Another entry to our list of rights
June 27, 2007 · By Aaron Unruh
Cherniak does gay pride:
Unfortunately, I also watched a large group of mostly old, naked men walk by. Even I have my limits and, frankly, I don’t think many people at the parade felt much differently. The amazing thing is that even though most of us tried to avert our eyes, nobody questioned the right of these men to spend their afternoon displaying their bad taste and painful piercings in public. As much as I don’t get it, there is something very positive about everybody just letting others be.
Public nudity in gay pride parades is now a right. The process has been initiated: Soon it will be a “fundamental human right.” And then the Supreme Court will affirm it in light of how old publicly-naked men are a traditionally-disadvantaged group. A UN committee will issue a report on Canada’s lack of commitment to protecting the rights of naked gay men. The Liberal Party will darkly warn that Stephen Harper has a secret agenda to curtail the flashing rights of old gay men. Mike Duffy will broadcast in the buff in solidarity with the oppressed members of our society.
And the circle will be complete. We’re lucky to live in the most tolerant country in the world.
I must exercise my right to retch.
I didn’t need that Mike Duffy picture first thing in the morning!
Unfortunately, in Canada, what you say is a very realistic possibility.
It’s interesting that the gay community wants to get out the message that being gay is normal. Their way of showing normalcy by prancing around semi naked in weird costumes seems to show the opposite.
You forgot polygamy. Never forget polygamy!
*rolls his eyes and braces himself for another rant from George*
[...] Cash pointing out a gross error H bert made in discussing the implications of the recent Alberta… Another entry to our list of rights— ThePolitic.com Jun 27 09:33 Cherniak does gay pride: Unfortunately, I also watched a large [...]
Being gay is normal, but, then, so are most of its hedonistic cohorts and incumbent spiritual disorders. St. Augustine said that the root of human sinfulness was pride reaching the point of contempt for God.
Realistically, I don’t see how the police can do much to enforce public nudity laws in the absence of major public outcry. When most just shrug their shoulders, say yuk and walk away, police action would likely turn gay pride into one big nude fest for creepy weirdos; meaning we would just have to endure even more creepy naked weirdos standing against oppression by the authoritarian state that is Canada: “People, we need solidarity! Remember Stonewall!”
Unfortunately, in a secular society that no longer exercises moral outrage or even mocking comedy toward naked creepy gay men in public, the most workable antidote to the indecencies of gay pride remains with the harsher realities: the casualties and scares of a major health epidemic, a major economic depression, or some other widespread national struggle where civility either gets back to the basics or falls apart entirely.
Its not unrealistic either to suppose some medium of comedy mocking gay pride might start up.
“a major economic depression”
Follow this train of thought a little more, George, since I am not sure where you are trying to go with this. Are you saying that a depression is the only thing that will scare Canadians back into being moral?
No, not necessarily scare Canadians, but economic depressions certainly make life less leisurely. There would be less money to support gay pride, fewer pilgrims to take part in it, and, by and large, people would see it for the carnival it always has been, not some supposedly great march for liberty and dignity of the human person—one that incidentally involves creepy naked old dudes.
And carnival has a long history in civilization as a time to let loose and express rebellion to the ordering structure of reality. Where gay pride fails as good carnival is that it’s more perverse—aesthetically just gross, as in yucky—rather than cultured, demonstrated by the earnestly creepy naked old dudes.
Or maybe it’s “icky” … which ever you prefer.
Well, I am not sure which parts of pride celebrations you have ever been to, but it is not all old gay men and drag queens (that is just what the right wing media bias shows). If you ever want a tour of the less seedy side of pride, then I would be happy to show you around.
Btw, I don’t buy the economic depression argument. Parades and celebrations of all kinds happen irrespective of labour market cycles. People will always make economic trade-offs based on their priorities, and for some people, gay pride celebrations are worth the economic resources required to participate. In fact, one might argue that when times are tough, people party harder, because they need to pick up from the less than great every day. Furthermore, the business community has realized a LONG time ago, now, that two gay men have way more disposible income than straight couples, irrespective on economic and labour market cycles, and market their products accordingly. If anything, in an attempt to increase revenues, business will throw more money into pride celebrations in order to encourage their clients to continue to spend their money like they did in better economic times.
Last, I am not sure which carnival you have ever been to, but from what I see on the internet, you don’t need to be gay to participate in that sort of debauchery. Maybe a fact finding mission road trip is in order to feed the wheels of the right wing media.
I believe you mean “grease” the wheels of the right wing media.
You make a fair point about economic depression and carnival, and you may very well be right. It depends how much of a loyal following gay pride has, how stable of an economic base it constitutes; how much “saving for the future and hard times” means to that demographic.
As for carnival having culture, Gay Pride is no Mardi Gras.
[...] The Politic:Public nudity in gay pride parades is now a right. The process has been initiated: Soon it will be [...]
Cherniak’s post is funny on so many levels. Typically, he’s the proponent of every item of Liberal Party nanny-statism. But when a bunch of naked gay men come walking along, suddenly he’s a libertarian.
OMFG! You bubbas must be desperate…rerunning a post by that ridiculous pompous nerd Cherniak …on Gay Pride????
And singling out six nudist freaks out of a crowd of more than half a million.
Don’t make me laugh…that’s PATHETIC!!! And unfair…I mean just because a few freaks turn up at your rallies carrying fetuses in jars..I don’t blame them on you…or smear you with them… or call you pickled baby eaters do I? But I’m not angry with you Aaron….I know you love me more than you dare admit. And I hasten to add I don’t blame you…I am really HOT!!!
You should check out my YouTube video of the parade…it’s fabulous!!! And don’t worry those ugly old nudist freaks aren’t in it :)
But what I am a bit vexed about is one of your commenters….George Freeman.. who wrote this:
“….Unfortunately, in a secular society that no longer exercises moral outrage or even mocking comedy toward naked creepy gay men in public, the most workable antidote to the indecencies of gay pride remains with the harsher realities: the casualties and scares of a major health epidemic, a major economic depression, or some other widespread national struggle where civility either gets back to the basics or falls apart entirely”
Hmmm…if I didn’t know that you rubes were just misguided fanatics rather than real terrorists…I’d think Apocalypto there is wishing for a series of disasters to return us to more savage times…where mobs could tear gays apart or lynch them…if we didn’t kill them first.
But what I want to know is who is he claiming to speak for….the Army of God or the Alberta Militia?
And does CSIS know?
I mean that’s really whacko stuff…I’m sure even you agree Aaaron.
But I suppose I can afford to be generous with him as well. Damn.
Look at it from my point of view. We just finished the BIGGEST, safest, and most inclusive and fun parade in Canada. Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of gays AND straights came out to celebrate OUR struggle. We just keep getting bigger and stronger every year…while the church gets weaker and weaker.Nobody really believes in that ju ju monkey stuff anymore. Gay marriage is in the can, climate change deniers are falling out of the sky like flies, Harper and his Alberta Cons aren’t going anywhere. And the BEST news of all…more than seventy percent of younger Canadians are behind us all the way. Which means that within a few years most of our opponents will be DEAD. Isn’t THAT wonderful!!!!!!!!
Oh yeah…Apocalypto may love the smell of napalm in the air…but to me it smells like VICTORY!!!!!! Muahahahahaha!!!!
Oops sorry….that last anonymous was me. But you knew that didn’t you Aaron?
Who the hell are you? One of the naked old men?
The creepy naked old dudes show up every year! You’d think you could find a way to polish your image by now.
I’m not wishing hardship on anyone. But those who consider themselves in a perpetual state of struggle and hardship, by which they mean total hedonism, dressing in drag or dancing in their skivies—or nothing at all—against the ravages of rampant heterosexism, should be careful what they wish for in life. As some new age hippie might say, it’s not good to have all that negative energy! Think positive, happy thoughts!
Since what goes around, comes around, they might actually find themselves facing real struggle and real hardship with no relation whatsoever to their sexuality; just plain old disease, economic scarcity and mortality. Tis’ life.
And lets face it, the pathologically dispossessed GLBT groupies, as a religious order, don’t exactly have any transcendental imperative, nor the philosophical staying power, to weather such times.
Their gospel has no hope! Their story of life’s ultimate meaning and purpose doesn’t have a good ending. It’s just straight up hedonism whilst you still breath and have a few bucks; yes, and can blame everyone else for your problems while dancing your heart out on parade float.
“And lets face it, the pathologically dispossessed GLBT groupies, as a religious order, don’t exactly have any transcendental imperative, nor the philosophical staying power, to weather such times.”
Come on, George. You’re not speaking this bimbo’s language. Try “HA HA HA hee hee we’re WINNING you suck SUCKA LOL yay we’re winning! and you still suck! lol yay!!”
It’s pretty sad when I find myself yearning for the subtle writing of –name removed–.
Thanks. I need to better acquaint myself with his totally fabulous rhetorical weaponry.
–name removed– is really quite eloquent compared to this nut.
I am going to –name removed–’s wedding next week, actually. I will pass along the compliment.
I didn’t mean to suggest that it is a legal right! I meant that by not questioning their nudity, it was as if they were given the right for that day.
My question is whether my disgust at their lack of garb gives society a right to stop them from doing it.
[...] one of the most compelling philosophical conundrums of post-modernity, Jason Cherniak asks the question on the mind of all of us at one time or another: My question is whether my [...]
“My question is whether my disgust at their lack of garb gives society a right to stop them from doing it.”
Unbelievably, societies oftentimes ban public nudity for reasons other than Jason’s disgust.
[...] attacking us again….and using the pompous nerd Jason Cherniak as a battering ram….I just HAD to check it out.And fire off a comment.I thought it was a pretty good one….considering my state of mind…and the [...]