DAILY HERALD

-- Indecent parades: One down (St. Patrick's), one to go (Gay Pride), according to critics - Chuck Goudie

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=282610

(FROM THE COMMENTARY: The gay parade is a beast of a different sort, especially for the politicians who court gay voters and the dozens of elected officials who take part in the festivities by riding on floats and wearing rainbow sashes while avoiding the sideshows. For years, leaders of the Illinois Family Institute have tried to get Chicago Police officials to crack down on what they see as illegal behavior that occurs during the gay parade. Before last June's parade up Halsted Street through what is known as "Boy's Town," the institute stated that, "If this year's Gay Pride Parade follows tradition, Chicago Police will look the other way as lewd and obscene sexual behavior goes on along the parade route and on the parade floats themselves. Illinois Family Institute is asking concerned parents to call Chicago Police and demand they enforce decency laws Sunday afternoon in downtown Chicago." The Family Institute, a nonprofit group that lobbies to "advance public policy initiatives consistent with Judeo-Christian teachings and traditions, educating citizens so that they can better influence their local communities and the state" asks every year before the gay parade whether "pro-family" Democratic lawmakers will push for decency law enforcement during the event. And every Monday, when the event comes off with few arrests (other than an occasional unruly protester), the e-mails start arriving to my laptop. Inevitably, the most concise complaint comes from morality activist Arlene Sawicki of South Barrington. Since the Irish parade was shelved last week, Sawicki has taken advantage with a fresh campaign to have this year's Gay Pride Parade on June 28 canceled for similar reasons. "Every June the Chicago Gay Pride Parade occurs in their Broadway/Belmont neighborhood with the same huge crowds and deviant public acts as were displayed at the South Side St. Patrick's Day Parade," she writes on a blog site headlined " St. Patrick's Day/Gay Parade. . .what's the difference?" "There are displays of simulated sex acts, solicitation, urination on the sidewalk, obscene language, drugged or drunk observers, unruly crowds - as children who are present watch the debauchery," states Sawicki. "This all takes place with Chicago's Best present and overlooking every Public Decency law on the book - as they turn a blind eye and look on with approval! "It would be nice if the homosexual community would get in touch with their latent sense of public decency, revisit their duty to respect the law, be sensitive to the innocence of the children present, and cancel their "pride" parade. . .for good." Don't count on that happening. With state and local elections coming in 2010 and 2011, I expect the Gay Pride Parade to kick off at noon on June 28 as scheduled, with all the trimmings. And on June 29, I expect my mailbox will be full.)