The Observation Deck

Is it just me or are there a lot more important things for the City to be working on than having a gay pride week? Any thoughts?

Ryan Salo wrote:Is it just me or are there a lot more important things for the City to be working on than having a gay pride week? Any thoughts?

**Yawn**

Not this tired topic again...

So based on your argument, the city should cancel the 4th of July festivities and any other celebration of any of its citizens because they have more important things to do?

Heck, I see MTG posing with alot of people on the city website handing out plaques for things. He better stop that too since he's got better things to do. We could be spending that plaque money on fixing the leaking urinal.

What about city council meetings when they congratulate or recognize citizens for being a positive part of the community. They better stop that too huh?

Or in truth is your post really more about homophobia and discrimination.

What exactly does it do for gays to have a city sponsored week? If they want to get a permit and have a festival of sorts go for it, but why do we need to have a special week set aside for it?

July 4th? Come on you have to be kidding, come up with something more intelligent that that please...

Ryan Salo wrote:July 4th? Come on you have to be kidding, come up with something more intelligent that that please...

You mean intelligent like the thinly veiled bigotry in your post?

And since I'm apparently so dumb I better ask you...are you also saying the city doesn't officially recognize any other special weeks or celebrations throughout the year?

If they do, why should they do that, but gay pride week is a waste of time?

I disagree that Pride week is unimportant.

Because the LGBT community is not necessarily as visible as other communities based on race or ethnicity, organizers of Pride events give them a voice and a forum to show solidarity with one another.

As long as there is a "hidden" segment of our population that faces state-sponsored discrimination and inequity due to their orientation, Pride is important.

As long as members of the LGBT community are looked at as "other" there needs to be a dialogue opened, which is one reason there is a Pride week.

As long as the inherent worth and dignity of every person, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression is not valued, Pride is important.

As long as the LGBT community faces violence for being who they are, Pride is important.

The LGBT population have faces and loving families and provide strong community support and involvement, so Pride is important.

In recognition and support of our friends and family, my husband and I will again be marching in the Pride Parade, June 16th, with his church and all of the other Open and Affirming churches of the United Church of Christ.

All are welcome to join us.

11:00 am - Assembly on West 3rd Street at Rockwell Avenue
12:00 pm - Step-Off to Voinovich Bicentennial Park
1:00 pm - Rally entertainment and speeches

Bring sunscreen and water!

If the city was investing any time on any special interest group I would be upset.

I meant intelligent like a comparison that makes sense. I hope you see a major difference between celebrating our country compared to a small special interest group.

I am not calling you dumb but when you just go around calling people bigots rather than correcting your own argument you don't sound very smart.

dl meckes wrote:As long as the inherent worth and dignity of every person, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression is not valued, Pride is important.

As long as the LGBT community faces violence for being who they are, Pride is important.

I agree that people have an inherent worth and dignity - I also agree that the LGBT community should not face physical violence.

That does not mean I agree with their lifestyle nor do I think we should, as a society, accept it. The whole idea that this lifestyle is not destructive and is right needs to face the verbal truth that it is wrong and it is hurtful to society. So is lying, cheating, excessive drinking, cheating in marriage and multiple other acts and thoughts.

I agree that this topic needs to be discussed but it seem that as a society when people start getting hit with hate crimes for saying it is wrong it is scary. Do the people against it not have the same rights of speech?

On another note, doesn't this open a big can of worms like the flag pole did? Do we want a KKK week, a NRA week or anything else that is divisive?

Lets let the city focus on city matters and special interest groups focus on special interests, lets keep them separate. As far as Christmas and 4th of July and such I guess people just have to come to understand the reality of how and what beliefs we were founded on.

Ryan Salo wrote:That does not mean I agree with their lifestyle nor do I think we should, as a society, accept it. The whole idea that this lifestyle is not destructive and is right needs to face the verbal truth that it is wrong and it is hurtful to society. So is lying, cheating, excessive drinking, cheating in marriage and multiple other acts and thoughts.

I disagree with your premise that being LGBT is a lifestyle choice and is destructive to society.

I agree that this topic needs to be discussed but it seem that as a society when people start getting hit with hate crimes for saying it is wrong it is scary. Do the people against it not have the same rights of speech?

Is the murder of Mathew Shepard (http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/Page ... thews_Life) not wrong and scary?

On another note, doesn't this open a big can of worms like the flag pole did? Do we want a KKK week, a NRA week or anything else that is divisive?

Are mothers day and fathers day divisive? Veterans day? Any time we look at ourselves and have a serious and open dialogue, there are probably going to be sparks flying.

It's also interesting that you equate Pride week with KKK activities.

As far as Christmas and 4th of July and such I guess people just have to come to understand the reality of how and what beliefs we were founded on.

I wish your understanding was more inclusive and supported equity for all.

dl meckes wrote:
1. I disagree with your premise that being LGBT is a lifestyle choice and is destructive to society.

2. Is the murder of Mathew Shepard (http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/Page ... thews_Life) not wrong and scary?

3. Are mothers day and fathers day divisive? Veterans day? Any time we look at ourselves and have a serious and open dialogue, there are probably going to be sparks flying.

4. It's also interesting that you equate Pride week with KKK activities.

1. This is a big one that will take more discussion that a blog could offer, but I agree that if you think it is not a choice and you think it is not destructive than there is no harm in accepting it.

2. Murder of anyone is wrong and scary, but I hope you can see that speech should be protected on both sides, when that is limited that is more scary to me.

3. Mothers and Fathers day, recognises a fact that unfortunately for the gay movement is how we progress as a society. With nothing but moms or nothing but dads these people would not even exist. Multiple studies have also shown that having both a emotionally healthy mom and a dad are most beneficial to kids than not.

4. The similarity of KKK and gay pride is that they are both promoting special interest groups that are controversial and in some minds both have wrong activities.

The whole idea that this lifestyle is not destructive and is right needs to face the verbal truth that it is wrong and it is hurtful to society. So is lying, cheating, excessive drinking, cheating in marriage and multiple other acts and thoughts

With the difference being that those who lie, cheat, drink excessively cheat in their marriage have made the choice to do so (or in the case of alcoholics, chosen to forgo treatment). Despite rhetoric to the contrary by the Christian taliban, "gayness" is not a choice. The only "choice" is to acknowledge your personal reality or become celibate. And that hasn't worked real well for a number of priests.

Ryan, I really don't particularly care if there is a gay day, week, month, parade or picnic. But you attitude that this represents a lifestyle "choice" flies in the face of any reputable scientific/medical research. A gay person cannot not be "cured" and become attracted to the opposite sex....any more than some reprogramming would make you attracted to the same sex.

Jeff

How does Gay Pride week offer equity for all? Would seem that it offers inequality unless there is a Pride week for every form of sexuality.
Quick clarification though is it really a city sponsored event?

Jeff

This is a big topic, there have been people that have been "cured". Also, in my belief feelings and "temptations" occur with everyone. It is how you respond that makes it wrong. If I dwell on bad thoughts or I act on something then I have sinned. There are plenty of people that have gay feelings that do not act on them. When I use the word choice I mean the choice people make to get into that lifestyle.

Shawn,

I guess it is on the docket for the next city council meeting.

Wow, I didn't realize that they had the gay cause nailed down. I must be behind the times because I still believed that nature/nurture was an unverified theory at best. Boy, the things you can learn here.

Ryan Salo wrote:I am not calling you dumb but when you just go around calling people bigots rather than correcting your own argument you don't sound very smart.

I feel no need to correct my argument. And your further posts in response to dl in this thread prove my point that you are a bigot. I would be more careful before you continue to think you can be judge of what sounds intelligent and what doesn't.

Thanks for confirming my thoughts.