Pride Weekend in Portland

[gratuitous]

Delightful weekend, decent weather at least for the parade. If you watched KGW, you saw someone being interviewed for people of faith marching in the Pride Parade. Right behind her was our church banner in glorious blue and white, being carried by yer old pal gratuitous and the lovely Lady gratuitous. Unfortunately, we didn't get any face time (that I could see), but casual watchers would have thought the interviewee belonged to our church.

We also attended the Saturday evening performance of the Portland Gay Men's Chorus, featuring the world premiere of a pro-peace cantata "Brave Souls and Dreamers." In attendance were the two men who penned the piece, as well as former governor and mistress of ceremonies Barbara Roberts and current governor Ted Kulongoski.

We were definitely not in Kansas.

[swag]

1. This is the first PDX Pride in years that I've missed.

I'm glad it was good!

[gratuitous]

2. The dingbats didn't miss it, though

For the first time in -- I dunno, four years? -- the dingbats with their "burn in hell" signs were back. One particularly animated fellow seemed to single me out on Broadway, just past the reviewing stand. Thankfully, I couldn't hear a word he was saying because of all the noise, so I just smiled my biggest at him and gave him a peace sign while I carried our banner past him.

There were some others just past the Morrison Bridge on Front Avenue, and they were given a lavish escort off the parade route shortly after we finished. The community has taken to largely ignoring these clowns, much to their credit. They represent a vanishing minority view, and will soon elicit more curiosity and pity than any outright opposition, sort of like Flat-Earthers.

[Parche]

3. march

I missed it again this year.....

Doesnt it make you mad that the news only shows the 'drag' queens and the transgenders,
but never the other people.........