Date: Wed, 26 Jul 1995 00:05:40 -0700 (PDT) From: Rex Wockner Subject: 60,000 AT SAN DIEGO PRIDE ************************************************** * Copyright (c) 1995 Rex Wockner and affiliates. * ************************************************** 60,000 AT SAN DIEGO PRIDE No Problems With Fundies by Rex Wockner SAN DIEGO -- Sixty thousand people celebrated gay and lesbian pride in the Hillcrest district July 15, said Police gay liaison Matt Weathersby. "I walked the entire parade route. It was 60,000 or better. Everything was just packed," Weathersby said. Gay, HIV-positive Olympic diver Greg Louganis, who grew up here, led the parade as grand marshal, riding in a convertible with his mother, Frances, and one of his Great Danes. Six-deep crowds on both sides of University Avenue gave Louganis a hero's welcome. Many were visibly moved. "It's just great to share this with my mom," Louganis said. No trouble resulted from the appearance of 20 protesters from the Rev. Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. The Phelps clan carried placards that were offensive to gays, such as "Thank God For AIDS," "God Hates Fags," and "Shilts In Hell," a reference to the late gay journalist and "And The Band Played On" author Randy Shilts. A local church group that promised to turn out 200 demonstrators attracted 12. "I heard definite name-calling from the Phelps group and some name- calling from gays and lesbians too," Weathersby said. "But that was it. A good time was had by all." About 15 gays and lesbians stood near the Phelps group and blew long plastic horns that sounded like fog horns, drowning out much of the group's shouting and hymn-singing. "Fred Phelps is a scary person with a lot of problems and he needs counseling," said marcher Scott Farrar, 25, a student. At the parade's end, spectators flooded Sixth Avenue and walked to Balboa Park, where a large, two-day festival featured well-known comedians and recording artists, including Bronski Beat, Crystal Waters and Thea Austin. == end ==