Comments on: Judge: anti-gay activist can’t be kept out of pride event

By: Joe Allen Doty

Joe Allen Doty — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 02:56:04 +0000

I have been to a Tulsa Diversity Pride Festival and Parade in several years; but, when folks like Fred Phelps’ cult church and others showed up, they were NOT allowed on city park property. But, they could stand on the nearby sidewalks which were across the street.

And the anti-gays could be on the sidewalks and public property along the parade route. But, they were not supposed to step on the street and interfere with the parade.

In 2001, an anti-gay “Christian” group who looked like Hell’s Angels bikers were on the parade route and I was on a float in the parade. They used bull horns to use vulgar and pornographic words against those in the parade. They even carried signs that had those words on them.

By: Jason D

Jason D — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:30:23 +0000

John, I look at it more from a Free Speech perspective.

For example, is Roger Ebert allowed to post his review of “Spider-Man 4″ in the middle of the movie itself?

Should Fred Phelps be allowed to protest a Public-University Production of “Corpus Christi” from the front row of the theatre?

To respect the rights of both groups, he should’ve been allowed to speak and distribute his bibles, OUTSIDE the event.

If you look at our history of protesting, it’s very clear that protestors are allowed to peaceably assemble outside the event or company they are in disagreement with.

To allow them inside the venue, event, building interferes with the 1st Amendment rights of those they criticize.

Picture it, Orly Taitz protesting Obama—from inside the Oval Office during one of his televised addresses! Would we be able to understand either one of them?

By: John in MN

John in MN — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:52:17 +0000

I agree with free speech rights, but in light of this situation let me ask the following: should white supremcists be allowed to promote their ideas at black civil rights celebrations?

No matter how you slice it, hate is hate. It shouldn’t be tolerated anywhere.

By: Jason D

Jason D — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:36:36 +0000

apparently someone else decided to help them out with their screechy protest.

Another loss for the 1st Amendment Rights of gay people.

By: (the real) andrew

(the real) andrew — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:51:32 +0000

i don’t know what to make of this because i don’t know what the relevant laws are in regards to controlling access to the park once rented. my gut says that the pride event should be treated the same as any other event. in other words:

if other groups which rent the park have the right to bar protesters or those “against message” from being present, then the gay group should, as well.

if other groups do NOT have the right to exclude protesters, then the gay group shouldn’t, either.

but i’ve never understood definitively what the law actually is.

as others have pointed out, though, the situation with the Boy scouts and parade, while highly irksome, are not very good analogies for this.

By: anteros

anteros — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 20:35:35 +0000

Here’s suggested theme for TC Pride:

“There’s an anti-gay queen in my closet”

haggard, rekers… the list is endless. with so many anti-gay queens to impersonate, who needs elvis?

alternatively, have a bunch of anti-gay closet queen impersonators with their own banners (like “Nobody Knows I’m Gay” and “Please Out Me!”) trailing behind the bears.

…just a suggestion.

By: EZam

EZam — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 19:53:09 +0000

I say allow him to say anything he wants about gays, but they should have other people near him to respond: an atheist/freethinking group, or some pro-gays that would ridicule and refute everything that guy claims. Let’s see if he wants to keep doing that, or at best, change his mind.

By: Jason D

Jason D — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 17:36:41 +0000

So I guess the next time Phelps wants to protest “Corpus Cristi” or “The Laramie Project” they are allowed to hold their protest onstage during the production? Or at the very least in the front row of the house, right?

By: Jonathan Oz

Jonathan Oz — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 16:28:30 +0000

I still believe the best sort of response is the sort implemented at Long Beach, CA Pride in response to the Westboro idiots showing up , and discussed in Jim Burroughs’ article on Box Turtle Bulletin of May 15 of this year.

By: customartist

customartist — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 15:31:45 +0000

More simply asked:

What is a group paying for when renting a public space?

Why not just let all of the “individuals” show up, and let the City sue SOMEONE for Whatever?