Issue 48, December 23, 1997
The Gay Pride festival, scheduled for April 30 to May 3, has generated a great deal of controversy. Burroughs and Chapin, the large Myrtle Beach developer and owner of Broadway at the Beach, the Pavilion, Myrtle Square Mall, and others, is opposing the event. Their official statement was:
"As a private company, we have not, nor do we intend to, be forced or intimidated into supporting organized activities that we believe endanger the historic values of our nation and the cornerstone truths on which they are based."
After issuing this statement, the company says it will not further comment on the issue, not wanting to further publicize the event.
In keeping with their position, they have canceled a planned concert by the predominantly gay group The Village People that was scheduled during the festival at Broadway at the Beach. The group is looking into an alternate venue. Burroughs and Chapin also encouraged both the Hard Rock Cafe and All-Star Cafe to withdraw their support for the festival, but both refused.
The controversy has drawn some national attention. Newt Gingrich's gay half-sister Candace will attend, as will Ellen DeGeneres's mother Betty. A larger crowd is now expected as well.
Some Baptist pastors are thinking of organizing a counter-march, and support the Burroughs and Chapin stance. Other church leaders' reactions were mixed. Many say homosexuals should be welcomed into communities and churches but should lead celibate lives.
The Myrtle Beach City Council has said all law-abiding groups are welcome at the beach, as is their constitutional right. There has been some grumbling from councilmen about the amount of publicity the festival organizers are seeking.
South Carolina's attorney general Condon made an attempt earlier in the month to declare all video poker machines illegal and start arresting the operators, but he backed down in face of reluctance by local officials. Instead he is joining a federal lawsuit that claims the games are illegal lotteries. The state constitution prohibits lotteries, and there are precise legal definitions of the term that a court must decide on. All true games of chance, such as slots, are clearly illegal, but video poker and the like involve at least some skill.
If the courts decide the games are lotteries, the industry will be shut down, probably for good. Amending the state constitution requires a two thirds vote of the legislature and voter approval. A recent study within South Carolina revealed that twenty percent of the people who play the games are addicted to them, and five percent have contemplated suicide.
The House of Blues will probably not stage any concerts at its performance venue during the months of January and February. The restaurant only schedules these concerts about a month in advance, which makes it more difficult to announce the performing groups in this column (I know some of you are interested in this information).
Some of the New Year's celebrations along the strand: Gregg Allman at the House of Blues, Club Casablanca (3 packages from $20 - $60), 2001 ($40), the St. John's Inn ($45 for dinner and champagne), and the Mad Boar (dinner, champagne, and breakfast foods at 1 a.m. for $35).
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