Eleven of 15 councilmembers appeared on the city float.
Dallas City Councilmembers Carolyn Davis and Dwaine Caraway were absent from Sunday’s Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade, despite having RSVP’d affirmatively for the gay Pride celebration.
Eleven of 15 councilmembers, including Mayor Mike Rawlings, rode in the parade, sources at City Hall confirmed this week.
“He enjoyed it and looks forward to next year,” said Paula Blackmon, chief of staff for Rawlings, who became the third mayor in Dallas history to ride in the parade.
Councilmembers Sandy Greyson and Vonciel Jones Hill were the only two who indicated in advance they wouldn’t make the parade — Hill due to religious objections and Greyson because of a scheduling conflict.
Davis and Caraway RSVP’d saying they’d attend. But Cynthia Northcutt, a secretary for Davis, confirmed that the District 7 councilwoman wasn’t there.
“It was on her calendar,” Northcutt said. “She had another conflict. She was not in attendance.”
Northcutt said this afternoon that Davis was out of town and unavailable to discuss her absence.
David had a similar explanation in 2009, after she was criticized by a gay District 7 resident for not attending the parade: “I had personal family business,” she said then. “It’s a Sunday, and I just could not make it at the last minute, but I do support it and I’ve gone for two years.”
District 7 has a sizeable LGBT population, and openly gay candidate Casie Pierce challenged Davis in this year’s election.
Caraway, who served as mayor for several months after Tom Leppert stepped down earlier this year, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Councilwoman Angela Hunt, who rode on the city float with her 18-month-old daughter in her lap this year, said she was surprised Caraway and his wife didn’t attend since Barbara Mallory Caraway, a state representative, is running for Congress.
In 2007, when he was ensnared in a controversy involving homophobic hip-hop lyrics, Caraway was asked by Dallas Voice why he hadn’t attended gay Pride that year. He responded rhetorically, “Was there a Cowboys game that day?”
This year, the Cowboys game began at 3 p.m. Central on Sunday, an hour after the parade stepped off. So undoubtedly Caraway was busy tailgating with Arthur and Archie.
While I do find it interesting who was at the parade and who wasn’t, I’d rather focus on those that were there to support our community and join in the celebration. The politicians and figure heads who were absent obviously do not matter to the GLBT community because the parade went on, money was raised for beneficiaries, and everyone in attendance enjoyed the weekend. There will always be those who’d rather watch a Cowboys game, or at least use that excuse. Someone may have that annual last minute family emergency that always falls on Pride Parade day. There will be those who have religious beliefs that prevent them from loving their neighbor…interesting theology there, and there will always be a handful who just don’t want to attend because they’d rather live boring lives. As I skated down the parade route looking side to side, waving and telling people hello, I realized many are there for different reasons. I’m sure there were mothers and fathers there supporting their children and I even had the opportunity to meet a few children that were there for their parents! WOW! Take that American Family Association! To sum up the point I was attempting to make at the beginning, Pride is not about who’s there and who chose not to be there. It’s not even really about being “proud”. For me, it’s about connecting with the community and embracing our similarities as well as differences and enjoying the company of those who want to be a part of the great GLBT community we have. Thank you to all those who chose to participate, whatever your motivation.
-Carl Fant
To be fair I remember seeing the caraways past few years. Don’t really care what the short timer Angela Hunt thinks. She hasn’t done anything for glbt during her tenure
The usual member of the Council were there. And our community friend and leader Angela Hunt has been going for years, even before she got elected. We are all so thankful and proud of the work she does for our community! Thank you Angela and the rest of the Council Members and Mayor who showed up to support us!