George Rebane
Last weekend Jo Ann and I attended an international gathering in San Francisco that celebrated the historical role of a culture over the last two centuries. This event is held every five years in a different part of the world, and its nearby venue this year made attendance convenient for us. People from all quarters of the globe gathered at the Grand Hyatt where seminars on the various functions and expressions of the culture were conducted. The event opened at the magnificent Palace of Fine Arts with a gala performance featuring entertainments ranging from poetry to ballet. Other prominent venues during the weekend featured folk dancing, a huge songfest with orchestra and multiple choirs, and individual performers with various ethnic offerings, both traditional and contemporary.
The whole affair was a unifying experience connecting a revered and honored past with the present, and making explicit the ties that bind the older generations to the young. It is these young people who during such occasions see that they are a part of something bigger than themselves, something of worth that has survived centuries of assault through dedication, persistence, and courage of their ancestors.
The exposure to such a perspective for the youth of any culture is important. While not always appreciating the role of culture in their early years, maturing to young adults they invariably sprout the seeds that were planted during such events and observances for all ethnic groups that are fortunate to have and embrace a rich, enduring, and valued culture. For Jo Ann and me, it was heartening to see such continuity at work over the three or four generations in attendance.
And then we had what today may be still considered a counter and somewhat broadening cultural experience. Last Sunday was also the day of San Francisco’s big Gay Pride parade down Market Street. The parade was miles long and hours in duration. The city was packed with people of all stripes and persuasions there to see what was on display in the parade and also what was offered by the admiring throngs in attendance. Walking to the folkdance venue south of Market Street, we were treated to the full spectacle, and we took advantage of the opportunity to tarry a bit and watch a few floats pass.
What we saw corroborated the edited videos of previous editions of this annual event, and then went a bit beyond. The recent SCOTUS rulings may have put the revelers into an especially joyous mood to exhibit some of the more (to us) outlandish displays of the homosexual culture. And we were amazed to see adults with children of all ages walking and watching the parade. For them it was definitely part of their cultural upbringing that presumably is of a piece with what is being taught in public schools. The amazing part for us was that if the unedited video of the parade were shown in theaters, it would definitely have a ‘PG-13’ or even an ‘R’ rating as a preface. Ordinarily, this rating would make a parent think twice before taking their prepubescent offspring to such a showing of ‘gay pride’.
What made the parade even more remarkable was that, of the homosexual couples that we have known for years and entertained in our home, it would be a safe bet that most would pass up a chance to take part in this kind of public spectacle.
So the questions that come to mind after viewing such cultural contrasts – what role are such public behaviors supposed to serve in educating the heterosexual community (especially its children), and what components of these displays are we to incorporate into the new culture that is building on the ashes of the old in America and the developed countries of Europe?
rebanesruminations.com 
Leave a comment