocking, can we give it a rest? Isn't Hollywood's social terrorism enough for us?
Delicious
6 Comments:
Breast not bombs? Wow. It's like Make Love Not War from the '60s Wouldn't it be good for for those topless protesters to go to Iraq and see how it really is.
Hope you are doing well. Great post, btw.
Good thoughts. What's secret about Victoria on tv now? A little fade to black would be nice on some shows. Just hope streaking isn't returning.
I guess it falls under the "personal differences" category, Kris. SIGH. Tolerance and all that jazz. Who knows where the world is going?
Kristin,
Love that you're a blog contributor! Got your "handbag" email and had to check out the blog, being a blogger myself. I'll add you to my daily morning blog coffee! (If you get a chance, check out my Nov 9 entry - www.sbpace41.blogspot.com).
Happy blogging!
Sarah
My daughter and I were in a sort “terrorized” this past week, by just such an event.
Maybe it’s my sense of humor, the fact that it was a marathon day, or simply rain in the midst of a dry spell I’ve had on interesting real life characters to draw on for my “mental library”. Perhaps it’s just the “illness”, as you girls’ say, ---of writing—that prevented its success as intended, but it took everything I could do not to laugh hysterically!!!!
Em was adopted from Russia some years ago, and has a lot of “issues” still to deal with on a regular basis, remnant from the early traumas in her life. We’ve been having regular visits to the psychiatrists’ office lately, but due to a series of miscommunications in the office this week, we ended up trading a typical 5 minute wait for a 2-1/2 hour one in order to see her caretaker. Mind you this was well into the afternoon, and I hadn’t eaten anything since 6:30 am, so the deliria of hypoglycemia may have been setting in right about the time when a young man who had been waiting for his girlfriend, decided to get up and move to the chair right across from us in the tiny waiting area.
You know, I grew up in California, and have just been living in the more “conservative” world of Dallas merely a few years now, so noticing a guy dressed in full “skater” apparel with numerous piercings doesn’t really phase me all that much. This guy had evidently gotten pretty bored with the wait as well, and decided to communicate this to the rest of us in the only appropriate way among strangers…silently.
He had to his advantage a very unique way about it, compared to the rest of us who may have sighed or rolled our eyes, stretched and groaned. He happened to have a tongue piercing to display, so while staring straight at me, he decided to take an old paper clip that he had straightened out and slide it in next to the stud in his tongue, and twirl it around back and forth, winding his tongue up like a 5 year old would a rubber band. I thought it was quite fascinating, and must have shown it, because he seemed less than content with my curious response, and after 5 minutes or so, decided to punch that piece of metal through the material of his pants, twist it for safe-keeping. He took out another paperclip that was in it’s original condition, attached the longer opening to the stud, pulled on it and then sent it around like a spinner, while watching for my response.
While I was able to maintain “acting properly”, during his display, I think he was a bit disappointed with my quiet smile. I’m sure that Em noticed as well, but didn’t say a word about it during, or even after, which I thought was pretty funny, too!!
This is not to say that some of us are immune to the “terror” that others’ would like to inflict, for about 10 minutes before this humorous display, a large African-American man had been standing at the check-in counter for a younger man that was with him. The younger had either a deeply medicated or severely delayed countenance on his face, but kept looking towards us as he stood sideways from our view. I was cool and curious as usual, even though his stare was a little creepy, but was within minutes of covering Em’s eyes, when he slowly lifted the edge of his shirt, waited a few moments and then in a second motion I heard sound of the zip on his pants. I still don’t know whether it was intentional or part of his delay, but was just about not going to wait to find out, when he was whisked out the door to his appointment, by the guardian who was completely unaware.
Obviously, the second had much more potential for “terror” for me personally. However you’re right, at the same time I was thinking the whole situation would be really funny to write about in the safety of hind site and humor, Hollywood would have snatched up either scene and shown it as it originally occurred in a “heartbeat”!!
Yes, we had some of the Protesters over here to were I live and I don't feel so good that day and seeing them on the 5 o'clock new's when family's are getting in from their day and I for one was eating. eww...
Anyways, Kristin I hope you do some more bloging.
Love Anna Marie.
http://justonefabchick.blogspot.com
Post a Comment
<< Home