Pride

In this festive week of Boston Pride I have heard many of those I value tell me that they will not be attending the festival. This has prompted from me much thought. Is this not the self made holiday that we have carved from rock with the bloody knuckles of those who came before us and fought to stay alive and visible through persecution and dis-ease? Why are so many of my brothers and sisters running and hiding it under a bushel when it is now more important than ever to let their light shine? To help my self understand the reasoning I thought I'd look up the good old Webster's set of definitions to see which ones were applicable and which ones missed the mark of what we have come to know as Pride and potentially find clues as to the aversion that has grown within OUR community.

1. The quality or state of being proud; inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, rank, etc., which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others.

The first definition I find strikes me as possibly a reason why so many of my brothers and sisters of the MARY Faith have come to view this festival as something to avoid. Is it fear that some how we will be judged and found wanting when compared to the go go dancers on the Avalon float. I look at my own body and know that if I were to attempt such a strut, I'd appear more as a the Dancing Baby to the theme song "I Cant Help this Feeling" than an object of lust and desire. Will this keep me from joining in on the celebration? Its not a good enough reason to hold any of us at bay from standing up for who we are in light of this years attempts by the conservative branch of Government to suppress our rights and in some states ban our existence.

2. A sense of one's own worth, and abhorrence of what is beneath or unworthy of one; lofty self-respect; noble self-esteem; elevation of character; dignified bearing; proud delight; - in a good sense.
A people which takes no pride in the noble achievements of ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants.
- Macaulay.

Macaulay hit it right on here. If we do not stand up and show Pride in ourselves and the accomplishments of those that came before us, then we deserve nothing less than future discrimination and persecution from the general population that such tyrants as our current president would endorse. If we can not stand in pride with one another are we even worthy of the blood and sweat which has brought us recently the right to stand united in holy union?

3. Proud or disdainful behavior or treatment; insolence or arrogance of demeanor; haughty bearing and conduct; insolent exultation; disdain.
Let not the foot of pride come against me.

This may be how those that stand against us see the Pride Parade and festivals, but should we view our own right to stand up and say "HERE WE ARE, NO LONGER INVISIBLE" in such a light as well?

The following three definitions speak for themselves as reasons why ever GLBT person and friends and family of our community should be at this weekends celebration

4. That of which one is proud; that which excites boasting or self-gratulation; the occasion or ground of self-esteem, or of arrogant and presumptuous confidence, as beauty, ornament, noble character, children, etc.
5. Show; ostentation; glory.Pride, pomp, and circumstance of
6. Highest pitch; elevation reached; loftiness; prime; glory; as, to be in the pride of one's life.

It strikes me that we have reached a point in history where we now have in America more rights than ever. In the up coming elections those rights will be attacked and potentially our unions viewed as null and void. If we do not stand up against the tyrants that run our government then in our silence we are as guilty as those that persecute us and our loved ones.

7. Consciousness of power; fullness of animal spirits; mettle; wantonness; hence, lust; sexual desire; esp., an excitement of sexual appetite in a female beast.

One of the excuses I have heard for not attending Pride, was that it has become a celebration of Hedonism and not a Civil Rights movement. "I help the community by volunteering with organizations that actually give back to the community rather than go to that." What organization would exist to assist the GLBT community if we are forced into the darkness of the closet again? What AIDS assistance program can exist on the noose of secrecy? A new generation of GLBT individuals and friends and family now enters our society, what path are we creating for them? If you do not want to participate in the dancing and celebration of our right to the flesh, don't partake, but for the sake of those to come be a visible entity, or risk the ghosts of tomorrow that will haunt the future members of our community.

For whatever reason you can find in yourself indulge in pride, show self-esteem; rate yourself highly. Be visible be proud; and help to bring glory to our country. Its not just a right, its a duty of conscience.