Today is the beginning of the Iris Pride Festival(the only event is the unveiling of the AIDS quilt.) City Hall has the lone protester picketing that "homosexuality is morally wrong." He's been out there for the past two weeks. This festival is here to let gays and lesbians know that we are an open-minded community and all are welcome to visit. I'm very liberal minded and think this will be a boost to the economy. My only objection is the gay pride parade. I'm not anti-gay. I only object because past parades I've seen had participants performing lude acts (one I saw on TV showed one participant wearing nothing but leather chaps bend over and another simulate sodomy with a giant blow-up dick.) Plus we don't have "heterosexual pride" parades. I'm not against the gay and lesbian community wanting to be together. Hell I wish Oregon would have allowed gay marriage. We do have a domestic partnership law that allows partners to make decisions in the event of a tragedy. I'm going to check out the festivities. I might even check out the parade. I do hope that we get some tourist dollars here. Plus it coincides with Surf City (the car show at Chinook Winds Casino.) The Beach Boys will be playing on Friday and Saturday. So if you don't want to go to the Iris Pride there's an "alternative" (get it...alternative...LOL.)
'nuff said.