By Free Republic | Created at 2024-12-07 03:22:10 | Updated at 2024-12-23 06:37:11
2 weeks ago
Judge orders Prattville to allow LGBTQ pride float into city Christmas parade
AL.com ^
Posted on 12/06/2024 6:47:40 PM PST by TigerClaws
A few hours before the city of Prattville’s annual Christmas parade was to start, a federal judge ordered the city to allow an LGBTQ pride group’s float to be included.
Prattville Pride called the order “a powerful affirmation of the importance of visibility, representation, and inclusion for all members of our community,” in a Facebook post.
“The Christmas parade is a cherished holiday tradition, and we are excited to celebrate alongside our neighbors and friends in the spirit of love, joy, and unity.”
“While we celebrate this important step forward, we must also acknowledge the challenges and hateful rhetoric that have been directed towards our organization and the LGBTQ+ community during this process. Such negativity can have a profound and damaging effect on LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly youth, who often face heightened risks of isolation, mental health struggles, and rejection.”
In his order, U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker of the Middle District of Alabama wrote: “While there are areas of unprotected speech, such as incitement of violence, the City makes no argument and provides no evidence that Prattville Pride has engaged in any speech or behavior that would remotely fall into an unprotected speech category. It is undisputed that Prattville Pride has complied with the City’s regulations.“
“The City removed Prattville Pride from the parade based on its belief that certain members of the public who oppose Prattville Pride, and what is stands for, would react in a disruptive way. But discrimination based on a message’s content “cannot be tolerated under the First Amendment,” the order continued.
The lawsuit stemmed from Prattville Pride’s proposed float, which will feature a drag queen throwing candy at spectators.
Mayor Bill Gillespie pulled the float, saying the city “will not put the rights of parade participants ahead of the safety of its citizens,” according to the Elmore Autauga News.
“Plaintiffs believe that the evidence in this action will show that the City of Prattville and Mayor Gillespie had no legitimate concerns or credible evidence of any threats to public safety, that no criminal investigation or charges were brought against any individual threatening the safety of anyone,” according to the complaint, filed by Adam Hunt and Caryl Lawson.
The plaintiffs said Gillespie is “bowing to the pressure from extremists and hecklers in the community who oppose the views of Prattville Pride.”
AL.com was unable to reach the mayor’s office. Prattville Pride told AL.com they’re waiting on a ruling from the judge before commenting further.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 89to4; alabama; christmas; homosexualpolicy; mdalabama; parade; raustinhuffaker; raustinhuffakerjr; trumpjudge
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1 posted on 12/06/2024 6:47:40 PM PST by TigerClaws
To: TigerClaws
2 posted on 12/06/2024 6:49:16 PM PST by Frank Drebin (And don't ever let me catch you guys in America!)
To: TigerClaws
Judges like this should be hung upside down by the ears. Orders!
3 posted on 12/06/2024 6:50:22 PM PST by cowboyusa (YESHUA IS KING OF AMERICA, AND HE WILL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE HIM!)
To: TigerClaws
What about the Freedom of Association?
4 posted on 12/06/2024 6:51:37 PM PST by Ge0ffrey
To: TigerClaws
5 posted on 12/06/2024 6:54:45 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
To: TigerClaws
NO.
Just ignore the order. Judicial overreach.
To: Ge0ffrey
The city shouldn't be organizing and managing the parade in the first place. Let private sponsors do it, and let them manage the content and participants.
This is what a local Chamber of Commerce is for.
7 posted on 12/06/2024 6:57:07 PM PST by Alberta's Child ("Well, maybe I'm a little rough around the edges; inside a little hollow.” -- Tom Petty, “Rebels”)
To: TigerClaws
When did judges become the ruling branch of the US Government?
8 posted on 12/06/2024 6:59:50 PM PST by antidemoncrat ( )
To: TigerClaws
Click bait, nothing more. Try and find where this is and where through the interminable ads to the article. The clowns at Scroogle finally figured out how to make their billions—a tsunami of ads with every movement of your mouse on any website—trying to navigate around their ads. Don’t blame them, everyone wants to make a buck, but this is absurd.
9 posted on 12/06/2024 7:00:02 PM PST by Fungi
To: TigerClaws
LGBTQ pride group
Is it an LGBTQ pride group or just a T pride group?
I suspect the parade float will be nothing more than grown men in Sailor Moon dresses.
10 posted on 12/06/2024 7:02:14 PM PST by Drew68
To: TigerClaws
Of course they should be allowed to have their float as long as they comply with all the regulations like all other floats.
What’s the matter with some people? If they can deny this group they can deny your group. Read the Bill of Rights.
11 posted on 12/06/2024 7:02:28 PM PST by bigbob (Yes. We ARE going back!)
To: TigerClaws
Cancel the parade and have the local churches sponsor one.
12 posted on 12/06/2024 7:04:39 PM PST by Petrosius
To: antidemoncrat
When did judges become the ruling branch of the US Government?
When we abandoned the practice of Tar and Feathers.
13 posted on 12/06/2024 7:05:28 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
To: TigerClaws
Put them at the end of the parade. Put 20 horses well-fed on green grass in front of them.
14 posted on 12/06/2024 7:07:39 PM PST by TigersEye (If you voted for Kamala you're a squirrel murdering communist!)
To: TigerClaws
Ignore the Judge’s decision...Obama and Biden always have.
15 posted on 12/06/2024 7:09:38 PM PST by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
To: TigerClaws
Cancel the City-run parade, and maybe a private club or church will hold one, maybe not.
16 posted on 12/06/2024 7:10:38 PM PST by Dr. Sivana ("Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye." (John 2:5))
To: bigbob
So you would be fine with a stripper float?
17 posted on 12/06/2024 7:14:57 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear ( Not my circus. Not my monkeys. But I can pick out the clowns at 100 yards.)
To: LeonardFMason
18 posted on 12/06/2024 7:15:00 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
To: cowboyusa
19 posted on 12/06/2024 7:16:27 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
To: bigbob
20 posted on 12/06/2024 7:20:25 PM PST by mrmeyer (You can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him. Robert Heinlein)
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