This has been bugging me since the news broke. What is the big deal with Rob Ford not going to the Gay Pride Parade? It's his choice and he should not be criticized for it.
1. Canada is a democratic society, where every citizen is free to make their own choices. The whole point of this parade is for the LGBT community to demonstrate their pride in the fact they are gay and to celebrate their freedom to express themselves. They are being hypocritical by forcing Ford to attend.
2. Just because Miller and Lastman liked to kiss voters' asses doesn't mean Ford has to follow their lead. It's his decision on whether or not he wants to court the gay vote, minority vote or any other. He can attend any ethnic or other event, but he doesn't have to. The LGBT community is making a huge fuss, saying he should go, but where does it stop? Why doesn't the Greek, Italian, Ukrainian, or any other group in Toronto complain that Ford was not at their celebration?
3. This is a long weekend and everyone deserves a day off to enjoy and relax. How would you feel if your employer forced you to attend some party when you already had plans to go to a cottage with your family? Is that so hard to understand and forgive? I don't want someone dictating what I have to do outside my work and I'm sure no one does either. It's not just about a day off, it's about time with your family instead of work. For me, family is the most important thing in my life and there is no way I would let work come before it.
4. It is up to Ford to make a decision whether or not he wants to support the Gay Pride Parade. He does not have to. He is a free citizen and it doesn't necessarily make him a bigot. Just because he doesn't champion the cause, doesn't mean he is against it. There is such a thing as neutrality. It's not just "if you're not with us, you're against us". I don't go to rallies or parades for most causes. It's not because I don't support them, it's simply because they do not interest me, or they do not affect me.
5. Finally, I have been to the Gay Pride Parade several times and I am all for equal rights, but the event is not a good image for the LGBT community. Many people are not there to support the liberties and freedoms, they are there just to look and point at the "weirdos" and "freaks". It enforces the stereotypes instead of dispelling them. There are more negative images portrayed at the parade (promiscuity, public nudity, STDs) than positive ones (parents of gay children) and it needs to change. I know muscular, naked men, flashy transvestites and bondage costumes draw crowds, but is that what you want to be known for?
So, how about we cut Ford some slack and let him make up his own mind. If he loses the next election because of the LGBT vote, then that's his choice, but he's a Canadian citizen, like you and I and should not be made to do something against his own free will.
