Why LGBT people should support Black Lives Matter protesters who blocked a pride parade

To the editor: James Kirchick’s attempt to divide human rights movements is absurd. (“Politics on parade: How Black Lives Matter halted a gay pride parade in Toronto,” Opinion, July 6)

The truth of Black Lives Matter’s cause — too many police killings of blacks — resonates with us all. Perhaps its tactics may not always be perfect, but movements begin in the hearts of the people who have suffered the most. Their leaders may or may not have been schooled in the etiquette of organizing, but they learn going forward.

As a gay man, I stand with Black Lives Matter because their cause is just, and they are right to demand justice.

William Skeen, Santa Barbara

..

To the editor: It’s hard to believe that a few Black Lives Matter protesters bullied the thousands of people attending Toronto’s gay pride parade. What were they riding, an aircraft carrier?

It seems the white gay community of Toronto “honored” Black Lives Matter with a float ride. Well, it was certainly ungrateful, since it held the parade up for 30 minutes demanding that black-related gay issues like jobs for black transgender women be given some play. Then it (gasp!) “highjacked the event to further their own anti-cop agendas.”

After all those nights the cops have gone from park to park and bar to bar making gay lives better, how dare they be accused of harassing gays and blacks by those “hard-left” activists?

Gail Christian, Palm Springs

..

To the editor: Black Lives Matter resorts to disruptive tactics because black voices have been historically ignored in public discourse.

Indeed, there is racism in the LGBT community, and LGBT people of color are routinely marginalized in gay culture and society more broadly. Pride celebrations often magnify this marginalization.

And to suggest that gay rights groups have “largely won legal equality” demonstrates a very superficial understanding of both the gay rights movement and the nature of homophobia in American society.

Craig M. Loftin, Long Beach

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook