When some years ago his enemies wanted to hurt the image of Comandante Marcos, they spread the rumor that he is gay. The answer from the leader of the Zapatistas was not something like “Subcomandante has laid half of Mexico” but a rather surprising answer which make his movement even more popular.
“Yes, Marcos is gay. Marcos is gay in San Francisco, black in South Africa, an Asian in Europe, a Chicano in San Ysidro, an anarchist in Spain, a Palestinian in Israel, a Mayan Indian in the streets of San Cristobal, a Jew in Germany, a Gypsy in Poland, a Mohawk in Quebec, a pacifist in Bosnia, a single woman on the Metro at 10pm, a peasant without land, a gang member in the slums, an unemployed worker, an unhappy student and, of course, a Zapatista in the mountains.
Marcos is all the exploited, marginalised, oppressed minorities resisting and saying ‘Enough’. He is every minority who is now beginning to speak and every majority that must shut up and listen. He is every untolerated group searching for a way to speak. Everything that makes power and the good consciences of those in power uncomfortable – this is Marcos”. (1)
Be with the minority. Never be proud when you are with the majority. Be nervous when you are with the majority. Almost never has it decided correctly about something critical…
Look again where you belong. Look again where you stand. Are you afraid?
