"If Seattle has one defining characteristic, it’s the inability to reach anything approaching consensus on any issue, no matter how large or trivial."

That's the 'real' meaning here. End of story.

I do like the idea of a block party over Pride Weekend though.

The Hill is where it should start - only the ending should be in discussion.

I'm normally one to argue against such stereotypes, but....

And frankly the parade as a defining moment of who I am is really pretty shallow. There are a great many things that I am (gay, trumpet player, Stephanie Miller fan, son, brother ect) that are defined by one thing and that is me. Maybe that is ultimate narcisism but in the end of it all I have to answer to myself. Not to a parade.

This is the call for the community to grow up and leave the next boys and girls. Parades were great in the 1970's when we were finding ourselves. And guess what? We have found ourselves and achieved a certian amount of civil liberties this past week. The next big step is not going to be done by parades or rallies.

The gay commnity was origninally held together (and in many ways still is) by oppression of the rest of the society. Unlike other communities we are diverse in our ethinicities, and other socio-economic make up as a community. As gays and lesbians achieve equality more and more the unifiying nature of our community becomes less and less.

At some point the issue of sexual orientation will not even be an issue in anyone's minds or hearts. It will be a case of two people attracted to each other pursuing something with one another. And at that point would we still need a parade?

Maybe there's something in the Starbuck's coffee or everybody's depressed by all the rain or something. Because ours is a huge success every year despite the fact that the organizers typically can't find their asses with both hands on a good day.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Before Seattle Center can be a viable location for the Pride rally, the pricing schedule needs to be revamped to accommodate constitutionally-protected events. Pride should work with the city council to pass such a law.

Eli asks a good question:

Is retreating back to Capitol Hill simply adding embarrassing, self-inflicted insult to embarrassing, self-inflicted injury?

Yes, but not as embarrassing as watching a downtown parade wither away over a period of years for lack of funds. Unless Pride finds major corporate sponsorship, the rally is necessary to pay for the parade through vendor fees, drink sales, and donations bins). Other than Seattle Center, Myrtle Edwards Park is worth considering but it has some major drawbacks. This isn't to say it can't work downtown this year, just that we haven't found a good plan yet.

The most important thing here is have a big, well-produced, and sustainable pride parade. And for the organization to develop the major sponsorship it needs. And then to move into Seattle Center.

A calculated strategy like that would be symbolic of a movement worth supporting. Chasing dreams on matters of principle without a strategy to make those dreams a reality, and then watching those dreams crumble in a public spectacle, is symbolic of an immature movement. It looks like Pride already made that mistake once, let's be wise and avoid doing it again.

They can throw hissies and be giant wanks about it, but honestly, it's the organizers' own damn fault that they're bankrupt.

Hopefully someone will pick it up, move it back to the Hill, where it's had a history of success, not have such an ego about needing to be Downtown or in Seattle Center, and just focus on rebuilding the Pride parade's success. Being a bunch of bitches about this isn't going to solve anything.

@ 5: “One stereotype my born-again mother always held about gays was that they always made a huge, crazy amount of drama over things that could be easily resolved.”

-Meet-

@ 13: “And if you think for a moment that just because YOU don't suffer discrimination, that there's no need for this little festivity - that's its past it's prime and relevancy - I have two words for you: Weimar Republic.”

-Discuss amongst yourselves

But that in no way means a downtown parade is a bad idea.

Everything about the LGBT Community center takeover reeks of fighting over the inheritance before the corpse is even cold.

I think that the LGBT Community Center is a great resource. I have no problem with the general premise of needing to raise money. Non-profit does not mean they run on pixy dust. They still need money to operate, and fundraising is a core function of any successful non-profit.

But seizing this as an opportunity to yank the parade back to the hill without even a whiff of a discussion over whether or not that is a good idea or something the community supports is completely wrongheaded. I see no reason why they couldn't carry on planning a parade downtown, and fundraise off of that.

Hey LGBT Community Center: take off the blinders. Not every homo in the Puget Sound region lives on Capitol Hill! We don't have to restrict ourselves to one neighborhood ghetto. The downtown parade is a lot more fun.

Instead of just jumping to the LGTB Community Center (a group that arguably may have had a hand in SOaPs demise), why not look around and see if there are any groups in the Gay Community that actually have a track record of pulling off complex and expensive community events that involve nurturing sponsorship relationships.

One such organization comes to mind (WAY before the LGTB Community Center), Three Dollar Bill Cinema, the organizers of the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. I doubt that they could ever be convinced to wade into this cesspool, but man wouldn’t it be a blessing to the community if they would pick this up and fix it…

As far as reduced pricing for "first admendment" events at the Center, careful what you wish for. Does anyone really want to see Hutcherson and his "prayer warriors" holding "save marriage" or "love won out" hatefest at the Center, knowing that said hatefest is subsidized by reduced rates? Can anyone explain any legally defensible reason why Pride would qualify for reduced rates, but Hutcherson's group would not?

Lets start a letter writing campaign to convince them that “other events” could (should (oh please god please)) include Pride day.

Here is their contact info:

info@seattlequeerfilm.org

Three Dollar Bill Cinema
Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
1122 E. Pike St. #1313
Seattle, WA 98122
206-323-4274 phone
206-323-4275 fax

The more I think about it the more I am convinced that they may be the only fully functional, mature, fiscally responsible gay group with the professional expertise to do anything like what needs to be done. Lets through our selves on their mercy…

I’d much rather go to a party hosted and organized by the film community than a retirement community any day… think about it.

They #26-"have a track record of pulling off complex and expensive community events that involve nurturing sponsorship relationships" and organinize a lot of volunteers through the organizations they work with and they have relationships with sponsors.

Have you been on the cruise in August? Take a look here...

ttca.org

Now they can throw a party.

I've never written a "Dear John" letter. I wish it didn't have to be this way...

On your first point: You're not dense, but a little naive, perhaps. Raising $100,000 from a benefit would take a miracle. In general, producing fundraisers (especially big ones with the potential to raise big bucks) requires a sizable up-front investment, months for planning, and a team of people with professional production experience. At this point, Pride lacks all three. So I don't believe this financial squeeze indicates a "justified death due to lack of community support." Rather, considering the huge turnout last year, I think it's a sign support for Pride has exceeded the organizers' expertise.

To your next point: Yes, it would still be worth changing the rules at Seattle Center to accommodate certain constitutionally-protected rallies, even if it means Hutch and his cronies could hold an event there. But that would never happen because to qualify for a fee waiver under this proposal, an event would need to have already outgrown other Seattle parks. I doubt a homophobia rally could ever fill Volunteer Park.

Dom

I realize that a full-blown, entertainment, fancy dinner & tuxes type fundraiser is unrealistic, but how effort would it take for a few local websites popular with the lgbt community (hello Slog!) to throw up a pay-pal tip jar and try and collect the money absent the fancy dinner etc? I mean I haven't attended Pride in years, but I'd probably be willing to kick in a few bucks, seems to me more than likely that there would be a few thousand readers willing to do the same.

Hell, if the Stranger organized such Pride-Saving endeavor, I don't see why they couldn't get naming rights in exchange. So we could have Seattle Pride brought to you by The Stranger, or the Stranger Seattle Pride, rather than just a bunch of bitching, moaning from Dan Savage et all.