Will the U.S. officially question it's friend Israel about this denial of gay rights?

Posted: 6/24/05 at 8:34am

Jerusalem to Ban Annual Gay Pride Parade

By GAVIN RABINOWITZ
The Associated Press
Thursday, June 23, 2005; 1:46 PM

JERUSALEM -- Jerusalem officials said Thursday they will ban the annual gay pride parade set for next week, claiming the march would offend many of the holy city's residents.

Organizers of the parade appealed to Israel's Supreme Court to repeal the ruling, saying the decision was a violation of the homosexual community's freedom of expression.

The city council, including the mayor, decided "it is not right to allow the march or other planned activities to take place in the streets of Jerusalem, fearing that it will create an uproar, offend a wide sector of city residents and out of fear of public disturbances," Eitan Meir, director general of City Hall, said in a letter to organizers.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter from city officials.

A majority of Jerusalem's more than 600,000 residents are either Orthodox Jews or Muslim or Christian Palestinians _ conservative communities that oppose homosexuality.

The march, scheduled for June 30, was to be the fourth annual parade. The three previous parades have passed peacefully, attended by several thousand people and with only minor incidents of vandalism and protest.

The organizers of the parade, the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance, appealed to the court to allow the march to go ahead.

"The actions of the mayor, and those carrying out his policies, are injurious to the values of freedom of expression," said Open House director Hagai El-Ad.

The city decision comes just weeks after the Jerusalem Open House postponed WorldPride 2005, a 10-day gathering that includes street parties, workshops and a gay film festival, until August 2006."

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/24/05 at 8:51am

This was not done by the Israeli government, which is pro-gay. This was the ultra-Orthodox mayor of Jerusalem.

And in a rare show of unity, evangelical Christans, fundamentalist Muslims and Orthodox Jews banded together in this display of hatred.

Ain't brotherhood grand?
Jerusalem gay pride march banned as religions show rare unity

Posted: 6/24/05 at 8:56am

I must admit I'm a little confused as to how the Mayor of Jerusalem isn't considered a part of the Israeli government. Is he autonomous? Obviously, I imagine he can make an independent decision (like our mayor of San Francisco) but no comment from the national government amounts to sanctioning of that move - in my mind, at least.

[liotte]

Posted: 6/24/05 at 10:17am

After living there for a year, I figured Israeli politics (like everywhere else) are very messed up.

[Plum]

Posted: 6/24/05 at 10:18am

Why the heck would the U.S. be questioning a country that's far more liberal on gay rights than it is? Considering the fact that Israel is a Jewish country, and how much of its policy is determined by the most fanatical and disgusting adherents of that faith, I'd say they're doing remarkably well in the gay rights department.

Israel's anti-sodomy law was repealed in the 80's, something the U.S. didn't manage until a couple of years ago. In the early 90's, workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation was banned. There are still some states in the U.S. that won't do that. In 1993 the Israeli military rescinded its regulations regarding gays. And in the late 90's a transgender Israeli won the Eurovision contest, bringing transgendered people into national prominence and giving them a permanent spot under the queer rights umbrella, a spot I'm not sure even exists in this country.

So please, don't make generalizations, DG. Israel isn't perfect, but it's way ahead of the U.S., despite having its share of religious nutjobs.
Updated On: 6/24/05 at 10:18 AM

Posted: 6/24/05 at 10:22am

Plum - In the title of the thread I ask about this specific situation. My first post was simply the article I read, and my second post asked about the jurisdiction of the mayor of Jerusalem. Please tell me where you have deceminated my generalization about Israeli gay rights attitudes in general?

[Plum]

Posted: 6/24/05 at 10:26am

I'm saying the U.S. is in no position to say anything, so I suppose I'm responding directly to the title of this thread. Not to mention that this administration wouldn't say a thing, even if it could. The President makes political hay from gay-bashing, and he has a conservative asshole friend in Ariel Sharon. (I'm not sure about Sharon's position on gays, but since I hate him I'll just assume he isn't overly worried about this parade.)

Secular Judaism is losing ground in Israel, and it sucks, and that's probably why I'm overly defensive. I'm sorry.

[BwayLover]

Posted: 6/24/05 at 1:13pm

Plum, have I told you lately that I love you?

Listen, the mayor of Jerusalem is an Ultra-Orthodox Jew. As liberal as he is, he will never let a parade take place there (even though one has taken place before). And the government isn't involved- it's a local thing, hence, it's his decision.

Indeed, secular Judaism is losing ground, and it's especially evident in Jerusalem, unfortunately. Our capital has been taken away from us in a sense, and if you ask me, that's why a lot of people who live in Tel-Aviv (where there's a HUGE gay community) don't set foot there. It's sad, but true.

However - Sorry, DG, but this is definitely NOT something the US gov. needs to get involved in. It's none of their business. You asked, I answered.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 6/24/05 at 1:23pm

It seems to me that any kind of secularism-be it secular Judaism, Catholicism, Christianity, etc.-is losing ground.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/24/05 at 1:35pm

Bush is most likely applauding this decision and is trying to work out how to accomplish the same here.

Posted: 6/24/05 at 1:55pm

Let me make something a little clearer, since it obviously isn't translating into print very well.

Of course our government wouldn't say anything, because as has just been pointed out, they're almost asuredly in complete agreeance, and only wish their big-city mayors would do the same thing.

And of course it's none of America's business.

My thread title was an attempt to mock not only our moral attitude, but also our penchant for meddling.

Obviously, as I said, this didn't read well enough.

For the record, I think this action is deplorable.

[BwayLover]

Posted: 6/24/05 at 3:26pm

Thanks for clearing that up, DGrant. But you must admit, the title is a bit..Well you know what I mean.

For the record - I, too, do not approve of this. BUT - and I know what I'm going to say might sound very controversial - at this time, with the security issue being a big concern, the very palpable struggle between right winged people (who are becoming violent) and left winged people which is reaching new heights, a controversial reform in the educational system that's cost thousands of people their jobs, violence outburts more frequent than ever...........This is not what Israel needs to deal with right now. We've had three parades already (I've attended them) - to go into this city, which is already torn and bleeding (not physically but emotionally)is not really a smart move, and it would only alienate a lot of people.

Just my two cents.