I have been to Essex. It is exactly what you would think it would be. Shit town full of shitty people
SW Iowa town removes LGBTQ+ group from Labor Day parade
- Thread starter gohawks50
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Democrats are big mad that people recognize this behavior as disgusting. Sorry you can't get naked and dance in front of kids, guys. It must be hard on you all.
This wasn't a pride parade and I sincerely doubt they would try to pull that in Essex, IA pop. 700.
In Magastan you are allowed to live and speak freely as long as you do it in the acceptable way to the mullahs.
The parade is put on by the local government, not a private company.
That isn't how it works when the government is doing something.
Did you watch the video? No one in their group looked any different than other parade participants.
You think there was a time when dinky small town Iowa would have been happy about it?
It is what it is. Progress is Iowa’s larger communities having multi day pride festivals. When several do.
Things have come a long way. To not recognize that and just shit on everything is ridiculous.
Progress is recognizable. As time goes there will be more.
I recognize contempt when I see it. Once upon a time there was a Iowa where people were respectful towards each other and minded their own business. Yes, even in a small town.
But the government was directly involved in censorship efforts on Twitter and Facebook and I was still told that if I didn't like it I could make my own twitter?
The government made a request of a private company, it did not force them.
According to the statement, the anti- people were banned too, the "anti-gay assholes" were in the same boat.
Tough call for the town. I see their concern, but at the end of the day it's a few seconds anyone sees that group in the parade, so why make an issue of it after you've said all are welcome?
When I take kids to parades, the last thing I want to see is political crap. I'd be totally cool if they banned all political hot-button causes, pro or anti... Guns, abortion, LGBTQ+, even political parties and individual candidates. None of them add value to parades, which are geared for the entertainment of children. Let the local towing companies throw out candy, the local baton twirling studio march the kids through the parade, local little league teams, the high school band, fire dept, daycare, etc.
I read it as the anti had not signed up but the town government recognized that if they had then they would have to ban them too.
I can somewhat sympathize if the town doesn't want any political or controversial stuff in their parade. But there are a few problems I have with that.
1. This rule just seems to have been made up when the gays wanted to be in the parade. It was never made clear before that. To me this is a pretty big deal. Changing the rules, especially last minute because you don't like the results has become a worrying norm in our society. It feels to me that this is what they have done here.
2. Just about anything can be considered controversial these days.
Wasn’t long ago Obama was against gay marriage. But go ahead and keep judging history by today’s barometer
You expect small town rural America to be at the same speed as a black African American politician.
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The government paid them.. And beyond that, you think it is acceptable for the government to ask others to censor people on their behalf? Is that your actual stance?
Absolutely. During World War 2 the government would regularly ask newspapers to censor their coverage to not give away any potential secrets.
In this case I think trying to stop the spread of mis-information is not a bad thing.
The hunter biden laptop was absolutely truthful. Just a single example of the leftist power structure censoring truthful content they didn't like.. your comparison to this scenario doesn't work in any capacity.
According to the statement:
“Out of concern for the safety of the public and that of Essex Labor Day parade participants, the City of Essex has determined…”
In other words, they’re worried about violence directed at gay parade participants and attendees by people who can’t handle such an affront to their small-town values. Unless one believes the pro-gay crowd is planning on a rampage.
Yes, I am. I was born in 1950. I came up in the 1960's in rural Iowa. The two towns closest to us both had well know drag performers...it was considerd entertainment then. Iowa has changed even if you don't want to admit it. People think that what the other guy is doing is somehow their business now too. The "Try That In A Small Town" mentality thrives where the corn grows in Iowa.
They probably do the route twice so it isn’t over in 4 minutes…
I agree with #1. I think that's really what's at issue for me. You can't say all are welcome and then decide that...well maybe not ALL...
If it's set out in a policy beforehand...great.
As to #2, yeah it's true, but there's a pretty clear delineation between the types of issues that are real hot-button issues and the kinds of "controversy" that a standard Karen cooks up on the neighborhood Facebook page. This is what leadership is charged with figuring out. Unfortunately for the children of many towns, they'll just opt to cancel parades altogether rather than deal with it.
Are you suggesting a LGBTQ parade entry would have been better received in 1960s rural Iowa?
Here's the register article about it:
A local LGBTQ pride group was excluded from a southwest Iowa town's Labor Day parade, apparently by the city's mayor, who cited safety concerns.
Shenandoah Pride planned to have a small group walking with a banner and a drag performer riding in a convertible, with candy, popsicles and stickers to hand out in the parade in Essex, Iowa, said Jessa Bears, a founding member of the group. The parade is part of a four-day festival in Essex, which has about 720 residents.
Ryan Fuller, who planned to ride in the convertible as his drag identity Cherry Peaks, said he received an email Thursday from the parade's organizer notifying him of the decision.
Fuller told The Associated Press that Essex Mayor Calvin Kinney spearheaded the decision, with no motions or City Council vote. Council Member Heather Thornton, who disagreed with the move, said “it was the mayor himself,” and added she was told he had the authority and didn't need a council vote.
Kinney did not immediately respond to an email from the AP regarding the decision. The AP's phone calls to City Attorney Mahlon Sorensen went unanswered.
Bears said the decision left her feeling “really shocked and angry, then just very sad and motivated to get the word out,” she told the AP. “This ban has done more for our visibility than the parade alone ever would have.”
Shenandoah Pride sought to be in the parade to “let people know there is a queer community in southwest Iowa that they can be a part of,” Bears said.
The groups that organized the festivities “fully supported their efforts and (are) just as upset as everyone else that they were excluded,” said Thornton, who is on the board of the club that had unanimously allowed the pride group to join the parade.
The ACLU of Iowa sent the city attorney a letter Saturday urging the city to let the group participate. The letter included a Thursday email from the mayor that cited safety of the public and parade participants in not allowing “parade participants geared toward the promotion of, or opposition to, the politically charged topic of gender and/or sexual identification/orientation." Thornton said she knew of no threats.
Despite the parade decision, Shenandoah Pride does have a vendor booth at the festival.
Fuller said community members offered their yard as space for group members to watch the parade, and some people planned to wear pride shirts in the parade to show solidarity.
The group canceled its convertible for the parade, he said. "An apology would sure be nice,” Fuller added.
So the mayor made the decision himself. The parade organizers were against excluding the group and the threats were hypothetical.
A local LGBTQ pride group was excluded from a southwest Iowa town's Labor Day parade, apparently by the city's mayor, who cited safety concerns.
Shenandoah Pride planned to have a small group walking with a banner and a drag performer riding in a convertible, with candy, popsicles and stickers to hand out in the parade in Essex, Iowa, said Jessa Bears, a founding member of the group. The parade is part of a four-day festival in Essex, which has about 720 residents.
Ryan Fuller, who planned to ride in the convertible as his drag identity Cherry Peaks, said he received an email Thursday from the parade's organizer notifying him of the decision.
Fuller told The Associated Press that Essex Mayor Calvin Kinney spearheaded the decision, with no motions or City Council vote. Council Member Heather Thornton, who disagreed with the move, said “it was the mayor himself,” and added she was told he had the authority and didn't need a council vote.
Kinney did not immediately respond to an email from the AP regarding the decision. The AP's phone calls to City Attorney Mahlon Sorensen went unanswered.
Bears said the decision left her feeling “really shocked and angry, then just very sad and motivated to get the word out,” she told the AP. “This ban has done more for our visibility than the parade alone ever would have.”
Shenandoah Pride sought to be in the parade to “let people know there is a queer community in southwest Iowa that they can be a part of,” Bears said.
The groups that organized the festivities “fully supported their efforts and (are) just as upset as everyone else that they were excluded,” said Thornton, who is on the board of the club that had unanimously allowed the pride group to join the parade.
The ACLU of Iowa sent the city attorney a letter Saturday urging the city to let the group participate. The letter included a Thursday email from the mayor that cited safety of the public and parade participants in not allowing “parade participants geared toward the promotion of, or opposition to, the politically charged topic of gender and/or sexual identification/orientation." Thornton said she knew of no threats.
Despite the parade decision, Shenandoah Pride does have a vendor booth at the festival.
Fuller said community members offered their yard as space for group members to watch the parade, and some people planned to wear pride shirts in the parade to show solidarity.
The group canceled its convertible for the parade, he said. "An apology would sure be nice,” Fuller added.
LGBTQ pride group excluded from southwest Iowa town's Labor Day parade
A local LGBTQ pride group was excluded from a southwest Iowa town's Labor Day parade, apparently by the city's mayor, who cited safety concerns.
www.desmoinesregister.com
So the mayor made the decision himself. The parade organizers were against excluding the group and the threats were hypothetical.
wow bigot mayorHere's the register article about it:
A local LGBTQ pride group was excluded from a southwest Iowa town's Labor Day parade, apparently by the city's mayor, who cited safety concerns.
Shenandoah Pride planned to have a small group walking with a banner and a drag performer riding in a convertible, with candy, popsicles and stickers to hand out in the parade in Essex, Iowa, said Jessa Bears, a founding member of the group. The parade is part of a four-day festival in Essex, which has about 720 residents.
Ryan Fuller, who planned to ride in the convertible as his drag identity Cherry Peaks, said he received an email Thursday from the parade's organizer notifying him of the decision.
Fuller told The Associated Press that Essex Mayor Calvin Kinney spearheaded the decision, with no motions or City Council vote. Council Member Heather Thornton, who disagreed with the move, said “it was the mayor himself,” and added she was told he had the authority and didn't need a council vote.
Kinney did not immediately respond to an email from the AP regarding the decision. The AP's phone calls to City Attorney Mahlon Sorensen went unanswered.
Bears said the decision left her feeling “really shocked and angry, then just very sad and motivated to get the word out,” she told the AP. “This ban has done more for our visibility than the parade alone ever would have.”
Shenandoah Pride sought to be in the parade to “let people know there is a queer community in southwest Iowa that they can be a part of,” Bears said.
The groups that organized the festivities “fully supported their efforts and (are) just as upset as everyone else that they were excluded,” said Thornton, who is on the board of the club that had unanimously allowed the pride group to join the parade.
The ACLU of Iowa sent the city attorney a letter Saturday urging the city to let the group participate. The letter included a Thursday email from the mayor that cited safety of the public and parade participants in not allowing “parade participants geared toward the promotion of, or opposition to, the politically charged topic of gender and/or sexual identification/orientation." Thornton said she knew of no threats.
Despite the parade decision, Shenandoah Pride does have a vendor booth at the festival.
Fuller said community members offered their yard as space for group members to watch the parade, and some people planned to wear pride shirts in the parade to show solidarity.
The group canceled its convertible for the parade, he said. "An apology would sure be nice,” Fuller added.
LGBTQ pride group excluded from southwest Iowa town's Labor Day parade
A local LGBTQ pride group was excluded from a southwest Iowa town's Labor Day parade, apparently by the city's mayor, who cited safety concerns.www.desmoinesregister.com
So the mayor made the decision himself. The parade organizers were against excluding the group and the threats were hypothetical.
Yeah, I gotta say, when I think bigotry and prejudice - rural Iowa (or any other backwoods podunk area) pretty much hits the top of my list of offenders.
