On moving the Pride Parade

In Greg Lindeman’s “Letter to the Editor” (CFP July 18), in which he said that that the Pride Parade should move downtown, he also said that “the Irish in Chicago don’t march in Bridgeport,” referring to the fact that there is a downtown St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

However, what he did not mention and may not know is that there are two other Irish parades that take place in neighborhoods with large Irish-American populations: the Northwest Side Irish Parade; and the South Side Irish Parade, which according to many sources is now the largest in attendance of all three.

In addition, the Mexican-American communities coordinate four Mexican Independence parades every year in September in different areas of the city, including  Downtown, Pilsen, South Chicago and 26th Street, which according to many sources is now the largest in attendance of all four.

In fact, four of the five largest parades in attendance (300,000 plus) in Chicago are staged in the neighborhoods, not downtown. They include the Pride Parade, Bud Biliken Parade, South Side Irish Parade and 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade.

In addition, and probably more striking, is that 21 of the 31 total parades staged annually in Chicago now take place in the neighborhoods, not downtown—not on Columbus Drive nor State Street.

In regards to the locations of Pride parades in other cities: Many of the major U.S. cities stage their Pride parades in GLBT/GLBT-friendly neighborhoods, including West Hollywood/L.A., San Diego, Philadelphia, Ft. Lauderdale, Houston and Seattle, just to name a few.

In fact, in Seattle last year, when they moved their parade and fest downtown, another organization in the city was formed to do a second parade back in the GLBT Capitol Hill neighborhood where it was always held. FYI—the downtown parade and fest committee eventually were bailed out right before they were about to declare bankruptcy. However, the neighborhood parade is still doing very well.

This past year, an attempt to move the Houston Pride parade downtown produced an outcry. So it is still staged in the GLBT Montrose area of Houston.

Perhaps the reason is because, as reflected in recent news programs about American cities, residents interviewed often talk about how downtown areas are no longer “the heart of the city” that they once were and are becoming more residential in nature. Many cities have turned downtown buildings into successful mix-use residential areas with rehabbed older buildings, new high rises, student housing, new homes built on the borders, etc. In essence, many downtowns have become another type of neighborhood, not the center or “heart” of cities that they once were.

On another issue, it should also be noted that while there are nine downtown/lakefront festivals in Chicago, there are more than 100 neighborhood street festivals that attract millions of people.

Clearly, when it comes to both parades and street festivals, the neighborhoods seem to be “where it’s at” here in Chicago as well as many other cities.

The bottom line is that we, PRIDEChicago, coordinate a Pride parade in East Lakeview. Contrary to some beliefs, and despite the influx of some non-GLBT families, the area is still heavily GLBT. This is also the area where the GLBT community center just opened. A mixed gay/straight business association, the Northalsted Area Merchants Association, sponsors two street fests: Pride Fest and Market Days in the area as well.

However, any community member who wants to coordinate another GLBT outdoor or indoor festival, carnival, march, parade, art fair, open mic or any other event has the option to do so. They can be planned for any neighborhood of the city and can be scheduled during June GLBT Pride Month, with its 90-plus events, October GLBT History Month or any other time of the year.

We do thank Mr. Lindeman for his expression of “respect and appreciation” for our “ability to organize and promote the annual Pride Parade.”

PRIDEChicago

Lakeview

On the Catholic Church

On July 11 Pope Benedict XVI reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document that says other Christian communities are either defective or not true churches and Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation.

On July 15 we read that hundreds of people who claim they were abused by clergy affiliated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles can expect to be paid more than $1 million each in a $660 million settlement of their lawsuits. The deal, by far the largest settlement in the church's sexual abuse scandal, was reached July 14, said Ray Boucher, the lead plaintiff’s attorney.

I’m not a theologian, but it seems His Eminence has some explaining to do.

Carlos T Mock

Uptown