On behalf of the people of the city of Amarillo, Panhandle Truth Squad would like to apologize to the local daily for not conforming to the paper’s narrow stereotypes and simple plotlines.
The Amarillo Globe-News, naturally, chose the most obvious, stereotypical picture to illustrate its item on Saturday’s Pride Day in Thompson Park. Whatever, but, as usual, their picture didn’t tell anything like the complete story. There were a couple of drag queens and butch lesbians in the park. But for the most part it was a fairly ordinary event. A number of booths for local organizations (PASO, Family Support Services, Potter-Randall Demo Club) provided information, and several local businesses sold their wares at their own booths. There was the inevitable silent auction. People played volleyball. Families with children listened to music. Ginger Leigh rocked. The mayor spoke. And like that.
I only go to the trouble of saying all this, because the event was so very freaking far from the event conjured in the feverish imagination of our trolls, who have insisted in their comments that Pride events are Bacchanalian orgies, populated by thousands of sweaty and shirtless Freddy Mercury and Village People clones. And GLBT groups shouldn’t have to keep all of their events perfectly tame any more than do fraternities or conventions of dentists in Las Vegas. But, this event . . . the fiancée and I had to drive around the park several times to find it. An Owens-Corning picnic and several family reunions were also in progress, and all the gatherings looked pretty much the same. Pride Day was just another day in the park with fun, family, and friends. In the end, only one thing distinguished it from a straight event. The beer and wine and food were better.
spacedark
Kickin' Wookies
The Mayor
Ginger Leigh
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