Will the mayor allow them to march in the capital? Eilat's Gay Pride Parade
Photo: Meir Ochayon
'You said you would respect Jerusalem's pluralism.' Lopoliansky
Photo: Dan Forgs
City with no pride
Jerusalem Mayor's decision on gay parade backward
To the Honorable Uri Lopoliansky, Mayor of Jerusalem:
I read about the objection of Jerusalem's Torah sages to this year’s Pride Parade. I’ll begin by pointing out that I am not part of the parade faithful, and I do not usually take part in it for my own reasons.
Standing Tall
By Meir Ochayon
Some 1,000 people participated Friday in the Gay Pride Parade in Eilat only a few days after the cancellation of the International Gay Pride Parade, which was scheduled to take place in Jerusalem
But this still does not take away the democratic right of this (or any other) group of citizens to march through the streets of the city - whatever their goals - so long as they pose no physical threat.
Your decision has led me to a decision of my own: I will take my two small children out of nursery school, and I will proudly participate in the parade with them.
When you were elected, I suspected the city was in for some dark days, a la Iran or Afghanistan. You went out of your way to convince everyone you would respect the city’s pluralism and peaceful relations between the city’s different groups.
True, people in general and Israelis specifically have short memories. But liberalism, freedom, basic rights and freedom of sexual orientation - you will never erase these things. They are stronger than the dark, backward beliefs you continue to hold.
I had reason to believe you would remain true to your declarations. After all, you did establish Yad Sarah, surely one of the points of light in our dark world.
Still time to reconsider
But I, and many others, got burned. I remain part of the liberal community with every ounce of my being, at the time you buried yourself in that dark world you claim to represent. I do not interfere in your Sabbath and holiday celebrations, so don't interfere in my celebrations.
As a Jerusalem native (and resident until a year and a half ago, when I decided to leave your dark city for Tel Aviv), I have just as much a right to the city as you or the Mea Shearim (ultra-Orthodox neighborhood) residents have.
Those who are offended by the parade don't have to attend it or be anywhere in its vicinity, and just so you know, it is safe to assume that if you and your counterparts would not enforce your totalitarian train of thought, many of your shtreimel-wearing friends would join the march, instead of satisfying their sexual urges in the city's dark corners or yeshivas. (You are well aware of the goings on there.)
You still have a few more days until the parade. Sit down, reconsider, and reverse your unpractical decision. As I believe you would change your mind only under court order, my family and are planning to attend the parade in protest of your policy.
See you at the parade.
