Dear Editor:
Thank you, Joe Murry of Rainbow Sash, for the excellent letter (as published recently in Windy City Times) critical of the Pride Parade Planning committee. The letter hit home personally for me as someone critical of the way the Pride Committee has been operating for years. The matter of secret meetings, no public disclosure (posting of committee meeting schedule), lack of community input and prioritizing the entries to favor big-name politicians are important talking points.
The parade was originally conceived of as a march and in years past (early 1970s), meetings were open to the public. And there was a revolving chair to head the committee. With Rich Pfeiffer at the helm, the committee and, hence, the parade have morphed into an instrument of the Northalsted Area Merchants Association and the liquor interests.
What business would want the planning of the parade and related events in the hands of the public, anyway? In earlier years there was a post-parade rally in Lincoln Park with a staging area for the purpose of giving voice to various non-bar community groups. There were accompanying tables with literature. All that has been swept aside. And by whom? Who made the decision? It wasn't the public.
We, the concerned citizens, must be at future (early 2013) Pride Committee meetings to put the committee back on trackfrom a business monopoly-one-man-show to an open, community-run organization.
Sincerely,
Craig Teichen
Chicago