” I have one thing to say: sashay shante. Shante, shante, shante!” – RuPaul
A crowd that police estimated reached 1,000 jammed sidewalks of Royal Oak, Michigan with a peaceable skirmish at the Sidetrack Bookshop on Saturday afternoon when anti-gay drag show protesters were outnumbered by pro-gay protesters by almost 100 to 1.
The Oakland County Republican Party sent out information to members before the event. ” The OCRP encourages adults to attend this protest. Every seat that responsible adults take allows one less child to be victimized by these events.. Only 12 protestors showed up.
When word got out on social media about the protest, those in support of the LGBT community showed up, They held signs that said “Good Parents Teach Love, Not Hate” and “Hate is a Drag.” At times, the throngs chanted “Bigots go home!”
Jason Frantjeskos, of Westland, shouted “You must repent and turn to Jesus Christ.” Between shouts, Frantjeskos told a reporter, “I’m here to preach the word of God.” He said he’d worked for a tree service for 23 years and that in his spare time, “I’m a street preacher.” With him was Noble D’Angelo, also of Westland, who held a large elaborate sign that displayed a list of sins, from “Porn watchers” and “Liars” to “Sex Freaks” and “LGBT.”
As parents and children lined up outside the shop, lighted billboard trucks playing “Proud to be An American” circled the block, showing digital signs of Jesus, mixed with images of drag queens, and anti-drag sentiments. Escorts with bright vests who normally walk with women and doctors at pro-choice clinics guarded the doors and helped protect families as they wove through the crowd into the door.
Story hour at 2 p.m., after which the crowd slowly began disperse. On one corner of West Fourth Street and South Washington, catty-corner from the bookstore, Leslie Jones, 49, of Detroit, was holding forth — and holding a very large bible.
“I’m not a homophobe. You guys are biblephobes,” Jones said, adding: “You’re going to hell, man.”
The Royal Oak Police were on hand as well to keep the peace.
Sources: Oakland County 15 and The Detroit Free Press

