Last Saturday, Charlotte held its Pride event and it was very successful.

Of course, like so many gay pride events, it did have its protestors. An area minister, Michael Brown, sought to interrupt the event with something he called “God Has A Better Way,” in which he and a large number of folks wearing red t-shirts infiltrate the pride event, try to preach to the folks there, and generally attempt to disrupt the festivities.

The attendees at Charlotte Pride have learned to take Brown and his nonsense in stride, not allowing his nonsense to interrupt their day of fun and self-awareness.

Needless to say, Brown had some very pointed comments about this year’s Charlotte Pride which he published in the American Family Association’s One News Now.

Did I say pointed? I meant to say hilarious. The title of the piece, When Drag Queens Lead the Way gives you a clue as to what direction Brown is headed:

. . . At the Wells Fargo Plaza, drag queens lip-synced to pop music for a cheering crowd. One in a hot pink wig and matching knee-high boots danced to Katy Perry’s ‘California Girls.’” Say what?

How many other community groups feature prominent performances by drag queens at their events? Can you imagine crowds at an Hispanic Pride event, or Black Pride event, or Asian Pride event — just to name a few — being entertained by men wearing dresses (or less), hot pink wigs, and matching knee-high boots? And this is part of the LGBT’s strategy “to promote acceptance”? How telling. And how telling that, unmentioned by the Observer, there was a large truck stationed next to the festival offering “Free HIV Testing.” Yes, just another typical community event.

. . .  It is also a bit disconcerting to watch young men greet each other with exclamations of “Hey girl!” before exchanging pecks on the cheek. (Does your average child find it confusing to hear men call each other “girls”?). There were also other men who were, quite sadly, all too conspicuous. They walked around Pride Charlotte in various stages of their sex-change journey, with long hair, female breasts, and undeniably male features — and all this at an event designed to “promote acceptance” in the wider Charlotte community.

To say the least, I am disappointed with two things. I was unable to attend Charlotte Pride and that’s a shame because it sounds like they had a very good time.

Secondly, I am uninspired by Brown’s prose. In the immortal words of songstress Peggy Lee – “is that all there is?” If it were “Porno Pete” LaBarbera talking, he would have at least added something sexual.

What’s wrong with drag queens wearing hot pink wigs and matching thigh high boots? The important thing is that they match. Can’t have a drag queen who doesn’t know about color coordination.  And what’s wrong with lip-synching to Katy Perry? We don’t all do Judy Garland impressions (although between me and you, I do a mean Nina Simone).

And while we are on the subject, Charlotte Pride lasted for several hours. I know that there were speeches and other entertainment besides the very talented drag queens. It’s interesting that Brown focuses so much of his animus on them.

Also to answer Brown’s question, SC Black Pride had quite a few number of drag queens performing this year and they were all good.

Lastly that comment about young men greeting each other with exclamations of “Hey Girl” before kissing each other on the cheeks simply cannot be true. He forgot to mention that after we kiss each other on the cheek, we  finger snap in Z-formations.

Now those with common sense, after reading Brown’s very vapid interpretation of the events at Charlotte Pride, would simply laugh themselves silly. Brown is obviously attempting – rather pitifully – to claim that the Charlotte Gay Pride event – and by extension – the lgbtq community- are somehow dangers to America and especially children.

He packs his piece with almost every anti-gay stereotype imaginable. Even his snark about HIV testing (which is a very good idea to have at any public event) was a backhanded way to infer about the supposed promiscuity of the gay community. I’m surprised he didn’t try to push some nonsense about “recruitment.” Or is he saving that for next year?

But Brown’s piece has its defenders.

Recently, One News Now – in an effort to drum up more hits to the site – has allowed readers to post comments after articles which would then be filtered to Facebook. Some readers of Brown’s piece have expressed shock over the supposed absolute chaos and calamity started by people dancing to folks imitating Katy Perry and gay men greeting their friends. Naturally their comments also question the lgbtq identity in general.

And then there are others, like myself, who are being, what I like to call, the ambassadors of common sense and asking “why is this even a big deal” or “If Brown doesn’t like gay pride so much, then why did he go?”

It’s a fun discussion. Read it or even better – give your opinions of Brown’s piece. In a respectful manner of course.