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| Mayor Tom Leppert, shown during the 2007 Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade, fulfilled a campaign promise and became only the second mayor to appear at Pride. After missing the parade in 2008, Leppert is scheduled to return this year. |
District 5 representative says she won’t appear in parade because ‘some acts God doesn’t bless’
Mayor Tom Leppert and all but one of Dallas’ 14 other city council members have said they’ll appear in Dallas’ gay Pride parade Sept. 20, according to Leppert’s openly gay chief of staff, Chris Heinbaugh.
If all council members who’ve RSVP’d for the 26th annual Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade show up, it would be a record turnout.
The number of parade commitments from council members this year ties a record set in 2005, when openly gay Councilman Ed Oakley was in charge of invitations.
That year, Mayor Laura Miller and 13 of the 14 other council members said they planned to appear, but a few got stuck in traffic and never made it to the float, according to former Dallas Voice staff writer David Webb.
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| Vonciel Hill |
This year, the lone council member who’s refusing to appear in the parade is Methodist minister and District 5 Councilwoman Vonciel Jones-Hill, according to Heinbaugh, who now handles the invitations.
Confronted on Wednesday, Sept. 2 during a break in a City Council meeting, Hill initially declined comment and walked off. But she returned a few minutes later to explain her decision.
"I won’t be participating [this year], and based on my present beliefs, I won’t be participating in the future," Hill said. "There’s no reason I should be castigated for that."
Asked what those beliefs are, Hill said: "I believe that all people are loved by God, all people are created equal under God, but there are acts that God does not bless. It does not mean the person is any less God’s child. I’m entitled to stand for what I believe, and I don’t appreciate anyone castigating me for standing for what I believe."
A day later, Patti Fink, president of the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance, questioned what kind of message Hill is sending to her LGBT constituents.
"Does she not support their equal rights under existing laws in the city of Dallas?" Fink said. "It’s an odd stance I think to take as a public official. … How would she feel if some member of the council refused to participate in the MLK parade? It just means we have a lot of work to do in District 5."
In 2005, the lone council member who refused to appear in the parade was District 13’s Mitchell Rasansky.
At the time, Rasansky said his decision wasn’t based on anti-gay beliefs but on his opposition to the use of alcohol. The parade is put on by the Dallas Tavern Guild, an association of gay and lesbian bars, and its sponsors include several alcoholic beverage companies.
Rasansky left the council due to term limits earlier this year, and his successor, Councilwoman Ann Margolin, said it was a no-brainer for her to accept the invitation. "I’ve always had [gay] friends and I had a lot of supporters from the gay community in my campaign," Margolin said. "They’re having a party, and I want to come. To me, it’s the neighborly thing to do."
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano, a regular in the parade whose district includes much of Oak Lawn, said she believes the positive response from council members this year is a good sign.
"I think it just shows that Dallas embraces diversity," Medrano said.
Fink agreed. "I think it’s very exciting and very important that our city leaders support our community, and it’s a simple thing to do to participate in our parade," she said.
In addition to Leppert and the 13 council members, Heinbaugh said City Manager Mary Suhm, Police Chief David Kunkle and Fire-Rescue Chief Eddie Burns have all said they plan to appear in the parade this year.
Leppert missed the parade last year due to a personal commitment after fulfilling a campaign promise by appearing in the parade in 2007. Leppert was only the second mayor to appear in the parade, after Miller.
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| COUNCIL ON PARADE I In 2007, Dallas City Council members that participated in the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade included, from left, Pauline Medrano, Angela Hunt, Dave Neumann and Linda Koop. |
Council members who’ve said they plan to appear in the parade this year are Leppert, Delia Jasso (District 1), Medrano (District 2), David Neumann (District 3), Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway (District 4), Steve Salazar (District 6), Carolyn Davis (District 7), Tennell Atkins (District 8), Kadane (District 9), Jerry Allen (District 10), Linda Koop (District 11), Ron Natinsky (District 12), Margolin (District 13) and Angela Hunt (District 14).
Caraway, Atkins, Kadane and Allen — all of whom were first elected in 2007 — reportedly will be making their inaugural appearances at gay Pride.
"If this is their first time, I think that’s tremendous," Fink said. "Let’s just hope that it’s good weather this year."
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition September 4, 2009.
Actually, all of the council members in 2005 rode in separate convertibles. The ones who arrived to participate were surprised to find they had no drivers for their fancy new cars. The dealership delivered the cars and left the keys in the ignition. Parade organizers were forced to scramble to find drivers for the council members. They had assumed the dealership would want to protect their property by providing drivers. Of course, it all eventually worked out as the parade always does, but it was one of the most problematic ones. One group of performers got so carried away that they kept performing rather than moving on, causing the parade to back up forever. Several people on horses in the extreme heat, whose name I will withhold because I’ve incurred his wrath so much in the past, had a hissy fit about the whole thing. But in the end, it all went off great, and it truly was a great parade. Of course, anything with our gracious and beautiful Mayor Laura Miller with her family in the lead in her carriage, always was a great event. I think I got a shout-out from her that year.
Vonciel Hill also thinks her pay should not be docked for not showing up for meetings.
If she doesn’t want to participate she shouldn’t. If she doesn’t agree with the lifestyle that is her choice and right. Not everyone wants to see people barely clothed parading around (Doesn’t bother me, actually I prefer it!)
No one should have someone elses views pushed on them. If you disagree with her not participating in the parade then remember it next time she runs for office and cast your vote accordingly. At least she believes God loves everyone unlike the banner/poster toting ‘christians’ and isn’t condemning us all to hell!
I think people like Vonciel Hill have no place in City Government. She has a duty to represent the citizens of Dallas. All Citizens. Not to pick and choose who she wants to represent. City Government must be separate from your personal beliefs if your going to serve in City Government. She can believe that cows fly for all I care but leave it at home. Her job that we the tax payers pay her for, which is over $100,000 dollars a year, is to represent ALL citizens. Not just the Methodist. Not just the Blacks. Not just the people she believes God loves. Not just the ones who gave her campaign money. People like Vonciel Hill that cannot keep their religion and personal beliefs out of City Government do not need to be in City Government. I know for a fact there are other council persons riding in the parade who’s religion also teaches them that Homosexuality is a sin condemned by eternal damnation in Hell. That would be All Catholics, Methodist, Baptist, Church of Christ, Presbyterian, Church of God, Nazarene, Mormons. Most of our city council belong to one of these denominations but they can keep that separate from their civic duty to support and represent their people. It’s easy to say well just vote out Vonciel Hill. That is not so easy in a District that is made up of mostly 60 and older Black citizens who vote. Vonciel Hills Ignorance is an embarrassment to the city of Dallas. We are a city moving forward and don’t need closed minded people like her representing our City.
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Michael Clark Smotherman
Southern Sector District 8
Good point Jeremy, agreed. She doesn’t condemn or fault. She only makes a personal choice not to participate based on her beliefs. Thats her right and she shouldn’t be condemned or faulted for it. If her constituents feel that affects her ability to represent their interests on the council they should voice there concerns in the next election.
She has every right to do as she pleases.
Although I agree with Michael above, I must correct him when it comes to City Council members salaries. Dallas City Council pays 37,500.00 a year to council members.
Although I agree with Michael above, I must correct him when it comes to City Council members salaries. Dallas City Council pays 37,500.00 a year to council members.