On the 25th of March, Tampa FL’s Pride parade took to the streets. The Nazis who harassed a Pride event the previous night were nowhere to be seen, but trouble came from another kind of Fascists. After the Mayor, a drum section, and a warship/pirate ship themed float for a health group had passed came the police contingent. They circled and circled on motorcycles, stopping all behind them while the parade route emptied.
After nearly 15 minutes of this came other police contingents and a prosecuting attorney-as in someone who no doubt prosecutes sex work sting cases. Stonewall was a RIOT, these contingents would have instantly come under attack there, back on June 28, 1969 in NYC. Pride celebrates stonewall, the sucessful physical force defense of a Gay club against NYPD vice cops, riot cops, and ATF.
Finally all these Fascists got done tying up the parade route, and the real spirit of Stonewall returned to the streets. The trans contingents that should have been allowed to lead the march in the face of a growing pogrom and fears of genocide finally appeared. After them came the Krewes, far back from the lead after their incredible work decorating their parade floats.
Thankfully, this post-police part of the parade featured the raunchy, gorgeous sexual posing of attractive members of the community in the manner that has been the hallmark of Pride events since the 1970’s. Objections from evangelical Christians to this should be brushed off since they want to murder us all anyway-and are putting into place the legal structures to bring this about.
Perhaps the lead element should have been surviving Stonewall battle veterans, followed by the trans community literally fighting on the front lines against genocide, and the John Brown Gun Club marching behind literally backing them up. As it was, the size of the crowd was suficient to put the anti-LGBTQ and anti-Semitic Nazi dirtbags who harassed a show at the Castle the previous night to flight. A search of the area turned up no sign of them, all the visible Fascists wore police uniforms or were office holders.
Sorry to be so militaristic but our people are staring down the barrel of open, brazen genocide. We must fight back if we are to survive as a people.