Dont Ask , Dont Tell,
….in the military , it was implemented to prohibit the number of gays who indeed were serving our country…. to reveal their gay, lesbian, or bisexual lifestyle or relationships openly ..without dismissal . This year will mark the First Year anniversary where this policy was lifted in the military
Dance/art, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell has become more of a popular credence in the name of self preservation , the coddling of alliances, of all sorts, and of course money….to mask the hard, cold inconvenient truth
.. so now the search for the ever so elusive “truth” , comes with a huge price of integrity that has to be paid for it by either , maintaining those alliances and associations with the simple dont ask, dont tell policy to continue the road of fame, recognition , and self preservation, or face the risk of being cast aside and overlooked for one’s ability , work, and lifelong contributions to the art. Mentioning certain names of people, have now become taboo, and you bear the lifelong , public and private scar of guilt from “association”
so now as it stands in 2012, from my point of view….we have created a web of misconception, partly due to the fact, that we as adults, have elevated our personal differences to spill over to corrode what is indeed the truth about our expression and art, into rust…
What’s even more disturbing, is to see the innocent, who simply want to dance , and experience the exhilaration of what each dance/artform has to offer, has to play the game and become appointed facilitators of this vicious cycle. Neutrality, seems ever more elusive , as we have given way to the notion, we must belong, to someone or something for the name of respect , recognition and money …. Skill , ability, even authenticity, becomes secondary and relative…..
Its an unfortunate state of affairs, that in order to continue our alliances or even continue to make a living of some sort, we have to avoid saying certain names, or elevating or recognizing certain people’s efforts , no matter how integral they are to the structure of the art we enjoy, ..its like we are walking on egg shells to get to the bottom of truth, when at the end of the day…. these judgements open the door to the road of bitterness, confusion, and ultimately destruction…..
in this day and age, the road to Freedom and Truth may come with a cost, …but at the end provides a solid pillar for boundless and endless opportunities of expression….and most important integrity…
Dont Ask, Dont Tell vs. Integrity and Truth…… The Choice is Yours
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