Efforts under way to create gay district in state's Lilac City (Spokane, WA)

OregonLive ^ | 1/15/2005 | NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS

[Maigret]

Do you still live in Spokane? I left in 1988 to move to CA, and because of the types of social activities I was involved in, it seemed like the gays were quite a force there back then.

I'm not who you posted this to, but I lived in Spokane from 1980 to 1986 and moved to, thankfully, an even more conservative part of Eastern Washington and I can assure you that gays were not then and are not now 'quite a force there'.

In fact I would advise any limp wristed ones whose car broke down in the area to act as macho as possible in dealing with the locals. All of whom are as we say 'packing' :)

[LanaTurnerOverdrive]

nothing like a little queer anti-hetero bigotry in community planning

It doesn't say anywhere in the article that heterosexuals are not welcome. Capitol Hill-Seattle, Castro-SF, Cheeseman Park-Denver, West Hollywood-LA, Silverlake-LA....I've lived in all these cities and visited all these neighborhoods. They are all gay communities where heterosexuals are welcome. It sounds like this is the kind of idea they have in mind. The only difference is that these were not planned gay communities. They just became that way over time. This is why I doubt this endeavor will be successful

On a side note, I grew up in Spokane and people who were openly gay were asking for trouble.

[Theresawithanh]

LOL! I should have said - it was singles groups to meet up and go camping, go to movies, go out to eat and such. I knew a lot of people who were in the gay community back then, and thought they were quite "out" 16 years ago.

[GeekDejure]

Ping.

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Umm... dontchamean "Pink"??? ;-))

[Horatio Gates]

Sure they're serious. And if they don't get their way the ACLU, or whoever represents these wingnuts, will sue Spokane and try to get some money out of the city in the process

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Weeeeelll...I suppose I could just start using this to ping people instead ; ) :

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't even really care about gays... I have gay friends... But I am sure they would think this little idea with the welcome signs and the little gay customer cards... was really well...~GAY~ .

[BullDog108]

I live in Spokane, and with the exception of one gay bar downtown and one monthly paper, the gays are not a force here. As a matter of fact, this whole idea of a gay district is being met with a strong show of resistence by the community. IOW, we are ignoring them. Just as we ignore their infantile gay "pride" parades.

[HairOfTheDog]

Check this out.

[Theresawithanh]

Thanks to you and Scott and Maigret for your replies. I wasn't very political back then, beyond wanting a Republican president to be elected because I didn't like the democrat party platform.

Now that I live in one of the most gay-friendly states in the nation, CA, maybe my perception is a little colored. After all, it was 16 years ago, and I'm older, but not necessarily smarter.

[HairOfTheDog]

The only difference is that these were not planned gay communities. They just became that way over time. This is why I doubt this endeavor will be successful

That is the critical difference. Art districts with a lot of galleries, small unusual shops and such often attract gay clientelle and business owners, but not because they are gay. No one is going to cross town to seek out the Gay Hamburger place.

[SunnySide]

plant a flag in a particular neighborhood

Yep then it would be so much easier and convenient for the married male closet cases to plant their flags (rolls eyes). That will be Oprahs next show.

[SunnySide]

" asked to display signs in their windows proclaiming their support for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. "

Kind of creepy like posting nazi swastikas all over the place. Ewwww. In drag Fraulines

[GeekDejure]

Weeeeelll...I suppose I could just start using this to ping people instead ; ) :

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Yeah, good on ya, babe... but it's just a teeny weeny bit too discriminating!

Which is to say... where's the WHITE stripe ??? ;-))

[castle05]

more like a pink light district.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"I don't know why it's necessary to plant a flag in a particular neighborhood. Just live, like everybody else."

In theory, I wholeheartedly agree with you. In practice, it's always the Drama Queens that get their way. They're very, very good at being Squeaky Wheels.

[festus]

I have nothing against the queers being able to setup their own neighborhood. I'm as tolerant as the next fellow. But I wish in the name of fairness and equality to have the same rights as the queers. Namely the right to setup straight neighborhoods where no queers are allowed.

[quietolong]

Flag Wars....Sodomites harass poor & middle class Blacks to get their homes. (pos. barf alert)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1158429/posts

[cherry]

it's openly gay city councilman was selected, not elected....

Spokane did have a history of mining and farming, and farming is still important, and it had other industries, but now its really world known for its excellant heart institute ......

I have lived here for 27 yrs and never heard of any gay "newspaper"....

I would love for them to settle all their gay businesses together in one section , because then I will know what not to patronize.....

idiots......

[California Patriot]

Interesting story. I say, watch for more and more of this crap at the local level.

In other words, the Left is increasingly losing its inhibitions. Their utter contempt for this society, and its norms for public life, is on display here. This article illustrates beautifully that Liberal/Left activists are not about fairness and equality. They're about power -- raw, unadulterated, fart-in-your-face POWER. They're about TAKING whatever they can, whenever they can.

In this, they're quite reminiscent of the Soviet Communists of yore. Except they won't be vanquished so easily.