Hundreds of people lined up on main street to watch the parade that supports the equal rights of gays and lesbians, but not everyone agrees.
Love and joy is felt throughout Ashland’s Main Street for the 4th annual Pride Parade.
“It’s just fun to come to a parade and see people be so proud of themselves and their choices”
Church groups, musicians, and performers made up a vibrant celebration that some say gives them the opportunity to express themselves
“I’ve been around for a long time and now its time to be recognized for who I am and why I’m here and help the cause move forward.”
But not everyone was there to support the cause, a local man stirred up the crowd with this sign he made that says being gay is a crime
“Its expressing truth and so if it gets through to one person and especially the children that they understand what is natural and god ordained and humane then it’s a victorious day.”
But that’s not the way Therese Kawiatowski is raising her child.
“I think that love is good and kids should learn love, so why not more love then less.”
Meantime Buckingham, who has been with his partner for twelve years, says he just wants to live like anyone else.
And pride allows him and everyone else at the parade to do that.
“Everybodys entitled to believe what they want and what happens is just being who we are will show people that its not a crime to be gay”
Petitioners were also at the festival today gathering signatures for a 2014 ballot measure that would allow same-sex marriages to be legal in the state of Oregon.
Several church organizations marched in today’s pride parade in support of marriage equality.
Leslie Becknell Marx, the minister of Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship was today’s Grand Marshall.
She admits there is often a disconnect between the church and the LBGTQ community.
But she and other religious leaders believe that the bible teaches to love equally.
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Attendees say it was nice to see a bridge being built between two sides.
Organizers also tell us that one of the first groups who called wanting to march in support of the parade was the Mormon church.
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