This is an image from the Lebanon (Ohio) Pride celebration on July 20th. (First year ever in my lifetime that there was no mention of the first moon landing in any media I see.)

This picture completely explains why Pride is an evil pure shit faux celebration, for civic reasons that have nothing to do with morality arguments.

I mean, just look at that asshole in the green. Visceral takes aside:

1) Pride events are basically takeovers of public commons by a fringe group that engages in behavior that a large part of the population finds despicable.

This is a key point for this town. Lebanon used to have several "country" style street fairs 10+ years ago that were enjoyable, family friendly, and non controversial. We had a "Honey Festival" that was all about honey making and my wife reports that it was really an awesome festival. They had honey food vendors (honey ice cream), exhibitions (the guy who makes a bee beard on his face), etc. Another festival in the fall called "Apple Fest" featured locally grown apples and foods. These festivals took over the main street in town for a day or two.

Both of those fairs are essentially gone. The Apple Fest remains but it is relegated to a dusty, hot former fair grounds that has no atmosphere.

2) Pride is manifestly non-inclusive. Are you straight and even mildly conservative? You don't fit. The country fairs were the epitome of inclusion. Yeah, a freak like the guy in the picture above would not be looked on favorably in a country style fair but he wouldn't have an audience anyway.

3) Pride forces everyone to take a side and again, implies exclusion. Example is shop keepers who are around the sphere of a pride event. I notice about 1/2 the businesses in this town have rainbow pride window swag. It's kind of black mail in a way: don't kiss the ring and you may get boycotted. I'd rather not be forced to say how I feel about gays (I basically don't care.)

About the picture, this is from an online magazine for Cincinnati called "City Beat". You can find the website and the article here: https://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/photos-inaugural-lebanon-pride-event-was-a-major-success/Slideshow/17847851/17847865

I know that the photographer and the drag queen asshole in the picture staged the picture in front of the Sin banners.

But just look at someone like this guy. It's pure sick narcissism. "Yaaaasss". WTF. Fuck off actual queer.

The entire rah-rah around pride makes me nauseous.