[altajoe]

Pilgrim, I just love the irony. If I remember my history, didn't the Pilgrims come to America to escape bigotry and find freedom?

And yet here you are screaming bigotry and hatred. Perhaps a name change is in order. How about "WesternBigot"

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by DTO Luv

A Pride parade has nothing to do with corrupting morals.

I disagree, obviously, but I know how strongly you feel about this, and can only thank you for not flagging my post again.

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by mattpoulsen

You are blatantly advocating the deliberate practice of denying basic fundamental rights to people by gaming the permit system.

Sorry, but there is no "basic fundamental right" to promote sodomy or associated "lifestyles". Traditionally, courts have ruled that freedom of speech does not protect "disturbances to the public peace, attempts to subvert the government, inciting crime, or corruption of morals". (Gitlow v. New York, 1925, and Whitney v. California, 1927)

Although the courts have degenerated in recent years, I believe they will return to sanity once the public realizes they no longer have a constitutional foundation and are simply making things up as they go.

Originally Posted by mattpoulsen

You're disgusting.

OK.

[kdbrich]

Originally Posted by mattpoulsen

To somehow suggest gay pride parades are worse than Westboro simply shows how twisted you are.

You are blatantly advocating the deliberate practice of denying basic fundamental rights to people by gaming the permit system.


Yup...freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and religious freedom are great...just as long as everyone uses those rights to advocate ONLY your position.

You're disgusting.

I think the comment was in reference to how it affects the gay cause, wasn't it?

We all know the westboro freaks are nuts...none of us listen to them. It makes them and other extremist religious folks look bad. The gay pride parades make the gay people look bad.

[ehenningsen]

Gay pride is something that celebrates the successes of the marches Harvey Milk of San Francisco started to demonstrate against legislation that would criminalize homosexuals in San Fransisco..

And by continue the parade every year, it makes it.. Well, at least somewhat more difficult to label us as criminals..

And I will admit there are some people in the parades that do not understand what the parade is truely for, but the vast majority do and they want to continue Harvey Milk's spirit.

[laserdisque]

As a straight man I do not find any gay rallies or parades to be bad at all! I think that any cultural parade is a great thing. I would never want my children to grow up in a country where large parts of society are censored/banned/etc. Some of the things that western pilgrim is saying reminds me a lot of China. Do you remember Falun Gong? How about Tibet?

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by laserdisque

Some of the things that western pilgrim is saying reminds me a lot of China.

Funny, they remind me of America just 40 or 50 years ago. Was our country run by the Taliban 40 or 50 years ago?

Look - this is a big fight. Matt Poulsen, I am sure, speaks for many other tolerant liberals who believe social conservatives are "twisted" and "disgusting" sub-human maggots unworthy of the least consideration or respect.

There's not a lot of middle ground here. Either homosexual acts are perverted and abominable, or they are not. If they are not, then people who think they are must be bigots and haters.

This is a war for public space in America. We won't be satisfied until we can take our kids out in public again without exposing them to perversion and those who try to normalize perversion. You won't be satisfied until we "bigots" and "haters" have retreated to our closets.

Pass the ammunition.

[mattpoulsen]

That sums you up in a nutshell. "Pass the ammunition??" Get a grip.

First, I am a republican. But I'm a social liberal.

Further, there is plenty of middle ground. My wife is a Catholic for god's sake. I absolutely respect religion and religious people. However, that doesn't mean i have to respect it when you use it to demonize other people.

You can use your religion to demonize essentially everything humans do. Yet, you focus on the gay issue because it disgusts you personally. Well, there are plenty of things about you that disgust me personally, but I would be the first one supporting your rights if someone advocated stripping them.

That is the issue I have. And, further, it is very very non-christian.

Further, you do have a fundamental right to assemble and you have a fundamental right to free speech. If you think the government should have the ability to ban gay pride parades then the government should also be able to ban: rock concerts, bachelor parties, NRA conventions (as they promote the use of guns), KKK rallies, neo-Nazi rallies, boxing matches, football games, and Mardi Gras.

So, let me get this straight. The religious extreme should have a fundamental right to protest against the gay lifestyle and gay marriage, but gay's should not have a right to hold gay pride rallies??? That's complete b.s. And it absolutely flies in the face of James Madison and other founding father's attempt to balance factional power via the 1st amendment.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by mattpoulsen

Further, there is plenty of middle ground. My wife is a Catholic for god's sake.

Mmmmm... Lenten Friday Fish Frys. One of the greatest inventions of the Catholic Church!

[laserdisque]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

Mmmmm... Lenten Friday Fish Frys. One of the greatest inventions of the Catholic Church!

Everyone loves drunken priests and firefighters!