Homophobia, schmomophobia - why ruin a good news story?

OK guys, get over yourselves. To the organizers of the Ottawa-Gatineau Pride festivities: Ottawa City Council made a business decision based on your past track record. To the individuals who make up the organizing committee, it may not have been this year's crew who left area businesses and Ottawa taxpayers holding the bag in the past... but someone from your organization did.

Where I come from, if you default on a loan, the banker won't advance you additional funds when you come asking the second (or third or fourth) time around.

In what should have been a good news day for Pride organizers (Capital Xtra agreed to front them the cash needed to ensure a successful Pride week in 2006), Darren Fisher couldn't resist another opportunity to cast aspersions on certain members of City Council who voted against a motion that would have given money to a group that clearly has proven itself unable to manage a budget. Calling people names (in this case accusing them of being homophobic in an oblique way) usually is a tactic reserved for elementary school children. Doing so when you're allegedly a responsible adult just makes you look ridiculous.

There was absolutely nothing to be gained by Mr. Fisher saying what he did today. He should have taken his time behind the microphone to laud the efforts of a private business that came to save the day. He chose to do otherwise and many noticed. Here's hoping a lesson has been learned.

Oh, and here's hoping that this year they can repay the loan too - somehow I doubt a private for-profit business will be as willing to write off bad debt as the City of Ottawa has done for this group before. Be careful guys... and good luck.

Source: http://www.cfra.com/headlines/index.asp?cat=1&nid=40798