Inconsistencies in Anoka (MN) parade's denial of gay youth group

[goodhue]

Source: Minnesota Public Radio

Inconsistencies in Anoka parade's denial of gay youth group
by Madeleine Baran, Minnesota Public Radio

October 10, 2012

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Organizers of the annual Anoka Halloween Parade denied the request of a gay youth group to walk in the parade in late September, claiming that the maximum number of "walking units" had been reached, but city records show organizers did not submit a request for a parade license until today.

Justin's Gift, a nonprofit group created to support gay youth after several suicides in the Anoka-Hennepin School District, received a letter dated Sept. 25 denying their request to walk in the Oct. 27 parade. The letter is signed by the parade chair, who included only her first name, Liz.

"At this time we are unable to accept your application for the parade," the letter said. "We have reached our maximum for walking units."

However, the application for the parade license, obtained by MPR News, was not submitted until today — 15 days after Justin's Gift was told the parade was full.

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Read more: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/10/10/news/anoka-halloween-parade-folo/

[FiveGoodMen]

1. Anoka.

A horrifying wasteland just to the north of where I live.

And a repudiation of 'Minnesota Nice'

Fuck Anoka.

[Angry Dragon]

2. Liz is an ass

[LeftyMom]

3. That would be the Anoka that gave the world a teen suicide cluster and Congresswoman Bachmann?

Sounds like a heck of a town.

[KurtNYC]

4. Just for the parade application, change the name of the organization to: Teens 4 Abstinence

see if they "have room" then.

[azurnoir]

5. Michelle Bachmann's stompin' ground

not a surprise really, she also graduated from Anoka High, more on the issue of Gay teens and suicide at Anoka High

[Simeon Salus]

8. Gretchen Carlson's high school too

She was valedictorian in 1984.

Her father runs Lee Carlson's Main Motors on Main Street in Anoka. The parade runs straight (sorry) down Main.

He'd have lost his dealership in 2009 except... (wait for it)

...Obama bailed out GM.

Ironies abound.

[rebuke]

6. The following applies:

"The fundamental cause of trouble in the world is that the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt."
- Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)

[patrice]

7. Sounds like the kind of place where, even if you did picket or do something else to embarass them

publicly, it wouldn't work, because it would be taken as bragging rights for Liz et al by most of the town?