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Blood on your face
Hi. This is Suhrid from Da Bloody Gashes, responding to Allison Turner's complaint about the Mirror cover photo of our band, which appeared on Sept. 27. Her letter, which was published last week, demanded an apology and accused the Mirror of bad taste and callousness in running a photo of bloody faces in light of the Sept. 11 attacks.
I understand the grief Americans face in light of Sept. 11. However, I will not apologize to you for no reason. The photo had nothing to do with New York: you will notice that the word "blood" is part of our name and thus the concept for the photograph was viewed as hilarious, yes, but artistically and thematically; the photo and its accompanying interview made no reference to New York at all, and we never intended to imply anything about Sept 11. No, I do not condone the act of "terrorism" that lead to thousands dead and millions of lives disrupted. But I do agree with the cause.
Americans need to realize that their goverment has established and continues to propagate its own regime of terror and destruction, oppressing the freedoms of untold millions around the world (including within the U.S.!), blocking their access to basic human rights and a cleaner environment in favour of U.S.-based multinational corporate giants. That the U.S. government and its propaganda machine uses different words to describe the above-clarified U.S. international policy to propagate "the American way of life" regardless of all other ways of life means that the American public really needs to throw patriotism to one side and for once listen to what people around the world are saying and engage in productive critical dialogue, void of trite emotional and egotistical barriers. I would highly recommend that you read an article by Arundhati Roy, world-renowned Indian author, published in The Guardian (London) Sept. 29 called "The Algebra of Infinite Justice." In that article you will learn how the U.S. government raised a dog that grew up to bite it in the ass.
Again, we did not intend to upset anyone with regards to September 11. But I for one will never apologize for that: you should be more careful to jump to conclusions, point fingers and act on accusations; like the American government. If you, or anyone else, wish to pursue this discussion with me further, I'd invite you to send your comments to dabloodygashes@yahoo.ca
--Suhrid
Girls will be boys
You might want to know that Robert Eads, the subject of the documentary Southern Comfort ["Still Nouveau after all these years," Oct. 11] as his name would suggest, a female-to-male transsexual and not a male-to-female transsexual as Matthew Hays wrote. There is a difference.
--Jon Davies
Black and blues
This story will probably make you laugh, but anyway, here I go.
I was in town for Black and Blue and I had the greatest time. Well, at the main event I met a boy from Montreal, and we danced for like 10 hours together and had the best time. I really liked him and he liked me, but his friend had to leave, so he was going to walk him out and come right back, but I am not sure what happened to him.
I would love to figure out how to get in touch with him, because we didn't get a chance to exchange numbers before he left. I know his first name is René and that he is 28 years old and he has a sister who was with him as well who is 30 years old named Bridgette. The other detail I know is that his mom works as a cook in one of the gay bars. Do you think there is anyway that you could assist me? We both wanted to visit each other, but now I wish I would have walked away with him when he last walked off. Please let me know if you can help me in any way.
--Jacob
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