In 1969 in New York City the infamous Stonewall Riots took place, spawning the Gay Liberation Front, Gay Pride, and LGBT movements. A year later, in 1970, a Parade to commemorate the victims and the resultant movements was held in New York City, and like minded people in Los Angeles marched in solidarity with New York. Those parades 40 years ago became more widely known in subsequent years as Gay Pride Parades as they spread to San Francisco, Boston, and every major city in the World…and many smaller ones as well. At the time of the first parade 40 years ago, there was no thought or talk of gay marriage as a possibility, or even domestic partnerships. There was no Hate Crimes law, there were no anti-discrimination for sexual preference laws and few if any vocally ‘out’ public figures or politicians. The Stonewall Inn riots were during the week after gay icon Judy Garland died, and in epic blundering timing, the police chose to ‘raid’ the Stonewall Inn during a tribute to her with full swat gear and armored vehicles. The rest is not just history – it is\u00a0OUR history. We, the beneficiaries of those who had the courage to stand up when it was extraordinarily tough – and life threatening – to say “ENOUGH!”\u00a0 That’s how it began, but the story is ongoing…Please enjoy the Gay Pride ’season’ and participate to the extent you can, in your home towns. THANKS TO burtonclash2002 FOR THIS OUTSTANDING VIDEO PIECE <\/p>\n