1. too important a message for a saturday....

Posted at 10:42AM on Jul 28th 2007 by Patrick

2. Bubbie,
You are confusing apples and oranges in the false dichotomy of what you are labeling as "Pride". On the True Blue coasts (including the Great Lakes) Pride has turned into Gay Fest! In the Bloody Red states it is still a basic civil rights act of visibility. You cannot fault the engine for entering the station before the caboose. (Lord how I loves me the metaphor.)

Posted at 1:09PM on Jul 28th 2007 by chandler in hollywood

3. Pride was once about dignity, not braggadaccio. I attribute much of this brouhaha to the death of decorum in the public arena. We must be aware of the public eye, the omnipresent media. A picture worth 1000 words can doom the most reasoned arguments. The urban community forgets that what plays in their hood is not the way the rest of the world rolls, and many times revels in it to the detriment of the global movement. If I remember correctly, San Diego is a Navy town. While the gymfectas prance, many steamed sailor parents are making similar judgements of the "gay agenda" as their sympaticos in Rockton. We do not live in a vacuum. Dignity engenders respect; confrontation invites conflagration.

Posted at 7:33AM on Jul 29th 2007 by Robert E Kelly

4. Perhaps we could have two parades? One called "gay pride" and one called "naked gays on floats parade" or "I'm proud of my ass day". So what if gay teens have a hard time? It's pretty obvious that a lot of L's and G's have been working out and want everyone to see the fruits of their labor. Could it be that we're ready for an open discussion on this topic? BTW - my girlfriend totally disagrees with me on this one. I say, "why give them the bullets for the gun?" and she says, "they'll get the bullets regardless of what we do". She is probably right, however I do believe it's time for us all to have the big talk.
PS - Richard, I saw the Sandler movie and want GLAAD to refund my money and my time.

Posted at 10:59AM on Jul 29th 2007 by Susan Norfleet

5. Susan: It's interesting to read how GLAAD has defended itself. Their commentary on this shines a bright light on just how far removed they can be from reality. They need to shed their suits, turn off their air conditioners and get back in the streets where stereotypes are killing our children.

http://www.glaad.org/eye/ChuckAndLarry.php

Posted at 11:10AM on Jul 29th 2007 by Richard

6. Richard - I'd love you to see my review, just posted. You were nicer than I was.

Posted at 1:32PM on Jul 29th 2007 by Susan Norfleet

7. Quite simply this is a sad story and it will be made even worse if it turns out that one or more of the children of those 15 parents turnes out to be gay, and just afriad of telling their parents for the obvious reason. I wonder how many of these parents would change their stand if they did find out their child was gay. I know when I came out it changed the opinions of some of my family from bashers to supporters. I only hope that is the case for any similar families across this country. I know it is hardly a universal truth, but my comming out brought new supporters from the straight community, maybe, and i do mean maybe cause i really don't know, if more closeted people came out to friends and family there would be that much more support for us. In any case I was lucky enough that that was my experiance.

Posted at 9:12PM on Aug 18th 2007 by Dave

8. chandler-

I don't understand how you perceive this as a "false dichotomy." Everything is connected. Everything is inseperable. The point is that the party, or as you put it "Gay Fest!," that liberal-coast Pride has turned into, is the image that red state, homophobic conservatives point to time and again as an example for why they won't allow a gay-straight alliance in their schools.

Blaming the engine won't help. But the engine and caboose should both put in some effort to meet in the middle, or neither is going to make it.

Posted at 5:27PM on Aug 23rd 2007 by courtney