SOME DELICIOUS IRONIES

The Gay Pride Parade took place as usual on Sunday morning, Nov. 4.  PSLOD and The ToolShed opted not to participate because, in the case of The ToolShed, they were just too busy with preparing for the street fair and in the case of PSLOD the decision was made on the basis of a vote of the membership. Some of us non-members also were tired of the leather folks being put at the end of the parade, like poor relations, and wished that that would not happen. How ironic then, that this year the leather contingent was right up near the beginning of the parade. The only leather entry, The Barracks float, was festooned with balloons in the leather pride colors and got a great reception by the crowd. Many leather people opted to walk alongside or behind the truck, since there was no other representation for the leather world.

LEATHER PRIDE 2007

In other years The Barracks has hosted the registration, the Meet and Greet and the final beer bust of Leather Pride weekend. This year the bar was completely and deliberately omitted from the schedule. I understand a wish to spread some of the business around, that’s only fair, but to completely exclude one of California’s biggest and most predominant leather bar from a Leather Pride weekend seems odd. I’m told that the decision was a mutual one made because of “conflicts.” There seems, however, to be a vendetta against The Barracks by a person who still claims to be a co-owner, ever though he hasn’t been seen there in many months and he and his cohorts appear to be doing their level best to damage The Barracks in any way that they can. In a delicious irony, the contest was won by Mr. Barracks Leather Gary Iriza, which was a rebuke to those who wanted to exclude the Barracks. In another irony, despite the exclusion, the Barracks business over the weekend was substantially up on the previous year’s business when The Barracks WAS included in the program. Some people will never learn, of course and I’ve no doubt the vendetta will continue and, to paraphrase Liberace, Barracks owners John and Carl will continue to cry all the way to the bank! 

Meanwhile an anonymous person continues to call the Cathedral City Police and complain about The Barracks, causing repeated visits by the police. That person needs to get a life. I wonder if the City is prepared to justify spending our taxes to perpetrate this harassment? Seven officers and the paramedics and the fire chief visited several times on Labor Day, when they were all getting double time and a half pay. Can you even begin to imagine what that cost the city? Now the city is filing suit to prevent the bar from showing porno movies. But no one under 21 is allowed in the bar and people over 21 presumably can make the choice to stay or not to stay so I wonder who they think is being harmed.  It’s not as if The Barracks is on the main drag where unsuspecting strangers could walk in. You really have to know where it is to find it.  

Back to the leather pride and Mr. Palm Springs Leather contest. The contest was packed and an enthusiastic crowd was well entertained by Bob Smith and by MC Lenny Broberg, IML 1992, who always does a stellar job and keeps the wit flowing. I invited him to MC when I was one of the people in charge of this event and I’m glad that he continues to be invited. I want to congratulate all the contestants, who all did a wonderful job and I would have been happy to see any one of them win. I missed the Formal Leather Dinner this year, I always enjoyed that event, but instead there was a cocktail reception with humungous hors d’oeuvres which I’m told was a great success. Mr. Marcus certainly enjoyed the weekend and gave great praise in his column in the Bay Area Reporter. 

The street fair was also apparently a success and a great innovation.  

Coming up next, Henry Jordan is presenting a fund raiser on World AIDS day, December 1^st at The Barracks. He says “I will be raising money for DAP and AAP. There will be a raffle and silent auction. Any and all support with this event will be appreciated. I plan to have a representative on hand from both organizations to speak about where they have been, where they are now and what is in store from the future.”

Please do your best to support my partner in this venture.