invisible asterisks

I read a beautiful story on Medium today

“Love in the time of Cryptography”

She dug deep into how they stayed private

Before signal and protonmail there were

IRC and Jabber chatters

Ethonographies of living off the record

Detailed how tos of 

How their photos and videos were transferred without a trace

They crafted a true new language

Of Love. 

And not one of gifts or physical touch like they put into that book

Because they made their own bounds

Their own limitations

Rules for what's acceptable

Reframing what’s possible

My friend asked everyone he knows to get a tattoo for his birthday

And he’s sick

Why do we remember to care for each other only when they are fragile

The tattoo should be in the #42

He’ll accept any form. 

Roman numerals, binary, pick your font

I might get an asterisk

In ASKII, the #42 is an asterisk. 

Who knew?

Who knew you could ask people to get tattoos for you?

We make thirngs up

And some make those things real. 

Real is not pre-defined. 

Reality is no one else’s belonging. 

There’s a secret coup in Russia

To erase the gay population without anyone noticing 

Dispose of identities like they clean their inboxes.

Men, who were sure it was 2017

And despite Western "propaganda” otherwise

Sought safety in their closets

So gently assuming swiping and private sexual encounters

Could long be their release. 

Men now, who are missing. 

Not archived but trashed. 

Hunted for their humanity. 

Taken by someone eles’s

Rules of reality. 

Rage of insanity

Insecurity

Facebook testifies 

Apple states new claims

Why are terms and conditions always in such small text 

And memes never come with Citations.

I know these digital spaces seem harmless But

This world. It is not sound or safe. 

We are not secured in our freedoms

Yet the common answer to corporate data demands is

“Sure they can have it”

We click through terms and conditions

No time for thinking

The NSA starts swiping your laptop hard drives at the border

The election results are tied to ad targets 

“I suppose I have nothing to hide”

They say

My privilege will protect me.

They thought. 

My love need not be encrypted. 

My friends, the rules are always being rewritten

Our truths have footnotes

Take note of the invisible asterisks

They are present on every line.