I posted here on Sunday about Shenandoah Pride's removal from the Labor Day parade lineup in southwest Iowa's Essex, a small town of about 700. Shenandoah Pride is an LGBTQ+ social and advocacy group based in the nearby Page County city of Shenandoah.
Later in the day, The Omaha World-Herald and other regional media reported what then was a developing story, now popping up in a modest sort of way nationwide as outlets pick up a story from The Associated Press headlined, "LGBTQ pride group excluded from southwest Iowa town’s Labor Day parade."
As it turned out, these later reports established that the decision to ban Shenandoah Pride was a unilateral one by Essex Mayor Calvin Kinney, apparently a used car dealer, who overruled parade organizers --- the Essex Community Club --- and City Council members who suggested that a vote on the matter might be appropriate.
Kinney cited threatened violence, but no evidence of such a threat has surfaced and Kinney has declined to comment on the matter.
The Community Club provided Shenandoah Pride with a spot at the celebration's vendor fair to compensate a little and there reportedly were other minor signs of support. But no parade entry.
Although Iowa ACLU has warned the city of Essex that Kinney's decision violated freedom of speech guarantees, it seems likely the story will fritter out and die here from lack of oxygen.
But if the ban's purpose was to reinforce Iowa's growing reputation as a place where diversity is not welcome, then Mr. Kinney has succeeded.
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