Bible Hawkers Arrested at Pride Fest in Minneapolis

Posted by Greg Laden on June 28, 2009
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The Minneapolis Gay Pride Fest is the third largest GLBTQFA festival in the country. Of which we are very proud. Which is why we call it the pride festival.

Well, yesterday, three people form Hayward Wisconsin, which seems to be in a region that is a hotbed of bible thumping yahooism, were arrested.

Previously, these three people (father, wife, son, traditional family and all that) had a booth at the fest but this year were not issued a permit. The difference between previous years and this year is how much of the park fees were paid by the pride fest organizers. This year, for the first time, the festival organizers paid the full fee instead of getting support form the part, and therefore, had the legal right to determine exactly who would be issued rights to set up a vending booth and who would not be issued a permit.

The bible thumping yahoos are all about curing teh gayz, and rescuing them from the sin of homosexuality and stuff. The equivalent would be having a holocaust denial booth at a celebration of the founding of Israel, or a creationist booth at a science education convention.

So they were denied this year and came anyway, tried to do business as usual, and were busted.

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Comments

  1. #1 MikeMa
    June 28, 2009

    Justice at work. Excellent.

  2. #2 Alcari
    June 28, 2009

    Alright, justice is served!

    Also, what does “GLBTQFA” mean? I got the first four letters, but the other three? It’s not very googlefriendly.

  3. #3 John Swindle
    June 28, 2009

    Alcari — With the passage of time, organisers have tried to become more and more inclusive, leading to a really long acronym. The ‘QFA’ part, if I’m not mistook, is “Questioning (and) Friends Alliance”.

  4. #4 Albatross
    June 28, 2009

    Now the bible-thumping yahoos get to claim to be “victims”. I’m sure they’re quite pleased.
    Well, off to Pride to catch Ellis…

  5. #5 chris mrotek
    June 28, 2009

    Just to clarify….while Hayward WI does have a few bible thumping yahoos in residence (as do most small towns in the midwest…), it is also home to many, many GLBT families and has a VERY gay-friendly atmosphere! We’re doing our best to change the attitudes of those who hate us by setting positive examples in our lives and community. JOIN US!!

    Gay in Hayward,
    Chris Mrotek

  6. #6 Greg Laden
    June 28, 2009

    Questioning, Friends and Allies.

  7. #7 Katherine
    June 28, 2009

    My first thought was that it stood for Queer For All. I’m not really sure what I was thinking. It still doesn’t make a lot of sense to me though, I understand friends and allies, but questioning?

  8. #8 MikeMa
    June 28, 2009

    Questioning sexuality, questioning authority, questioning rules meant to restrict free expression, all of the above. Questioning involves a deeper look at one’s beliefs and outlook. All very positive in a lifelong learning sort of way.

  9. #9 Alcari
    June 29, 2009

    Ahh, thanks everyone :)

  10. #10 MadScientist
    June 29, 2009

    I never imagined teh gayz needed to be cured of anything. Why do so many religions deny human nature? Oh, that’s right, they need some minority to blame for all the world’s problems and blaming the Jews is no longer fashionable.

  11. #11 Miller
    June 29, 2009

    The Fox TV news coverage I saw last night mentioned the people were arrested for handing out Bibles, but failed to mention the number of religious groups that were included in the festivities. It perpetuates the impression that being gay is anti-religion which is not true for all gay people.

  12. #12 White Rider
    June 29, 2009

    Well wherever Christians are not wanted opens up plenty of opportunity? Good to know, maybe someone now will hold a festival where gays and gender benders are not welcome and be arrested. Too cool!!

    http://PushBackNow.com

  13. #13 White Rider
    June 29, 2009

    Well wherever Christians are not wanted opens up plenty of opportunity? Good to know, maybe someone now will hold a festival where gays and gender benders are not welcome and be arrested. Too cool!! The gays I know are very intolerant of my faith. We get along, but they are closed minded, egregious and aggressive. Just like these losers in MN.

    http://PushBackNow.com

  14. #14 catgirl
    June 29, 2009

    Christians are welcome at the gay pride festival. Homophobic Christians that are just there to lecture gay people are not welcome there. Do not make the mistake of thinking that homophobia and Christian are redundant. There are plenty of loving Christians, and even homosexual Christians.

  15. #15 Stephanie Z
    June 29, 2009

    White Rider, perhaps you should get to know more gay people. And I do mean get to know, not lecture.

  16. #16 White Rider
    June 29, 2009

    Stephanie Z, I am a bi-coastal Christian, media and content consultant, I work in NY and the Bay area of CA, I know hundreds of gays, they are the ones who have taught me to lecture, so don’t you lecture me about lecturing, thank you.
    This is the beginning of the end for them. Hallelujah!!

    http://PushBackNow.com

  17. #17 Greg Laden
    June 29, 2009

    White Rider: And your point is?

  18. #18 Stephanie Z
    June 29, 2009

    Why do I think a media consultant should know how to use a period?

  19. #19 Jason Thibeault
    June 29, 2009

    White Rider, perchance were you in the process of telling them they were going to Hell, or campaigning against their fight for equal rights, when they started lecturing you? I’m just suggesting maybe they aren’t the ones firing the first salvo. As soon as your privilege to do whatever you want to do in the privacy of your own home with your consenting loved ones are abrogated, as soon as you are no longer free to congregate in your church and talk about your god, as soon as you are no longer free to choose to be with the person you love, come talk to us. We’ll fight for your rights too. Until then, stop complaining about people being intolerant of your right to bash them and subjugate them.