The Pride marched down Main Street today, led by KK Devina BeaconLGBTQ. The march was specifically declared *not* a parade in promotional material. In KK’s speech before the march kicked off, KK spoke of why they created their Queer Fam: to create a protected space for themselves to exist and continue to speak out.

In KK’s 47 years of life, they have lost 47 friends to anti-queer actions or influence, “And I’m not even in a war,” they said. Just two days ago, they lost someone else, a trans woman muralist.

For this march, ALBB covered it by focusing on KK and no other photos, since in the LGBTQ+ space, safety is so important as people are targeted. Cindy Gould also attended taking photos.

ALBB heard one heckler early on in the area of the shops on the far west end of town, after leaving Pohill Park from above the sidewalk, shout: “Girls are girls and boys are boys!”

Chants include wore a 🍉watermelon shirt that said SILENCE = DEATH. The sidewalk was peaceful and many passerby’s showed their support. Chants included:

“No Justice, No Peace.”
“Who’s future? Our future.”
“From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever.”
“No borders, no nations, stop deportations.”
“Bottoms Tops, no more Cops.”
“Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Climate Change has got to go.”
“Gender Bender, system offenders.”
“No borders, no nations, trans liberation.”
“No borders, no nations, queer liberation.”
”We’re queer; we’re fruits; we’re looking for recruits.”

The march ended at the VFW Memorial Building. The VFW wpened their space for the reception, where swag included groceries and freshly made empanadas (vegan and carnivore). Groceries were open to all, said KK, and encourage everyone to collect fresh heads of lettuce, onions, bags of greens, granola bars, juice, chips, and hygiene.

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🇵🇸🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

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Note From The Editor:

Before we all meet to protest T and his administration again, it is important to note that “both sides” have been kings. Part of the reason for how we got here is that both Democrats and Republicans have acted like kings, and the people impacted by their legislation did not appreciate it. One example was during COVID, when businesses were shut down, businesses had to comply with a myriad of new and ever-changing rules created at the federal, state and county levels, and people were forced to take a brand new vaccine. These actions had real impacts that created rebellion. I speak as a vaccinator, and as a registered Independent. Have never been a Democrat, and was a Republican by birth only and was glad to shed that.

I wish I could tell you that this video of this mother or this auntie or this sister having her baby with a pacifier snatched out of her arms by “law enforcement” to be replaced by handcuffs would be the defining moment of ending all of this.

But it’s not. And it won’t be.
Because there have been so many defining moments.
So many burning, melting bodies in Palestine by Israel IOF military.
So many pictures.
Remember that toddler who washed up on the beach?
She was Syrian and she was a refugee during the Obama administration.Obama had that “red line,” and she crossed it.
Her dead body floated past past it on the beach.
But nothing changed.
Obama still used drones to kill civilians.

And this was not acknowledged.

Now we have a genocide.
A slaughter of people.
The Congo yes. For our iPhones.
Palestinians. For so, so long. For white supremacy.

This No Kings protest is happening in Beacon on Saturday from 1-4pm and starts at the Post Office with the gathering on Veterans Place. It’s organized in part by Indivisible_845 . That’s great.

But Indivisible as a nationwide organizing effort has never called for the end of the occupation of Palestine by Israel and the United States. They have called for a “de-escalation,” and for a ceasefire.

But the United States funded the escalation. Provided weapons for the escalation.

This protest should be called No White Supremacy.

T is just making this whole country a reality show of violence, power and ego.

Anyone supporting the taking of Brown people is supporting the ripping apart of stolen Africans dragged to this continent. Slavery. Anyone supporting the taking of “undocumented” supports enslavement.

Where are the #donttreadonme🐍 people? Where are you? I’m co-opting your flag. It will hang with my 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

According to Wikipedia, that yellow flag design “proclaims an assertive warning of vigilance and willingness to act in defense against coercion…This has led it to be associated with the ideas of individualism and liberty…It is often used in the United States as a symbol of right-libertarianism, classical liberalism, and small government, as well as for distrust or defiance against authorities and government.”

- Wikipedia