Thursday, April 8, 2010

National Post: Pride Toronto censorship policy was 'sensible'

Newsflash: rightwing newspaper calls on the City of Toronto to withdraw its support for Pride Toronto. For a paper that isn't sympathetic to either gays or Torontonians, it seems a little strange that they're sticking their noses in here. But I gather its editorial board was briefly excited about Pride Toronto's now-retracted sign-vetting policy. It was "sensible," they write.



Now, the Post worries that, having given up on vetting signage in advance, Pride Toronto will break the city's anti-discrimination policy. Given that “Participants will comply with the City of Toronto's policy on yadda yadda” is right in the Parade registration form, it should be easy to dismiss. We'll see.

In another part of Alberta, sometime Xtra contributor Ted Kerr has said his piece in Edmonton's Vue Magazine. The skirmishes "are important because they provide an example of the ways in which we, who it can be argued have shared and/or overlapping identities (LGBT and queer people), can oppose each other, have conversations with each other and articulate our important differences."

Now that's sensible.

 

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Comments

Thursday, April 8, 2010 1:21 PM

When the National Post is advising us how to run the Pride Festival we have truly lost our way. The festival ran without any funding for many years and can do so again. Perhaps we need to remind our straight friends that we are not here as their entertainers or house pets but are actually a community with real issues that still need to be addressed. This editorial is inaccurate and horrifying and anyone involved with Pride in any way should be ashamed that these people are trying to tell the festival what to do.
Brad Fraser

Brad Fraser ca


Thursday, April 8, 2010 2:37 PM

This would not have happen if the QuAIA or other known as Queers Appeasing Islamic Apartheid or even Xtra blames Israeli Gay's or Jewish Gays for all there problems and all out lies like I'm going to quote the
Xtra:sticking their noses

I could only wonder what Minority who are also are members of the LGBT community and Xtra is making this towards??? Does it Start with a J? or even a nationality does it Start with a Is?(the only in that part of the world with gay rights and Gay MK's I think I gave it away) and in the process are alienating other members of the LGBT community which is something Pride is not about or is the QuAIA going to use the personal insults again because they were exposed for something they are and is what they usually resort too when this happens? THE QuAIA is to blame and I hope Toronto City Council and the Government of Canada and the Sponsors due this and maybe the government should also start enforcing the Law and give the QuAIA a taste of what happens when you discriminate against a people or wanting to ban someone base on nationality or religion it called a Hate Crime and even if they want to still claim to be a gay rights group. To the members of the QuAIA( other wise known as the Queers Appeasing Islamic Apartheid) don't even bother my advise to you spend a week in Iran or Gaza or the West Bank and say that your openly gay if you do go to Gaza or the West Bank remember this when you run into the Israel.

Charles from Halifax and a South African who really knows what Aparthied is ca


Thursday, April 8, 2010 4:34 PM

Xtra should have the issue front and centre rather than linking us to the National Post to find out what this issue is about. Censorship sucks, and not the good sucks either, but this isn't about Gay rights. The group in question, Queers Against Israel Apartheid, is not a Gay rights group but a bunch of loons who want to vilify the one country in the middle east that has gay rights while supporting the assholes who would murder us becasue of who we are. The Anti-israel group is close to being a hate group and it's no wonder the city and sponsors don't want to be affiliated with that BS. The anti-Israel group should be at something else, not bring hate to an event that is to make people feel welcome and together.

KeysterBandit ca


Thursday, April 8, 2010 7:56 PM

Xtra PLEASE INTERVIEW Nitzan Horowitz maybe he could set this straight to the QuAIA unless they have something to hide like supporting as KeysterBandit put it supporting the assholes who would murder us becasue of who we are very well said

Charles ca


Friday, April 9, 2010 5:02 PM

The QuAIA has 364 other days of the year to spout their manipulative garbage... why should they be allowed to USURP Gay Pride for something which has NOTHING to do with Gay Pride?




Ken in Paris fr


Sunday, April 11, 2010 3:11 AM

Pride was sensible. You also have to realize - this whole "censorship" issue really only appeals to a dozen (maybe a few dozen, if you include the gay bitter ones) people. Sure, that Facebook group accumulated quickly, but c'mon, do all those followed really care? Can you honestly vouch for all the people that joined the group, and say that they each understand the issue? Look - Pride brings in over a million people each year. What does 1,000 people means amongst 1 million? Xtra is forgetting the reality that occurs at Pride every year - that is that Pride will come, and Pride will go. It will just happen without question - Pride Toronto mission statement or not. And amidst this so-called controversy (which, by the way, Xtra is sensationalizing WAY beyond belief), the entire issue of "censorship," signs, Israel, anti-seminism, war, discrimination, trans people, and whoever else in the queer umbrella feels they were left out, will be long forgotten, by millions. Once those barricades come down and traffic resumes Monday morning, it's over. Life resumes. Think about it, people.

Karl ca


Wednesday, April 14, 2010 5:41 PM

The Queers Appeasing Islamic Agression are a political hate-group that has nothing to do with the promotion of gay rights, which is the purpose of pride.

Sadly, Xtra doesn't appear to understand the meaning of the word "censorship".

The Pride committee can decide if they can participate, but the city and citizens can exercise their rights by not providing funds and by boycotting sponsors.

No one is preventing QAIA them from expressing their views but if they want to participate in an event, the event organizers and sponsors have a right to determine what is appropriate and whether or not to fund it. That is very different than physically preventing someone from speaking.

If a government passes a law that says you can't print something, that's censorship. If a newspaper refuses to print your letter, or if a parade refuses to let you participate, it isn't.

The QAIA are free to say what they like publicly and can even hold their own hate parade to coincide with Israeli Apartheid Week in March. If they're lucky, maybe one of their members will be made Grand Marshall.

Greg ca



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