Anchorage's Pride Parade

[Blue_In_AK]

I've posted in other places about the struggle Anchorage is going through right now trying to get a GLBT antidiscrimination ordinance passed. We have a megachurch here, the Anchorage Baptist Temple, whose pastor has been holding this community hostage to his homophobia for over 30 years. It's a long story, but for kind of an overview of the situation, if you're interested, Phil Munger has a good post here: http://progressivealaska.blogspot.com/2009/06/saturday-alaska-progressive-blog_20.html

So in the face of all this tension in the community, it was wonderful to see a great pridefest parade and picnic downtown today. The parade lasted almost an hour, with several more participants than last year, and the spectators were highly enthusiastic. The sun even came out after a morning shower. We had a great time.

I'm going to put a gallery in my "politics" section at SmugMug, but here are a few.



The Anchorage Baptist Temple (ABT) and the other religious "anti's" have been wearing red shirts to the assembly meetings, and one furniture company even provided free red T-shirts. The 4A's say they are reclaiming the red.







This was the winning float, "Pirates of the Lesibbean."




Where's IntheFlow? You can always count on the UU's. :)

[Celebration]

1. Wow--colorful

The red truck with the balloons--priceless.