Pride 2013 - A historic year

A few thoughts about what makes Pride in 2013 so particularly special, even historic.

In this last week leading up to what is Pride Weekend in so many cities across the nation, we have seen two historic rulings from the Supreme Court of the United State that dramatically affect members of the LGBT community across the United States.

The two cases, buttressed today by a third decision from a Federal District Court in Michigan today, serve not only to remind us of how far we have come as a nation, but we need only look to St. Petersburg to see how swiftly we may fall.

In the finest tradition of tyrants and socialists everywhere (and their more honest cousins, the actual communists) Putin and his cronies have found a relatively defenseless minority to demonize as the latest bogeyman and threat to his nations morality and children - thus making them fair game for violent oppression. First they must be silenced (lest they raise effective objections) and then the camps can be re-opened complete with "special showers".

We celebrate our gain even as we mourn the coming darkness in other lands, as Russia is far from alone in descending into this mire of tragedy and (impending) bloodshed. 38 of 53 African nations criminalize LGBT relationships, and the number seems to be rising.

In Western Europe, the United States, and in some Asian lands sanity is making advances but the forces of ignorance and violence stalk the land openly elsewhere. Even as we celebrate Pride this weekend, it is far from time to become complacent.