The Parade Was On ... The Parade Was Off ... The Parade Was On

After this morning's post, still leaving a bad taste in my mouth and making my heart ache, i needed some good news. Sure, it started out bad, but it ended up just fine.

Daxx Bouvier had planned to hold a LGBT pride parade in Wausau, Wisconsin, but has decided to cancel the event in the wake of negative response from a Wausau City Council, Dave Nutting—an apt name if there ever was one—and the response from local media. Bouvier, who lives in California but owns a home in Wausau, also said people who had planned to participate in the parade told him they were concerned for their safety, so he decided to call it quits.

“I do feel a great sense of loss for the LGBT community. Canceling the parade has set Wausau back 30 years in the way people think about the gay community.”—Daxx Bouvier

One of those people who came down against the idea of a pride parade was Nutting, who, while calling The Gays “deviant-behaving individuals” told residents of the town to attend the parade, but to turn their backs to it. I’m surprised he didn’t suggest folks cover their eyes and repeat, ad nauseum, Lalalalalalalalalalalalalaalalalalalalalalalalalala…..

Sadly, Bouvier said he will not organize gay pride events in Wausau in the future, though he hopes he has paved the way for others to hold events.

And they did …..

Last Saturday--the day the pride parade was to happen--about 300 people walked in a March for Equality from Marathon Park to downtown Wausau to demonstrate their support of equal treatment for the LGBT community. The peaceful march had a festive atmosphere, with the diverse group laughing and joking, carrying flags, balloons and signs with sayings such as “Love is Love, Stop the Hate” and “All my children deserve equal rights! Gay or Straight!”

Dwaine Packard and his partner of 28 years, Chet Haatvedt, led the procession, carrying colorful gay pride flags. “We just want equality,” Packard said. “We’re tired of standing on the sidelines, and it’s time to make a stand.”

Considering the drama and controversy that stopped the Pride parade, this march was almost anti-climatic. After Daxx Bouvier cancelled the Pride parade—it is thought, also, that Bouvier hadn’t provided the city with proof of insurance—Shannon Thomas decided to organize the March for Equality.

“I felt the parade was going to be canceled. And I wanted something in case people showed up. It got really confusing, with people second-guessing my motives.”—Shannon Thomas

All the confusion and controversy may have worked in the March for Equality’s favor in the end, as this parade showed the support that the Wausau area really has for the LGBTQ community.

There was no evidence of counter-protestors or anyone turning their backs on the marchers though several people, including Keith Beck and Jeremiah Zeiset handed out Christian pamphlets and asked marchers to repent their sins.

“God loves you. ... Are you serving God?” One man told the marchers, as he held a sign that read, “Where Will You Spend Eternity?”

“We’re not here to condemn anybody,” Beck said. “We’re here to seek and save the lost. We love people and want everybody to know the truth about God.”

Not there to condemn anyone, yet holding signs suggesting The Gays would be going to Hell. Sounds so very Christ-like, except Christ never said a word about The Gays.

Shannon Thomas said she intends to organize a parade next year. “I think it’ll be a lot bigger,” she said. “This was after only a week of organization.”

Here’s hoping she does it, and here’s hoping more and more people march.

source