The Wire | On the Lower Frequencies
"Which brings us back to our theme, "underground." In the generator and squat shows, in graffiti, in street protests, we all seek out this place, a place of refuge and comfort with glimpses of the world we want to live in—unregulated spaces in an appallingly regulated world. There is much strength, beauty, and creativity in this, the "SF underground." But there is the powerlessness of isolation, too. When the FBI convenes grand juries and the rest of the country outlaws gay marriage, the underground is a dangerous place. Seen in this way, it is not just a haven, but also an awful place, a psychologically debilitating place we've been thrust into. Tonight is about celebrating what we have and can make together and about asking questions. How can our ideas leave this ghetto to go out and change the larger world? And, if we have all found ourselves in the underground due to our politics, ideas, or sexuality, how do we make this a safe place and take care of each other now that we're here?"
—Erick Lyle, On the Lower Frequencies: A Secret History of the City
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