It looks like everything possible has been written about Gay Pride. Both against it and in favor of it. One Serbia is irreconcilably against, the other, much smaller, irreconcilably in favor. And again, why is Gay Pride so important? Is it important at all? What does the promoting of Pride indicate, or even better, what does the threat to ban it tell us? Is it possible that it does not matter? Is it a coincidence that the ones against Pride are most often people who, without a doubt, belong to a poisoned political environment, well known for having more or less problematic standpoints, people prone to nationalist outbursts of various kinds? Is it a coincidence that exactly those individuals are attempting to hide today behind the issues of security and extremist threats? Is it a coincidence that those individuals look for, and easily find excuses which justify their true intentions? Is it possible that they may actually have many things against Pride, and that they can hardly wait to get an opportunity to ban it, although they claim the opposite in the media? And why are those who advocate freedom the same people who support Pride? The well-known fighters for justice, truth, equality? Why are the most progressive minds of the country the ones supporting Pride? Why is advocating for equality a mistake? Why has the support to difference been so distorted? Does only a casual glance say enough about who is honest, and who is not? Is it wrong to be in favor of human rights and freedoms? Is it ok to ban the display of uniqueness and difference? Is it justifiable to punish because of it? What is actually the issue when we talk about Pride? Protecting the safety of people? Or protecting narrow-mindedness? Protecting thoughtlessness, stupidity and the lack of perspective? What else is protected by banning Pride? Traditional values? The strength of traditional values, family and moral is so weak that it can be threatened by a hundred or so people walking around town celebrating love? Demanding equality, acceptance, solidarity? What is it about? About the state which promotes arrogance and political incorrectness? About the country ruled by a police baton and microphone – the police baton for the others, and the microphone for those who are first? Who is really threatened here? The state or individuals? Who is hiding behind the state, or, even better, what are they trying to hide behind the name of the government? Whose position is indefensible if Pride succeeds? Who looses political influence and points? Who will loose voter support? Who is tightening the reins and demonstrating force? Who is the promoter of the real values of Serbia? Who is the creator of these values which cry out for protection? Who is really threatened by Pride? And what is really gained by banning it? The chance for Serbia ever to become a civilized country? The chance to plant a seed of normality in Serbia, from which something may grow one day? The possibility to be amongst the countries which have left the issues of basic human rights behind them a long time ago? Buying time to burry and cover with concrete any perspective of moving forward? Destroy any faith in normality? The hope of developing a healthy society? The love for differences and uniqueness? Making it possible for Serbia to stand unmistakably on the wrong side yet again? To drop out of history once again? To write another page which it might be ashamed of in the future? To gain another opportunity to demonstrate immaturity and inability to catch up with the times, recognize the new ways? Or to finally pay attention to substantially important issues? The issues pertaining to the life of its citizens? The issues pertaining to the rights of its citizens? To loose the possibility to finally break the enchanted circle where the country is everything, and the individual is nothing? The state above the citizen? Traditional values above human rights? The phantom of family moral over freedom? Where do we actually want to live? In an old-fashioned, unadjusted, pointless future? Where there are still first class and second class citizens? And for them, we are all second class citizens, they just don’t have the courage to tell us. They can tell only those who are publicly condemned, whom no one will defend. That is what happens in life – some people get the police baton, others the microphone. And some people accept it. But I am glad to see that the number of those who do not want to accept, and who will fight, is increasing. For the society of justice and equality. However corny it may seem to some. This is the only way for this country to have a future.

Translated by Bojana Obradovic

Peščanik.net, 29.09.2012.