Is nobody else making the Gay Pride connection?

Saturday, June 30th, 2007

Okay, so there were two bombs discovered yesterday, not one. But while the media is dragging in the usual glut of ‘experts’ and politicians theorising as to who might be behind these devices, we hear that the bombs contained huge quantities of nails. Al Qaeda has been name-checked lots of times. But wait! Doesn’t the news about the nails make anyone else besides me and my beloved think of that twisted bastard David Copeland, the London nailbomber? He’s behind bars but the annual London Gay Pride march and festival takes place in the city centre today (Saturday).

Copeland, a former member of the British neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement, became known as the London nailbomber after a 13-day bombing campaign in April 1999 aimed at London’s black, Asian, and gay communities. Over three consecutive weekends, this evil creep planted home-made bombs, each one containing up to 1,500 four-inch nails, outside a supermarket in Electric Avenue, Brixton, an area of south London with a large black population; in Brick Lane in the east end of London, which has a large South Asian community; and in the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho’s Old Compton Street, the heart of London’s gay community.

The bombs killed three people, including a pregnant woman, and injured 129, four of whom lost limbs. No warnings were given. One of my beloved’s friends, David Morley, survived the Admiral Duncan pub bombing only to be murdered by a gang of teenagers a few years later, tragically demonstrating that gay people are as despised today by some as they have always been.

Copeland was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and a personality disorder but his plea of diminished responsibility was thankfully not accepted by the prosecution. He was convicted of murder June 30 2000, and given six life sentences. Sadly, however, he is not alone and never was in harbouring violent intentions towards any number of communities living in Britain today.

And it strikes me, and my beloved, that the discovery of these bombs yesterday is too close to the Pride march and festival not to seriously consider the possibility that this has absolutely nothing to do with Islamic fundamentalist terrorists and is at least as, if not more, likely to be the work of a copycat killer who had the intention of wiping out the thousands of ’sinners’ descending on the capital this weekend for the annual celebration of gay pride and freedom.

Whatever the reason behind the planned bombings, let us all be grateful the bombs were found before they could go off and seriously wound, maim and kill potentially thousands of people.

While Al Qaeda is routinely blamed for everything these days, and might yet prove to have some involvement this time, isn’t it also at least possible that an insane evangelical or screwed-up neo-Nazis (not much difference between the two) decided to exact some terrible retribution against those perceived by too many still as corrupt and evil? It is humbling for us, my beloved and I, to remember on occasions that we are despised and our brutal murders desired by thousands, if not millions, of people across the planet. Simply for being two men in love with each other, and for living our lives—along with every other queer, male and female, in whatever country.

It wouldn’t be the first time a killer has painted himself as some kind of avenging angel doing God’s work. And before anyone thinks, yes, a neo-Nazi could commit such a terrible crime but surely not a Christian, let us not forget that in the US there have in the past been many occasions where abortion clinics have been bombed by fundamentalist Christians who have also sent death threats to doctors and nurses working in the field of abortion, and their families.

The key word is fundamentalist. You can also use the word extremist. I’m not writing about the vast majority of Christians, even those whose views are far from what we might perceive as liberal. It takes a leap into psychosis to abandon legitimate freedom of expression—even of views that are homophobic—in favour of violent direct action, and it does happen.

If Al Qaeda is routinely at the top of the list of suspect organisations for every intended or actioned crime of mass violence, the risk is that the many other equally violent, but non-Muslim, groups and individuals will be forgotten or sidelined in considerations by the authorities. This doesn’t make them any less dangerous or less likely to carry out the sickest of plans.

A focus on Al Qaeda to the exclusion of all other suspect organisations and insane individuals, when the evidence does not necessarily point to these specific terrorists surely results from a fear of Muslims, all Muslims, carrying bombs? This is wrong. Distortion does not lead to justifiable convictions. It leads inevitably to injustice and missed opportunities to fight crime and unite different communities under the banner of peace and co-operation despite all that divides them in their daily lives.

We must, of course, be watchful (but not paranoid) and aware that Al Qaeda and other fundamentalist Muslim groups do, indeed, have violent intentions towards the West (though millions of Muslims live in the West). But we must also remember this terrorist aggregation (it isn’t one group, after all, but more an ideology than a terror club) is not the only evil in the world today, and that the vast majority of Muslims in Britain remain peaceful and happy to co-exist with other communities whose views and lifestyles nevertheless run counter to their own deeply-held religious convictions.

I’m happy to offend, and be offended; I’m not happy to face bombs, guns and fists, nor would I ever wish to use them myself against others of my species for any reason.

And while it may be unpalatable to the mainstreams of both Christianity and Islam, gay Christians and gay Muslims do exist, and in significant numbers.

I seriously thought the Gay Pride march and festival today might have been cancelled owing to the terror threat but at time of writing this entry it is going ahead, and that, on reflection, is a very good thing. Whoever is behind the attempted bombings, we cannot be forced, any of us, back indoors to hide away. We must, even when our lives are at risk, show that life is only worth living if we are prepared to die rather than lose our freedoms, our consciences, our diverse society.

I pray for peace. I pray that whoever is behind these bombs is caught soon, and that there are no more bombs lying undiscovered on the streets of London today. I pray that my gay brothers and sisters, their friends and families, marching and celebrating today, stay safe and show the world that the only way to ensure a successful future for humanity is not to justify violence and murder in the name of any god but to co-exist peacefully and to openly express love and affection to our fellow men and women.

I will be thinking of everyone on the Gay Pride march today, and ask my readers to think of them as well, to send blessings and good wishes for their safety and happiness. Let us also remember at this time brave people like David Morley, and the man who was murdered near Hungerford Bridge in 2004 by two teenagers, his body having over 40 separate bruises in what the police described at the time as ‘frenzied’ attacks.

Let us remember also Matthew Shepard. Let us remember all those who lost their lives because of their sexuality, or have been beaten, raped, tortured or ostracised for being themselves. Let us remember all those, gay and straight and whatever, who have suffered the impact of HIV and AIDS on their lives and the lives of those they love.

Let us remember great and generous people like my friend Tony Grundy. Tony, I miss you, mate.

In remembering the dead and suffering, let us not forget also that we have much to celebrate. Life is excellent. Being gay is a fabulous adventure for many of us. I would not change who I am or what I am for anyone for any reason. I would do everything and anything I could to free the imprisoned and tortured gay people in Zimbabwe, to remove the homophobic Mayor of Moscow from office, to change the Pope’s mind.

Happy Gay Pride everyone! Dance in defiance of hatred. Put on the feather boas and hot-pants and laugh until you cry. If you’re marching and partying and single, I hope you find the love of your life today. Or at least a damn good shag. Or if you’re not into that, then I hope you enjoy time spent with friends old and new. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

It’s not just about homosexuality per se; it’s about freedom. Viva la difference.