It’s a carnival of carnal desires? It’s a parade of fun for all the family except maybe mind the children? It’s an abhorrence to any sober homosexual? Just WHAT is Gay Pride – which takes place in Belfast today?

An MLA has praised Belfast’s largest cross-community carnival for “tackling prejudice” as the parade takes to the streets today.

Gay Pride 2011, which adopts a funfair theme this year, kicks off from Custom House Square at 2pm. Numbers are expected to surpass last year’s crowds, which saw 15,000 walk alongside floats on the official route – up Royal Avenue, around the City Hall, down Castle Place and back to a family area at its starting point. Alliance leader David Ford has given the event his full backing and congratulated organisers on the festival’s success, which has seen several gay-themed events held across the city in the run-up.

He said: “Belfast Pride is an exciting event and I want to wish everyone who is taking part well. ”Belfast Pride and groups associated with the event help greatly in tackling prejudice and this is essential to help build the genuinely shared society that Northern Ireland needs and deserves. It promotes respect and ensures diversity is celebrated.” Lord Mayor Niall O Donnghaille will join the parade around the City Hall

First, let’s dismiss the opportunistic liberal trash from Ford. If he believes in the “shared society” dross he drones on about, does he not see the exclusionist nature of “gay-themed” events? Second, where is the pride in this? How does this “tackle prejudice”?

Listen, I take the view that a persons sexuality is THEIR private business. I have no desire to intrude or be judgmental. However I see this troupe going through Belfast as undignified and as in the instance above, clearly offensive. I do not understand WHY a section of those who are gay need to display it. I see no need for a Straight Pride parade nor do I see a need for a Gay Pride parade. I know it plays well in liberal circles to indulge this – hence Ford’s commentary. Well, let him dress up as per below and I might take him…as seriously as I do at the moment.

Tolerance is the key to a decent society. Gay people are protected under the law and if anything this minority is given  greater rights than heterosexual people. (See under persecution of Bed and Breakfast Hotel owners). I do not OBJECT to the parade, it is a free society but I think it is bizarre and do not understand how it makes gay people feel better. Have they some sort of inner guilt that makes them flaunt their sexuality in this way, for example? Or, is this just evidence that gay people are as capable of public inanity as straight people? As a poor Christian, I accept we are all flawed and sinning. I am not judging anyone who attends this Parade, they will be answerable to a higher judge than me.

Glad to see at least 22 GOP representatives found the backbone to say NO to Boehner’s ludicrous “plan”. You can read about them here.

I note Bachmann stuck to her guns on this – which definitely earns her extra kudos. Equally, I am sure if Perry or Palin were in the House they too would have rejected the woeful weakness that Boehner came up with. Anyway, I see that no Dems supported Boehners non-plan, preferring their own lunacy. I hope we get to the Obama generated faux deadline on August 2nd without a deal.

The US HAS to learn that it cannot spend what it does not have. Austerity is a word Democrats and Republicans seem to recoil from but that does not invalidate the essential truth that raising debt is a hopeless strategy for reducing debt.

I am sure that All Seeing Eye will have a view on this!

It was a sporting occasion for children that organisers boasted would ‘unite nations’. More than 170 teams of 11-year-olds from 21 countries travelled to Spain for the football tournament. But it seems the Spanish hosts couldn’t stop politics getting in the way of children’s sport – specifically their long-standing grievance with Britain over Gibraltar. A diplomatic row has now erupted after the Foreign Office complained to Spanish authorities that an attempt was made to stop the Gibraltar team from displaying their flag on a pre-tournament parade. The youngsters were also stopped from taking part in the opening ceremony and were booed.

I see that a ban on smoking in cars carrying children under 16 could be introduced early next year in the Republic.

The Irish department of health is preparing proposals for the new laws, which are also being mooted in other countries. The move has been welcomed by anti-smoking groups but they warned that legislation will have to be accompanied by a public education campaign. However, the plans were criticised by a smokers’ lobby group, which said it unnecessarily impinged on private space.

Well, I do not smoke but I COMPLETELY reject this invasion by the State into private property. How dare they tell us what to do in OUR cars! The Nanny State seems very active in the Republic and this latest extension of its malignant tendrils is offensive and should be rejected by all who value liberty. I have heard advocates of this smoking ban accuse parents of “child abuse” for smoking in the car but it’s simple none of theiR business. The State continually seeks to act as Parent, it is not. It should be our Servant.

The Judge should be imprisoned for stupidity beyond the call of duty;

A judge has let a paedophile teacher walk free after telling him she did not criticise him for being attracted to children. Supply teacher David Armstrong had admitted hoarding more than 4,500 indecent images of children. But handing the 63-year-old pervert a suspended sentence, Judge Mary Jane Mowat said: ‘I don’t criticise you for being a teacher who’s attracted to children.

Note the way she puts this. The blame is not on the paedophile but if anything on the child. Sickening. Part of our problem is a liberal judiciary who seem bereft of common sense.

Not since Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel has there been so much attention paid to a ceiling.  I hope they get an agreement on the Debt Ceiling not just for the economy, but so that I can stop hearing about it.

The Fort Hood Suspect Naser Abdo went to buy his guns at the same time he had an application pending as a conscientious objector.   Does that make him a selective objector?

The State of Delaware executed an Ax-Murderer today.  Since his last meal included a steak would rock-star/animal-rights activist Morrisey suggest he got his just desserts? 

Rodney King recently had another DWI incident.  Can’t we all get his money?

An Atheist Group is suing to prevent a Steel Cross from being displayed at the September 11th Memorial Site.  Can’t they just pretend it is a Steel Cross? 

A cougar (true story) traveled across the US from the American West to the East Coast State of Connecticut, where it was hit by a car.   Keith Richards is still alive and well living  in Connecticut.  A betting man probably loses that one every time.

I almost admire his audacity;

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero today called early general elections in November – four months before they had been expected. Zapatero made the announcement in a move political analysts said was designed to give his Socialist Party candidate a better chance against the conservative frontrunner. Socialist candidate Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba trails Popular Party candidate Mariano Rajoy in polls, but a new one released on Wednesday showed Rubalcaba closing the gap

What sort of people would vote for the Socialist candidate given that this Party has presided over the ruination of Spain? With youth unemployment heading for 50% I would have thought it a no-brainer to at least change the clowns in power? Spain is travelling in a Greek direction and yet, amazingly, it may return to power the Socialists that presided over the mess! Too much Sangria or perhaps an excess of San Miguel?

Wonder what you reckon to this?

A 31-year-old chef convicted of posting a menacing message about DUP MP Gregory Campbell on Facebook has been fined £500 and given a suspended jail term. Darryl O’Donnell a father of two from Belvedere Park, Londonderry, posted that Mr Campbell “should get a bullet in the head”. It followed comments attributed to Mr Campbell in June of last year about the Saville report into Bloody Sunday. O’Donnell was given a five month jail sentence suspended for three years. In his sentencing at Londonderry Magistrates Court, District Judge Barney McElholm said Mr Campbell was entitled to state his opinion whether or not people agreed with what he said. The district judge said O’Donnell’s comments were menacing and offensive and should not have been posted on Facebook.

Who disagrees?

I do, for one. I value the right to tell people what they may not want to hear. In this instance, the accused behaved in an obnoxious and offensive manner. But is it right to suppress opinion? Did he literally want to kill Campbell?If so, fair enough to sentence him. But my concern lies beyond the actions of this fool O’Donnell. I worry about our freedom of expression. Over the years, I have had some very offensive and indeed threatening comments left for me. Some you see, some you don’t. My stance is to ban who leaves them from commenting on my site but they are welcome to comment anywhere else they want. I hate draconian measures and this case feels like it may have consequences. So with all due respect M’lud, I don’t agree with you. And Gregory, you are happy to sit in power with those who put actual bullets through people’s brains so stop being such a little hypocrite on this issue. Or is that too offensive?

I was pleased to see that even in my absence the ATW crew have gotten together and had an important beer summit in Gotham.  My best to Noel and his son, Phantom and Mahons. I chose this carefully…

Washington DC’s drug of choice – -  the solution for all of life’s little worries, pains, and inequities:  Spenditol!

From Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee.  More at Spenditol.com.

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