by Travis Mateer

This collage is almost done. Does it have a lot going on? Yes, there’s lots of ANIME BOOM, for sure, and a definite agenda afoot, but not everyone knows how to read the MAP.

Is Double-Standard Town a free and open place? Yes and no would be the answers. I make art anyways, like the noise one can hear from the concrete island on Friday nights. Sometimes I’m there, sometimes I’m not.

Double-Standard Town can be a confusing place to live. For example, on Wednesday, at the Public Safety meeting I DID NOT attend, a proclamation was made and authority claimed to make Juneteenth a municipal holiday. I saw this on the agenda and had to use IMMENSE RESTRAINT to make my attendance NOT a thing.

I’m having to mull over how to proceed with my public comment campaign because the reality is there seems to be no swift consequences for a media outlet like the Missoula Current when a blatant mischaracterization of my actions on Monday are added to the tenuousness reasoning for my point-of-order in the first place.

The article Martin Kidston wrote about me has now been STEALTH edited. Here’s what it said before, with my emphasis added:

And here’s what it says now:

I’m not sure what to say about this alleged media business and its sad effort to stealth-edit their way out of hot water other than to pose a question: is there a chilling effect when a media outlet is allowed to do this to a citizen so blatantly, especially when you consider how readily ALL media outlets were to broadcast this statement signed by 10 of our Council members about Zooey Zephyr?

Here’s the not-intended-to-be-ironic headline from the Current:

And here’s the statement:

“In the past week, the Montana Legislature’s actions to silence Representative Zephyr have been immoral and anti-democratic. Using the power of the majority to censor the minority is exactly what our democracy seeks to prohibit. Representative Zephyr’s lived experience and steadfast commitment to those she represents is being attacked by this legislature,” the council wrote.

Adorable statement, y’all. Too bad the words fall flat so quickly. You see, Double-Standard Town has some very queer gravity that is incredibly difficult to use words to explain.

So instead, here’s some moving pictures to undercut our Mayor’s proclamation with a song at the end. Enjoy! And, if you’re so inclined, Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF) is one way to support my work, while making a donation at my about page is another.