Fruits and Nutters

It seems to have become a tradition in Northern Ireland at least, that every Pride parade is accompanied by the placard patrol. Having recently reorganised themselves into the ‘Stop The Parade Coalition’, they are avidly fighting to have us banned, with such choice and original remarks as “The sexual dead end”, and “Pride goeth before destruction.”

Our peaceful carnival is described as a ‘contentious’ parade, and must therefore be brought before the Parades Commission for permission to go ahead. Ironic isn’t it – the one parade of the year when both sides of the community come together to march in solidarity is brought under scrutiny and is every year threatened with closure by an ever vociferous (minority) opposition.

I totally defend the protesters right to protest, but for one day, must they rain their fanaticism on our parade? You’d think they might get the message by now – we’re here, we’re queer and we aren’t going away. Gays have existed for thousands of years, so homosexuality isn’t going to end because they wove a little placard with some loosely translated bible verse at them.

Of course reason isn’t going to work. They will surely find some example of the ‘lewd’ behaviour of the pride parade. Some people are just like that aren’t they?

In the words of one marcher this summer:

“God, save me from your followers!”

Notes:
My thanks go to the Pride Committee responsible for organising Belfast Pride. http://www.belfastpride.com/
Also, if you want a laugh, check out http://www.stoptheparade.com/ - I particularly like their pink colour scheme.