The Tragedy of Today's Gays

Kramer, Larry. "The Tragedy of Today's Gays", Tarcher, 2005. Kramer Says... Amos Lassen Whether or not we agree with what Larry Kramer has to say about gay men, we have to admit that he DOES have something to say and he says it with eloquence and a sense of love. In "The Tragedy of Gay Men Today", Kramer gives us a short history of AIDS and the other problems that face our community. He comes to the conclusion that gays are a tragic people. He says that we lack involvement in society and that we face "hateful opposition". He further maintains that because of our sexual recklessness that we are murdering each other and that crystal meth is destroying our community. Those of us that are still alive after the AIDS epidemic know what he is talking about but the younger generation seems to be in the dark about what we have lost. He offers a humanist message to the younger generation and they need to be reminded of the way things were. As Naomi Wolf says in her introduction to the book we need to remember and to honor those that are no longer here and that we must take responsibility for ourselves. It seems to me that Kramer classifies gay men as superior and this is inaccurate. We live in society where the average is the norm and that gay men are like everyone else with the exception that many seem to be more hedonistic sexually that those in straight society. We have a new generation of gay men who are intelligent and brave and they are making inroads into the larger populace. We need to foster and reward those that achieve and thereby establish role models that instill in is a sense of pride. Those that deem that sexual abandon is the way to live must be able to recognize that and take those steps that are necessary to change the way they are and make a commitment to the job of creating change. However, these are broad generalizations that Kramer makes and we cannot live by generalization. The young today do not seem to care about the strides we made in the quest for our liberation. Kramer has been a loud voice since the days of AIDS and there were times when he seemed to be the only voice. He is correct about most of what he says but his ideas seem to fall on deaf ears. We know that those in power do not really care about us. Kramer is outrageous in his rage but he is justified in what he says. So many in power did nothing when our community was dying. We need to reach adulthood and stop pretending that we are accepted. Sure, we are ore accepted than ever before but we still have a long way to go. The book is a transcription of a speech Kramer made in 2004. It is quite strong and he tells us the truths that we do not want to hear and he warns us of what is yet to come. To me, he breaks through the comfort level of today's gay men and made me quite angry because the truth hurts. He gives us a call to action and lets us know that all people need to realize and see what is coming. Perhaps our new president will be able to turn things around b

Eloquent, empassioned speech from the accused "self-loathing homosexual," Larry Kramer is a loud and urgent wake up call to the gay community to take responsibility for themselves and also to rally against the right wing conservatives who undermine them through religion and politics. An important book & message in a small, unassuming package. Kramer most vividly hits the nail on the head when he reminds us that his so-called activism isn't special or noteworthy: we should ALL take part in fighting for equal rights. Our own and those of others.

Since the very earliest days of the AIDS epidemic Larry Kramer has often been the loudest and sometimes it seems almost the only, lonely member of the U. S.'s gay community screaming out against what he perceives as the injustice of the government's handling of the AIDS problem. At 69, he shouts once again. I read his speech twice-- it's short and to the point; sadly he's right about most of what he says. On them: about the cabal or right wing conspiracy-- remember, people laughed at Hillary Clinton for using that term-- Mr. Kramer gives ample evidence that she was right, quoting Bill Moyers and others. The numbers are frightening beyong belief. The top 1 percent of wealth holders control 39 percent of total household wealth in the U. S. The inequality gap in this country is the highest in the industrialized world. Only two percent of the many billions of dollars Congress approved for Africa and around the world has actually left Washington some four years later. "Moral values," if we don't know it, we should, is a code word that means us. That's why Bush was reelected. Conclusion: Those in power are happy to see us die. About us: Mr. Kramer's words to the gay community are just as harsh. We are still killing ourselves with drugs and having unprotected sex 25 years into the worst epidemic the world has ever known. (At the beginning of his speech he mentions two friends, one in his middle age who has just tested positive for the virus and the other, also in his middle age, who has become addicted to crystal meth. The younger gay people have no heroes to follow and no interest in learning about their history. They (we, or most of us) are unwilling to stand up and fight those in power. That is our tragedy. Mr. Kramer-- God bless him-- with the fervor of an Old Testament Prophet and taking no prisoners, in his rage is as outrageous as ever. Some of his observations: Ronald Reagan is responsible for more deaths than Hitler. Ed Koch, Mayor of New York City, when the first cases were reported there in 1981, did nothing, according to Kramer, and is one of three persons whose behavior is the reason the AIDS plague was "allowed to happen." He also asks the pertinent question: what would happen if Mary Cheney wanted to teach?" Dr. Anthony Fauci is the only "true AIDS hero" in the entire government. Finally, George Washington was gay. No less than five times in his speech, Mr. Kramer opines that gay people are better and "smarter and more talented and more aware" than other people. He gives no evidence to support his conclusion. He's wrong on that one. But he is right on another point: "We are human beings as much as they are, and their God is the same as everyone's else's God and He simply cannot be allowed to be as punishing as they are requiring Him to be." Read this very short but so relevant speech.

Specializing in grassroots radical activism, Larry Kramer (who helped to found ACT UP) is arguing that gays have settled for being window dressing in society instead of transforming that society into a world which does not oppress anybody. Certainly, Kramer's assertion is a heady charge and the individuals who he has identified as being part of the problem are going to take the most offense to the charges inside this book. After all, nobody likes realizing that their own struggle has ultimately been in vain. The veneer of success can only fool even the best 'pretenders' into thinking they have made it in society for so long. Even they must eventually concede that their assimilationist strategies may have inadvertently done more self-harm than good. The best part of Kramer's book is the recognition that the pandering to people who really do not care about GLBT rights must stop. Loosing sight of transformative goals impedes social justice progress and provides incentive for the status quo to continue tokenizing GLBT people. I would highly recommend this book as a text for GLBT politics courses or just for personal reading on current queer political theory. Kramer's passion readily distinguishes him from people with detached reporting, and a relative disinterest in the ultimate outcome of this social justice struggle. He knows just how high the stakes are if this new world is not created.

This book is based on a speech Larry Kramer made at Cooper Union 5 days after the 2004 election. It is blunt and angry and really blew me away. It is a quick read. Larry Kramer is a true prophet in the biblical sense.......telling us the truths we don't want to here and warning us of the future to come in America. While his speech was aimed at younger gay people, I believe his message is universal to all of us who are worried about what our country has become and where our country is headed. Once again, Larry Kramer broke through my complacency and got me angry and ready again to take action to stand up to the greed, hate and murderous plans of the powers-that-be in America.