Reverend Billy’s Revelations

Dear Billy, 

I’m young. I’m queer. And I find myself wondering why so many people hate us, want to push us back in the closet, even kill us. Now that the Supreme Court has thrown out Roe v. Wade, it looks like they’re coming for our rights next. Why can’t straight people accept us, or at least leave us alone?

ROBIN
Jersey City

Dear Robin,

There were a hundred thousand angry folks in the New York City streets this Pride Weekend, and in that outpouring is your safety, because in that anger is love.  There were seven or eight big marches, and much mixing of causes. Part of our choir was in the women’s march on Friday night while some of us were in the drag march, and the two marches came together on 5th Ave. The shouting defense of all genders was clear in the chanting and signs of both surging processions. Gays Against Guns (GAG) shouting for reproductive rights for women was positive intersectionality and should make you feel safer, Robin. Yes, we live in a homophobic society with a violent Supreme Court, but there is much to be thankful for, and the flood of loving anger last weekend will fan out across the landscape, taking the form of care and concern in little domesticate things. And, there will be a strict guard against right-wing violence in the coming days and months and years. Take heart!

Love is strong!
REV BILLY

•   •   •

Rev Billy, 

A close friend of mine from college is having a destination wedding in France later this summer. It’s a lot of money to fly there and back. And I also think about the carbon footprint from all of the flying we’ll be doing. I don’t want to be a killjoy on my buddy’s big day, but it seems like there ought to be a simpler way for two people to say “I do.” What do you think?

LUCAS
Greenpoint

Lucas, I’m an imperfect messenger as our Stop Shopping Church makes its living flying to European arts festivals, and — irony alert — we flew and bussed to the Glasgow climate conference last November. A lot of us labor under the contradiction of defending the Earth while polluting it. But a “destination wedding” in France? — that’s a rich person’s thing. That’s the investor class, whose leisure is paid for by the fossil economy. If its any comfort to you, while you’re having fun washing dishes, eating soma mushrooms and having sex back in the states, you can be sure that his self-selecting wedding list will bring his rich friends only, and that spells VERY BORING.

On a compassionate note, I wouldn’t disapprove openly of your friend’s rented chateau with the private airport. You don’t want to be the killjoy on your college buddy’s big day. The rich adorn themselves with expensive toys, big lawns and long views unblemished by working people — why? — because they are afraid of real life. And they should be afraid as the 6th Extinction accelerates. On the other hand, fuck your friend, Lucas. He’s a putz.

Sincerely,
REVEREND WILLIAM “BILLY” TALEN

272.indb

REVEREND BILLY TALEN IS THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH OF STOP SHOP- PING. HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE REVEREND? EMAIL REVBILLY@REVBILLY.COM AND UNBURDEN YOUR SOUL.