Clearly, the annual Gay and Lesbian Pride parade in Metro has grown up. Now
it's time some of the participants did.
The police are, so to speak, on the horns of a dilemma.
Times have changed and no one seriously argues any more that this annual parade,
which attracted hundreds of thousands again last week to Metro, should be banned.
But total nudity is still against the law, and if that applies at the Santa
Claus Parade, then it should also apply here.
Anything less suggests precisely the kinds of double standards that weaken,
rather that strengthen, the contention of homosexuals that they just want to be
treated like everyone else.
True, following public complaints of nudity involving a few of the parade
marchers this year, the police are saying they might put a stop to the event unless
the organizers are prepared to help tone down things like bondage-slave floats and
naked participants.
But the cops are hardly being confrontational.
"We don't want to have a big fight," said 52 Division Sgt. Peter
Harmsen, who supervised this year's parade, adding he's confident the event will
be cleaned up.
"It just seems to be escalating past the point of fair play ... and common
decency," noted Harmsen. "We're certainly concerned."
Fair warning, despite the fact police brass later tried to paper over differences.
We hope parade organizers, who indicated a willingness to talk, won't cop out by
suggesting it's not their job to help the police. Why shouldn't police (and politicians)
care about indecent exposure?
Both the police and the gay and lesbian community have an interest in seeing
this annual event goes off peacefully.
Caribana organizers and police recently ironed out their differences over
security. There's no reason the same can't apply here. And spare us the rhetoric
that these are spontaneous urban festivals where the police are unwelcome or unneeded.
These parades are now major annual events and the police are there to see
they go off safely and within community standards.
On the other hand, we are getting suspicious of all these folks, who, year
after year, allegedly take their children down to the Gay and Lesbian Pride parade
and then are shocked to discover drag queens, dog leashes, and people in various
stages of undress.
For heaven's sake, if that's not your cup of tea, then don't go -- and don't
take the kids. This ain't Kansas, Dorothy.