‘Banned From Pride For Being a Gay Libertarian’: Right to Marry Clashes With Right to Carry at Gay Pride Event | TheBlaze.com - Kaitlyn Schallhorn:
June 23, 2015 - "The right to marry clashed with the right to carry over the weekend in Olympia, Washington, when members of the state’s Libertarian Party were barred from a gay pride event because of their support for the Second Amendment.
"Last weekend marked the 25th anniversary of the Capital City Pride festival in the Evergreen State, and the Libertarian Party of Washington planned to attend the festival and man a booth — just like in the years past. However, when an attendee called the event’s organizers to ask if open carry would be allowed throughout the festival, the libertarians suddenly found themselves barred from the festivities.
"James Holcomb, a Libertarian Party of Washington member, said in an interview with TheBlaze that the friction between the organizers and the libertarians began when he inquired if open carry would be permitted during the festival.... It wasn’t, and that was that — or so Holcomb thought.
"In a voicemail to Holcomb, Capital City Pride chairwoman Anna Schlecht accused the libertarians of attempting to 'play games' with her.
"'Your booth and your participation is hereby banned from Capital City Pride,' Schlecht said in the voicemail obtained by TheBlaze.
"'By the power vested in me, as the chair, you are banned and you will never have a booth as long as I’m involved in Capital City Pride,' she said. 'Don’t bother calling back. I’m very frustrated. I know y’all have a political agenda'....
"Other than the voicemail Holcomb received the day before the festival, allegedly no other members of the LPWA — including those who registered for the booth — were informed that the entire party was no longer welcome at the inclusive event. It wasn’t until a LPWA booth organizer, Edwin Pole, showed up at 8 a.m. on Saturday that he was told he could no longer attend....
"Pole told TheBlaze that both he and Holcomb showed up to the event unarmed, and that while the LPWA had discussed whether or not they wanted to promote gun rights in the booth this year, they ultimately decided against it long before the confrontation with Schlecht. Pole said LPWA members had been asked to show up to the festival unarmed.
"Pole said he personally paid the $100 for the booth himself and did not take a check Schlecht allegedly attempted to shove into his notebook Saturday morning. He said that while the check was to reimburse for the cost of the booth, it was 'not sufficient' as it did not compensate LPWA for the additional money, time and resources the organization had used in an attempt to get ready for the festival....
"Aside from the check, Schlecht provided the LPWA members with a handwritten note that explained Capital City Pride’s decision to take away their booth.
"'You and your associates are completely free to exercise your 1st Amendment rights to free speech in & around our fair grounds,' the note signed by Schlecht said.... 'And be advised that your supreme insensitivity to the recent church shooting in Charleston will be duly noted by festival participants'....
"Neither Schlecht nor Capital City Pride responded to multiple requests for comment from TheBlaze."
Read more: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/06/23/banned-from-pride-for-being-a-gay-libertarian-right-to-marry-clashes-with-right-to-carry-at-gay-pride-event/
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June 23, 2015 - "The right to marry clashed with the right to carry over the weekend in Olympia, Washington, when members of the state’s Libertarian Party were barred from a gay pride event because of their support for the Second Amendment.
"Last weekend marked the 25th anniversary of the Capital City Pride festival in the Evergreen State, and the Libertarian Party of Washington planned to attend the festival and man a booth — just like in the years past. However, when an attendee called the event’s organizers to ask if open carry would be allowed throughout the festival, the libertarians suddenly found themselves barred from the festivities.
"James Holcomb, a Libertarian Party of Washington member, said in an interview with TheBlaze that the friction between the organizers and the libertarians began when he inquired if open carry would be permitted during the festival.... It wasn’t, and that was that — or so Holcomb thought.
"In a voicemail to Holcomb, Capital City Pride chairwoman Anna Schlecht accused the libertarians of attempting to 'play games' with her.
"'Your booth and your participation is hereby banned from Capital City Pride,' Schlecht said in the voicemail obtained by TheBlaze.
"'By the power vested in me, as the chair, you are banned and you will never have a booth as long as I’m involved in Capital City Pride,' she said. 'Don’t bother calling back. I’m very frustrated. I know y’all have a political agenda'....
"Other than the voicemail Holcomb received the day before the festival, allegedly no other members of the LPWA — including those who registered for the booth — were informed that the entire party was no longer welcome at the inclusive event. It wasn’t until a LPWA booth organizer, Edwin Pole, showed up at 8 a.m. on Saturday that he was told he could no longer attend....
"Pole told TheBlaze that both he and Holcomb showed up to the event unarmed, and that while the LPWA had discussed whether or not they wanted to promote gun rights in the booth this year, they ultimately decided against it long before the confrontation with Schlecht. Pole said LPWA members had been asked to show up to the festival unarmed.
"Pole said he personally paid the $100 for the booth himself and did not take a check Schlecht allegedly attempted to shove into his notebook Saturday morning. He said that while the check was to reimburse for the cost of the booth, it was 'not sufficient' as it did not compensate LPWA for the additional money, time and resources the organization had used in an attempt to get ready for the festival....
"Aside from the check, Schlecht provided the LPWA members with a handwritten note that explained Capital City Pride’s decision to take away their booth.
"'You and your associates are completely free to exercise your 1st Amendment rights to free speech in & around our fair grounds,' the note signed by Schlecht said.... 'And be advised that your supreme insensitivity to the recent church shooting in Charleston will be duly noted by festival participants'....
"Neither Schlecht nor Capital City Pride responded to multiple requests for comment from TheBlaze."
Read more: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/06/23/banned-from-pride-for-being-a-gay-libertarian-right-to-marry-clashes-with-right-to-carry-at-gay-pride-event/
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