Date: Sun, 12 Jun 94 11:03:49 EDT
From: BoiseBear@aol.com

Reprinted from the [Boise] Idaho Statesman,
Sunday, June 12 1994 -- Page 12A

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Photo: Anti-gay demonstrators Mike Hoge, left and
Robert Prater, both of Nampa, shout obscenities
at speakers and supports who turned out for the fifth
annual gay parade on Saturday.

[the two are holding a 12 foot banner ....
ONLY GOOD QUEER IS A DEAD QUEER    -rs]

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ANTI-GAYS EXPRESS OPINIONS AT RALLY

Some scream epithets, others display signs
opposing gays.

By Marianne Flagg
The Idaho Statesman

The large, hand-painted sign was blunt: "Only
good queer is a dead queer."

To the band of a dozen screaming protesters at
a gay pride rally Saturday, the sign proclaimed
their disgust at homosexuality -- and a wish that
gays would go away.

For gays and their supporters, the sign showed
the hate they say drives many of the people who
want to keep them from obtaining civil rights.

Stuck in the middle were people who oppose
homosexuality but who don't want to be associated
with the protesters who were screaming words
like "freak" and "fag" -- and worse.

The shouters were generally young men -- although
there was one woman -- from Nampa [city 20 miles
West of Boise -rs].  One man carried a small child on
his shoulders while he screamed at the gay group.

Robert Prater, one of the people screaming slurs,
defended his actions.  "They are the freaks of the
world, and filth, the disciples of the Antichrist.  It's
against what's natural."

Patrick Conner of Nampa, who protests the gay
parade every year, videotaped some of the rally
participants and introduced his boxer, Dan-o, as
a "homophobe dog."  Dan-o was on a leash.

"I've been coming out here five years to protest
these filthy people," Conner said.

The dog barked, and Connor said, "Get 'em, Dan-o,
queers, queers."

Parade speaker Brian Bergquist, a leader in the Boise
gay community, handled the protesters with humor.
He led the crowd in blowing a kiss to Connor.

"It's a very loving relationship we have now with Pat,"
Bergquist quipped.

Lesbian comedian Robin Tyler couldn't contain her
anger at the "dead queer" sign.

"I'm Jewish," Tyler said, her face red and her voice
raising.  "If that sign said 'The only good Jew is a
dead Jew,' or 'The only good black is a dead black,'
we'd be kicking your ... asses.  So you're very lucky
we're nonviolent."

The crowd cheered.

Many of the protesters weren't screaming.

They stood silently with signs that read, "Do not mock God"
and "Hate the sin, not the sinner."

Dennis Mansfield, exeutive director of the Idaho Family
Forum [Focus on the Family & Idaho Citizens Alliance -rs],
stood far from the vocal protesters, whom he criticized.

But he remained opposed to the rally.  People in his group
were "amazed that so many of the counterculture extremists
are being joined by some moderaters and left-leaning activits
that aren't homosexual.  It's obvious a coalition is building.
I can't see thousands of Idahoans supporting this,"
Mansfield said.

Jen Ray, a Boise lesbian who helped with the parade, said
gays were pleased by the turnout, but chastened by the
hostile protest.

"It made it a little more scary," she said.  "We've never had
that kind of display, with hatred."

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Submitted by Robert Shaffer [my words -rs]
BoiseBear@aol.com