By Laureen Boll | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
Imagine the following scenario: you’re at a public park that is fenced off for an event; the host of the event is a non-profit entity that has received a taxpayer-funded grant; and the city police has a large presence with several cars, at least a half dozen police officers, several drones and three snipers on the roof of a nearby building. So where are you?
- Donald J. Trump rally
- Pride event
If you guessed “B”, you are correct! This was the scene of the PrideFest event hosted by Douglas County Pride (formerly Castle Rock Pride) on Aug. 4 at Salisbury Equestrian Park in Parker.
Per their website, the mission of Douglas County (DC) Pride is to “build a supportive community for LGBTQIA+ residents of Douglas County and surrounding areas.” As I previously wrote for the Rocky Mountain Voice, DC Pride is fulfilling their mission by segregating people and treating them differently because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. There’s a belief that members of the LGBTQIA+ community must be protected from everyone outside of their community. And they’re counting on you all to adopt the same belief.
According to several local media outlets, PrideFest was a roaring success:
“PrideFest organizer Anya Zavadil said she feels the event accomplished its goal of creating a safe and inclusive space for the LGBTQ+ community, families and supporters.”
“We really appreciate the Constitution in Douglas County and First Amendment freedom of speech,” said Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon. “As the one elected official that is out in Douglas County, and proudly so, it was really important to just remind everyone that Douglas County is not only the healthiest and most prosperous in the state, but a place that is inclusive and welcoming of everybody.”
How did DC Pride create such a safe and inclusive space? First and foremost, they utilized the local police force to keep out people whom they suspected might cause trouble. Four people were arrested by Parker police under the false pretense that they were going to be part of a protest, and charged with trespassing. These individuals purchased tickets to the event and merely walked around the event site. A charge of trespassing assumes walking onto private property, yet this event was held at a public park and promoted on social media as open to all who purchased a ticket. Parker police did not respond to my request for comment.
Second, DC Pride set the terms of appropriate conduct, which includes the following bullet point: Participants are not to speak poorly of LGBTQIA+ people, try to recruit people away from their identities, or in any way take a stance against the LGBTQIA+ community. When asked where the ‘free speech zone’ was, Parker police refused to allow bystanders to take a photo of the map that supposedly outlined the ‘free speech zone’ of the public park.
Another curious feature of this event was how vendors were treated. Per the vendor application page, a small-business booth cost $150, whereas a BIPOC-owned small business booth (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) cost $120. It would be interesting to know why discrimination based on ethnicity took place at an event that celebrates diverse sexual orientation and gender identity.
Last year, Douglas County Commissioners awarded DC Pride a taxpayer-funded grant for suicide-prevention efforts. In their grant application, DC Pride was very transparent in stating their belief that hosting segregated entertainment events for youth will lower suicide risks of said youth. Thus it wouldn’t be out of the question if this taxpayer-funded grant is used to offset expenses associated with the PrideFest event, such as snipers and drones.
DC Pride’s vision is to “transform Douglas County into a diverse and inclusive community for LGBTQIA+ people of all identities, where everyone feels seen, heard, and that they belong.” Their vision will only be realized if non-LGBTQIA+ individuals are forcibly removed and excluded from their community. So much for inclusion and belonging.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.