South Carolina Pride held their 25th festival today in downtown Columbia. At least twenty thousand rainbow-bedecked people were there. Latta, SC police chief Crystal Moore spoke about her recent firing and community-demanded reinstatement. The Goodwin/Bradacs family spoke. Also Thomas Ravenel, reality star/"politician", and candidate for lt. governor State Rep. Bakari Sellers, who has been a representative since he was 22! He's still a whippersnapper at 30 and got my vote today with his wise words. But T-Rav can kiss my ass. He even looks like a douchebag.
I've been to a lot of street festivals, but these people were seriously happy and having a great time. I was impressed with the number of churches and Christian groups who were there and reaching out in obvious love and acceptance. I love it when Christians act like Christians. TD Bank handed out a million rainbow flags. Time-Warner Cable had a float, and lots of employees having fun, as did TJ Maxx. Food Lion was there too, and when I told the guy at their booth that I cashier for their competitor, he offered me a job. It's good to have part-time low-wage job options.
Everyone in the parade and watching were having a great time, chanting and singing and dancing and waving. I got beads and candy and a bracelet and a button and cards from churches and a fan and a flag. There were veterans and current military and a motorcycle club and some different businesses. We marched with the high school gay-straight alliances. The kids told me they went online to find good slogans for their signs. They were so excited they were literally bouncing up and down. For hours.
At the end of the parade, we passed in front of the State House, where the Confederate flag flies on the grounds. It's that kind of place. All along in front of the statehouse were the anti-gay protesters, maybe 40 or 50 of them. They were lined up, silent, frowning, holding signs that said "March With Shame" and things about sin. Those people were not having any fun. I took some pictures of them. But the crowd had so much positive energy that most of the attendees didn't even notice the protesters. None of the people I talked to later in the day remembered seeing them. I knew they would be there and I was looking for them. But it was not an impressive display. When you know the game has been lost, I guess playing isn't that fun anymore.
We saw several amazing performances by very tall ladies with elaborate costumes. There was a camel! And goats, including baby goats and a big turtle and llamas. We had our pictures taken with beautiful drag queens who were very kind and gracious to my excited young friends. We sampled some delicious traditional gay foods, like pizza and ramen and funnel cakes. I saw rainbow everything--shoes, socks, tights, sequined dresses, wings, tails, it was like an explosion in a Chinese novelty factory. There were lots of presumably gay dogs and cops. I kept saying, "Look, gay cops!" and it kept being funny. There were very old people and very young people all being wheeled around swathed in rainbows, all kinds of couples and families, all colors and shapes and sizes of people. It was so beautiful, and I think my young friends felt uplifted by being in such an atmosphere of acceptance and tolerance and love. That's not something they get a lot of, growing up gay in South Carolina.
I know that everybody likes to make fun of Southerners. Whenever South Carolina makes the national news, it's always due to something embarrassing. Like Lindsey Graham, or Mark Sanford's secret Argentinian mistress. But there are amazing people all through the South. The South is worth saving. Today I am proud of my community.