The Gay issue

[StuStu]

I miss George Z.

Amen.

[bass5]

Just turn the tables and realize what hell I caught marching in 27 for being from the south. It happens everywhere....

I know in the Scouts "back in the day" we had a few guys from the south that got a little crap - all in good fun though.

There is a big difference between that and not being served because of your skin color.

But I do agree that it happens everywhere. When I was in we experienced the worst bigotry in the northeast not the south.

[apoch003]

We had a period of time when the gays were so obnoxious and over the top that they were actually daring you to criticize their behavior. Fun is fun but Constant flaunting of any life style to the point of perpetual theatrics shows imaturity and lack of self confidence. That was 15 years ago - I'm glad that situation has resolved.

Watched any t.v., read any magazines, seen any ads, billboards or anything since the dawn of time, lately?

I don't think "flaunting" can describe how the media has been promoting sex appeal only for the straights. Just because you get a little uncomfortable with a once a year parade, doesn't qualify it as "flaunting it".

Or perhaps, you're trying to make a different point.

Edited August 22, 2007 by apoch003

[GMichael1230]

We had a period of time when the gays were so obnoxious and over the top that they were actually daring you to criticize their behavior. Fun is fun but Constant flaunting of any life style to the point of perpetual theatrics shows imaturity and lack of self confidence. That was 15 years ago - I'm glad that situation has resolved.

Wow, a lot of ignorance in this post. How 'bout dem straits on them busses sitting arm in arm, hand in hand and doing what not throught the season, before practice, after practice...talk about flaunting.

"imaturity and lack of self confidence" ..huh ?? Sounds like you were threatened by folks having self confidence and thinking they were comfortable enough to act like themselves.

So, what "behaviour" is it that they were daring you to criticize ??

~G~

[westpaguardguy]

We had a period of time when the gays were so obnoxious and over the top that they were actually daring you to criticize their behavior. Fun is fun but Constant flaunting of any life style to the point of perpetual theatrics shows imaturity and lack of self confidence. That was 15 years ago - I'm glad that situation has resolved.

OMG the first line of this post is a riot!!! "We had a period of time when the gays.... " I have never been refered to as "the gays". Speaking from experience, I have marched in many drum corps Jr and Sr, and being a gay man no one was ever outwardly rude. Now there may have been times when some people would say things behind my back but as far as I was concerned, if they had a problem or issue with me, they would come to me directly. I remember in my Jr corps days. The corps director stated that he did not care if you were gay, straight, bi, asexual or a unick. What you do on your own time is your business. But as long as you were within the organization, you would be treated with respect and understanding. Coming from a corps director, that meant something. The corps was very successful and the corps itself was the tightest group of people ever. Most families were not this tight. The men and women in the corps who were gay were even closer. We had a bond that far surpassed the corps bond. To this day, I still have very close friends (gay and straight) who I would do anything for because of this bond. And that was when I marched Jr corps was in the late 80's. Having marched in many Sr corps, the attitude is much the same. The only difference is, with the wide age range (from 15-60), the younger folks don't seem to mind. It is the older members that refer to the more " visually artiscally gifted" as "the gays" or "the queers". But that is something that I chalk up to the era that they grew up in. So, to get off my rhinestone covered soapbox, homosexuality in drum corps is common and will not be going away any time soon. Overall acceptance inside (and outside) the activity, will help (hopefully) the young people grow into mature and well rounded adults.

Thanks for reading.

[k357]

When I marched in the 70's we never looked at each other in that way. We were Family, period. Warts and all. Many of us went to the same schools, our familys hung out, worked and shoped at many of the same places. As you can see there were not many secerts. LOL LOL. No one cared what the color of your skin was or if you were gay or not, standing beside each other in front of a bank in full uniform under a hot sun on a Saturday asking for nickles, dimes, and quarters to help support your Local Drum and Bugle Corps. Really, In the Corps that I marched in no one cared.

Yeah that's pretty much the way I rememeber it too... At least personally I didn't care what your persuasion was, we were all the for the same purpose.... BTW we were equal oppurtunity offendors too.... EVERYBODY got an equal ration of S***T....

Edited August 30, 2007 by k357

[lindap]

Stanley Knaub was an innovator for colour/color guard everywhere. He was great and is still great in spirit and his accomplishments. To an acquaintance who became a friend, I admired you, dear friend and mentor. I salute you Stanley, you are in Heaven. Love you lots.

Edited September 27, 2007 by lindap