PRIDE: Bottom line is love

I was happy I could have a booth at the recent Pride in the Park event last Saturday. I am glad to see how large it has grown over the years.

I received multiple city emails asking why I choose to do this and who paid for my booth.

I paid the modest fee myself. My main purpose was to be there in a position of visible support and to let folks feel free to ask whatever questions they liked of me in my local elected-guy role. I had several good questions and conversations, some easy and some harder.

Others asked how I, as a local elected leader, a person of faith, and a person involved in programs for youth and families my entire professional life, could condone the Pride Event at all. Some were also troubled about having this activity in a city park with an audience that included many children. Here is my best, honest and personal answer on that extremely broad but important topic.

I believe we are all created beings, created by a loving and knowable God who has communicated to us over the ages in various ways about how we should conduct ourselves in this earthly life. The bottom line is to have love, one for another.

I believe He made Adam and Eve as male and female but for whatever reason He also chose to make a whole lot of other designs when it comes to our sexual nature and identities. At times, I have tried to ponder why He did this when it can cause so much joy but also pain, confusion and hate. Then I am reminded that it is not ours to know the mind of God or why He chose to create the joyous complexity life such as He has.

I am comforted and content to leave it at that.

DAN ENGLISH

City Councilman

Coeur d’Alene