{ 2007 02 25 }

I Love a Parade

Source: Orcinus
Sara Robinson tosses out what I think is a great idea: a Liberal Pride Parade, on the model of the Gay Pride Parades that are now held around the world and have become, in many cities, civic events that cut across gender divides, or even, in some cases, significant tourist attractions. She points out the small scale and diffuse sense of purpose with which those parades started, and the much more important purposes they’ve come to serve.

It was a street party; but it also put the community’s growing institutional strength on display each year, established a forum for the sharing of energy and ideas, and educated millions of straight people (who, in turn, educated others). Doing this year after year gave local gay communities a reason to get organized, and stay organized — so when trouble came calling, they could organize to fight it without a moment of confusion or hesitation.

Sara asks whether it’s time to adopt the idea and start holding Liberal Pride celebrations nationally. And she lists a number of benefits—the chance to assert our strength in the marketplace of ideas; the fact that such an event will build a widespread sense of community, even in places where liberals are a minority or have been driven underground by the chest-thumping bullies on the other side; the chance to take back a noble name that our enemies have tried to demean by using it as a pejorative; the opportunity to challenge companies widely supported by liberals, e.g. Whole Foods and REI, to return the favor with event sponsorships; and, most importantly, increasing our security at a time when the right wing is ratcheting its eliminationist rhetoric way past any responsible level. But the benefit that I spark to most is the one that Sara labels “Joy and Hope”.

These events should be massively, wildly, unapologetically fun; and fabulous PR for the cause. Without the Seriousness of Purpose required by a demonstration, a Liberal Pride festival can just loosen up and relax. It’s a celebration of all things progressive — and we do it right, the Biggest Asshole Rule kicks in when everyone in town realizes that compared to us, the conservatives are bunch of uptight, self-righteous stuffed shirts who couldn’t throw a decent party if Reagan’s resurrection depended on it.

And where there’s fun, there’s hope. People, we have gotten pretty dismal over the past 30 years. And I hate to break it to you — but, as desperate as this nation is, nobody follows pessimists. We are not going to get our political mojo back for good until we remember how to find joy in this work again. Pride celebrations could be a place to start rediscovering the lost art of raising hell and having fun.

And she points out that such celebrations, divested of any action agenda, can help restore the balance between work and play.

Having an annual just-for-fun day would enable us to offload this social function from demonstrations and protests. It seems like a lot of people turn out for demonstrations because they enjoy the street party, and the sense of connection with the larger left community. Unfortunately, … this diverse and celebratory atmosphere usually works against the intent of the protest, too often diluting the focus and message into utter incoherence and making any kind of real paradigm-busting direct action damned near impossible.

If we have annual events specifically dedicated [to] diversity and celebration and scratching that street party itch, it might liberate our protests to evolve into other more creative, focused, and effective forms. Like King Bertram, when we work, we’ll really work. And when we play, we’ll really play. Both will be vastly better when we stop trying to conflate the two into the same events.

The comments on Sara’s post are generally supportive. Several comments ask when such an event might be held, and the general sentiment seems to focus on Labor Day. My choice for a Liberal Pride parade would be Sunday, the day before Labor Day. That would associate the celebration with the international labor movement, but it would be on a day that typically has no major civic celebrations associated with it. If you like the idea, hustle on over to the Orcinus post and add your two cents worth.

Posted by richard on Sunday, February 25th, 2007, at 4:29 pm, and filed under clip, observe the passing scene, take part, vote Democratic.

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