Editor,

It seems Langley has again issued a permit for a group using hate speech as part of their name. The second annual “Queer Pride” parade has been announced.

Let me start by stating that this group is not claiming to represent the LGBT community. They are an “all inclusive” group who have adopted this hate speech as part of their identity. I have to wonder how many of these people were ever beaten while the mob screamed “kill the queer!” How many of them have personally suffered while this word was branded into their memory during endless abuse? How many of them carry physical scars, as well as all the psychological baggage, they associate with this hate speech?

There was a time when this word was used for shock value in protests against beatings and murders of the LGBT community. Now this group wears the word like a party dress. I am disgusted and appalled. If I punch you in the nose, it is a crime. If I call you “queer” and punch you in the nose, I have committed a federal hate crime. “Queer” is hate speech in America, straight out of my nightmares. Please ask your city to act to ban hate speech.

Words are not reserved for the use of some while being forbidden to others. How I feel when this word is yelled out in public is not affected by how this group wants to use it. I still feel fear and anger when I hear it. Stop giving the abusive and intolerant a word they can use to justify themselves to each other. Stop being part of the nightmare.

Both this group and the government of Langley are well aware of my objections to issuing permits for an event using hate speech. The group does not seem to care that they offend a section of the LGBT community; those of us who think it is past time that the word “queer” was tolerated in public, by anyone. If they honestly believe this word is so unimportant that they do not need to be concerned about the consequences of using it, then why won’t they use another word? I object to the use of the word “queer” in a public gathering by a group who do not even identify themselves as LGBT but rather as “all inclusive.” There are too many shattered lives and dead bodies associated with this word already. Do not play with it.

CAPN BLYND

Freeland