March On, Spokane

National news publications rarely hit up our neighborhood, but when they do, it’s usually embarrassing. This last year, it’s been former SPD officer Karl Thompson [theoretically] getting time for beating an innocent, mentally handicapped man to death, and some white supremacist prick trying to blow up our annual MLK day parade.

What usually doesn’t make the news is the ferocity with which we rally to say, “Hey. Not in our town, you don’t.”

Example: The Lake City Playhouse  in Coeur d’Alene recently sparked a flurry of letter-to-the-editoring in the Coeur d’Alene Press with its currently-running performance of Rent, a play about HIV positive young people in the ’70′s.

“OMG FORNICATING HOMOSEXUALS!” protested the morally upright, promising to picket the show. But the only people to show up on opening night were a full house of playgoers and knock-your-gay-loving-socks-off cast comprised largely of heterosexual Christian performers who are probably going to hell now.

The night prior, a teaser performance benefitting INBA Outreach*, Spokane’s LGBT scholarship fund, and the North Idaho Aids Coalition, also sold out.

So did all the other performances this weekend. 

The Huffington Post wrote about the controversy, but not about the full house.

So I’m writing about the full house. And about our entire community — save 40 police officers in a courtroom — who persisted in holding Spokane’s leadership accountable to Otto Zehm’s legacy until justice was served. (Disclaimer: I am in no way insinuating that expressing your opinion, no matter how hateful, in the newspaper is comparable to killing — or attempting to kill — people.)

Tomorrow marks the 1-year anniversary of the day Kevin Harpham sentenced himself to half a lifetime in prison. He is only one man. As for the rest of us, we’re beefing up security and marching.

The MLK Family Center hosts its annual Unity March, Monday, January 6th, at 10 am. Meet at the INB Performing Arts Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.