https://twitter.com/pridewasariot_/status/1601329356629909504?t=GW-141T6u-J_QFIxxNcF0Q&s=19

This twitter thread by pridewasariot.sac (@pridewasariot_) is a must read for all queer folks and our allies. Warning, it's a bit long.

"To what do we owe each other, a conversation on defending our spaces:

Community spaces such as abortion clinics, queer venues and spaces that host drag events are under nationwide assault by vigilante moralists of the Christian faith. Every battle feeds a larger battle that can not be decontextualized from the last.

Today, a battle infront of an abortion resource clinic in NYC determines the moral, tools, tactics and support a drag event defense will receive in LA. We are as interconnected as our enemies who are building steam, pressure and force to annihilate our people.

We are facing, not an “if”, but a certainty that these forces have moved well past “public shaming” as a utility to combat what they do not like. They have overwhelming accepted a “by any means necessary” philosophy, in which bullets and firebombs are acceptable tools.

Despite the ongoing assaults across the Nation, many small business owners and well meaning idealists have been challenging the very threat these “moral vigilantes” have promised by hosting more, not less, of these events that they primarily target.

We must note that the very spirit of Pride in the context of the Trans Queer Liberation struggle derives from bouncing back from attacks like these, and showing up and showing out in spite anyways.

This does not mean we are allowed to do so irresponsibly & disposably.

In several major events across the US, corporate-style non-profit and pro-establishment businesses have taken a point to denounce Community Defense tools and tactics of protecting our community while knowingly drawing our attackers close.

While the colonist police force in the US grooms these moral vigilantes into more effective units of violence against us, many of these “Queer” state-collaborators have been working with (law enforcement) to grant our assailants space to practice & demonstrate against us.

We must continue to demonstrate and hold space for our Pride, dignity and humanity. However, those who have come to meet us have already determined to meet us with physical violence. We can no longer pretend that pacifism and overwhelming numbers is enough to meet them.

For the “responsible militant”, our Trans Queer Liberationists who are organized, it is ideal to work within the community you are in & the tools and tactics they accept. This is how you build support & collaborators. However, there’s a caveat to this social contract.

For the “idealist business”, when you draw in our assailant forces and ask us to act as punching bags for their pogroms, you treat our Queer people as disposable on a war front you brought to your door. To play a spectacle for you. Our lives mean more than your business clout

This does not mean we should stop organizing and holding space. In fact, we are demanding to keep organizing, and to organize more. What are these venue operators doing to secure the safety of our Queer people in certain harm?

This isn’t an argument of “do nothing and submit.” Frankly, demanding pacifism and punching bags of your Queer community is doing nothing and submitting. What are you doing to secure the safety of our Queer people and spaces when you do this?

When a venue demands pacifism from you against a certain threat of assault and harm, they are playing an integral role in the traumatizing of our community for their own business image. This is disgusting and unacceptable behavior. They are assisting these pogroms.

While a responsible militant owes a certain level of obligation to those we work with & for, if a venue is not prepared to meet & back the community to return force and attack, they do not care about you or your life. Their idealism does not meet material circumstance.

For every event and war front where a line is drawn across these battles, our attackers are fighting and seeing they can win. They are watching soft targets who are not fighting back and gaining confidence that they can kill us without consequence. This is unacceptable.

Businesses have contingencies for Union Organizers, fires, bomb threats & robberies. They are required to and most of it is readable within employee break spaces. They have the ability to develop contingencies for this & don’t. This is irresponsible & dangerous behavior.

We are responsible to draw a line against the fascist menace, and more, press the assault against them. If we even have the certainty that they will come, we have land advantages & planning. This should be a victory for us, countlessly, yet it’s not due to negligent behavior.

You should be building support with these spaces continually, however, if they show that your life is an acceptable sacrifice for their business clout, believe them and organize your defense accordingly. Queers bash back means we attack.

We remember #QClub."

#AOC calls #LaurenBoebert on bullshit

#LGBTQIAplus :newpride:
#ColoradoSprings #QClub
#hatespeech

I was going to put this under a CW, but everyone needs to see this and know what a terrible human this guy is. #Qclub

@kevanpenvose A true hero. I’m so sorry that after fighting in two wars he has had to experience this at home. I’ll be proud to wear my new t-shirt! #QClub

@Ashleygandy5Demcast #LoveIsLove. Mourning and remembering the victims at #Qclub.

Hello allow me. To introduce myself I'm. A writer and blogger and I do graphics for demcast and here are some of my graphics and nice too meet you all ❤
#RememberingColoradoSprings #Qclub
#Demcast

#safety #concerns #qclub
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/after-club-q-attack-lgbt-venues-grapple-with-safety-concerns-2022-11-23/

Responding to community disasters in #church. #pulsenightclub #QClub #LGBT

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMFHWHoSa/

“Colorado club shooting suspect is non-binary, attorneys say.” #QClub

https://www.axios.com/2022/11/23/colorado-club-shooting-suspect-non-binary-attorneys-say

“Colorado club shooting suspect is non-binary, attorneys say.” #QClub”

https://www.axios.com/2022/11/23/colorado-club-shooting-suspect-non-binary-attorneys-say

We all mourn the loss of the 5 victins

#SolidarityWithColoradoSprings
#SolidarityWithColorado
#QClub
#LGBTQIAplus :newpride:

RT @C_Emcke@twitter.com

Die Gleichzeitigkeit von dem Anschlag auf den #QClub in #ColoradoSprings und die eilige Bereitschaft vom @DFB@twitter.com , selbst das kleinste Zeichen gegen Homo- und Transfeindlichkeit fallenzulassen, sobald es was kostet - was glaubt ihr eigentlich, was das mit einem macht?

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/C_Emcke/status/1594970117414473728

Die Gleichzeitigkeit von dem Anschlag auf den #QClub in #ColoradoSprings und die eilige Bereitschaft vom @dfb
selbst das kleinste Zeichen gegen Homo- und Transfeindlichkeit fallenzulassen, sobald es was kostet - was glaubt ihr eigentlich, was das mit einem macht?

"Diversity, it's on tap!" That's the motto of Atrevida Beer Co., which is owned by Jessica Fierro and her husband, Richard, who tackled the gunman at #QClub.

There are many ways you can support the victims, survivors, and people everywhere who are impacted by this tragedy -- including of course by promoting LGBTQ+ affirming and inclusive communities in our natuon. But you also might be interested to know about the cool merch the Fierros' brewery has to offer.

https://www.atrevidabeerco.com/

#TheMehdiHasanShow

#QClub #Colorado
#ColoradoSprings
#HateSpeechIsNotFreeSpeech
#LGBTQIAplus
:newpride:

Joined a vigil for those killed and injured in the #QClub shooting at Dupont Circle on my way home. A friend and his husband live in Colorado Springs: I had to send one of those awful "Just checking you guys are safe?" WhatsApps when I woke up yesterday morning. I don't know what I can usefully say other than that if you are LGBTQ+ and this has you feeling scared, or angry, or tired - I see you. I stand with you. I hold you in my heart.

#Colorado mother of a #transman who was killed at #QClub speaks

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/11/21/mother-colorado-springs-shooting-speaks-out/

#SolidarityWithColorado 💔
#LGBTQIAplus
#QClub :newpride:

RT @pridewasariot_
direct danger and harm from social forces meaning to kill us. @Van_Tieu and @ABC10 were one of many institutions wishing to sensationalize Trans & Queer pain during the #QClub #ColoradoSprings shooting and is providing target lists to eliminationists to see us dead.

Days like today feel so strange and awful. I don’t live in the US and my entire life I’ve been supported in my complete failure to fit in a closet. People generally don’t do mass shootings here since the 90s.
But people got shot in North America by someone who hated them for being queer. And the anti-trans ‘grooming’ rhetoric has infected politics here. And I wish I had a more eloquent way of saying that I’m sad and I’m afraid and it fucking sucks.
#qclub #shooting