Posted on 06/06/2005 2:59:15 PM PDT by cweese
"Equal rights, no more--no less." That was the theme of this year's Austin Pride Parade.
The slogan had an even more important meaning for those in the gay, lesbian, and transgender community who are upset over the legislature passing a gay marriage ban amendment in November.
"I think it's extremely important just to see the view of everybody's lifestyle and not being different from anybody else's. We're just average, normal people just like everybody else. We want to carry on our life just like everyone else does," parade participant Danny Gomez said.
As participants cobbled together their floats before the parade began, they reflected on what equal rights mean to them and what they would have to do to sway public opinion.
"I have a lesbian-owned business, and I don't really allow people to come in who have disrespect or hate of any kind. So I feel I'm kind of teaching consciousness that way," Lynne Kirby said.
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Pride parade
Austin's fourth annual pride parade demands "Equal rights, no more - no less."
"It's important to show that we're not going to be put down. We're not going to hide in any corners. We're going to come out of our personal neighborhoods and in to the community because that's what we are, a part of the community," Stephen Williams said.
Each entry in the parade carried a special message meant to educate the public about what being gay is and how the gay community is integrated into our system.
Saturday night's parade is the fourth year of the event, and organizers hoped the display sent a strong message to politicians and the public in general.
Typical tolerance of the gay crowd.
OK. But it comes with equal responsibilities, such as not disgusting all your neighbors with the details of your sexual habits.
Hey! Where'd they all go?
Comparing themselves to our soldiers in the military , one parade goer was quoted as saying " I'm proud to be a member of the Muddy Helmet Brigade ! "
Yeah, right!
well apparently she has the right to discriminate against those that disagree w/her....oops, wait...that would mean...oh nevermind - it's too mind-boggling.
Right. I have a suspicion that if someone came into her place of business, announced that George W. Bush was a moronic chimp who deserved impeachment, and burned his photo she's have nothing but accolades and nods of agreement.
Remember - when you're dealing with libs, hate and intolerance are unacceptable - unless you hate THEIR enemies. Then hate is cool.
Of course hating George Bush, the US military, Right-wingers, Christians, and Pro-lifers is perfectly A-OK....
If you are so normal and average, why are you so hung up your sexuality? Just shut up about it already. The rest of us normal and average people aren't having parades about our sex lives.
Uh-huh, it's showing disrespect or hate not to approve of their lifestyle.
I have gay friends, and some are even Republican (!!). I respect them as friends, but just like any other person whose lifestyle I do not approve of, they are free to live their lives as they want. No particular group deserves "special rights", which is really what this is all about.
Equal rights...
Ummmm.........
No.
You are not.
All your NORMAL belong to us.
LVM
Except that you don't "carry on [your] life just like everyone else does", do you, Danny? And you insist that they know it.
Im intrigued
I am as well. Perhaps these parade participants were afraid to equate their struggle as one for civil rights (as many of their ilk frequently do).
Guessing she wants to marry the stock-clerk.
Anyone see the story in yesterday's NYPost about the guy who attacked two lesbians in the Staten Island gay parade? They were playing the saxophone in top hats. He knocked their hats off, then actually hit one of them. When the cops took him away in handcuffs, he was screaming about . . . the Koran. (Story not available on Net, and I left my paper in a restaurant.)
such as not disgusting all your neighbors with the details of your sexual habits
Yup, and we're to not be offended by their perverted sense of "normalcy". If we act offended then we're bigots, natch.
I sure would like to know what rights these people seem to think they are being denied.
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