Blog 4

A prominent figure we’ve discussed in the recent lessons, who I believe can be categorized as a poet and a theorist is Walt Whitman. His beliefs and overall vision of what the United States should be deeply connected to some of the ideas behind my archive. The connection I can draw between the Christopher Street Liberation Day celebration and Whitman’s vision of the United States is the idea of a democratic society powered by love, not hate. Christopher Street Liberation Day came to be in remembrance of the Stonewall riots one year prior. This gathering celebrated the LGBT community and its supporters, and brought together a larger community that was fueled by common love and an accepting attitude of each other. Craig Rodwell, founder of the  Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop and one of the main leaders of the Christopher Street Liberation Day celebration, believed in this and strongly advocated for gay rights for almost his entire life. In what we’ve learned about Whitman in the past week, I can surely say he would have completely agreed with Craig Rodwell’s passions, although existing over a century later. Whitman was upset by how American society and politics was during his time, but that didn’t stop him from believing in the possibility of a democracy founded on love and affection. This was his ultimate dream and vision of the USA. If you were to ask most participants of the Christopher Street Liberation Day march and celebration, I’m convinced this exact vision, that Whitman had over 100 years beforehand, would strongly resonate with them, and nearly identically match their personal visions for the future.