Halloween Parades: Community Pride Or Minstrel Show? Ctd

A reader writes:

It's somewhat baffling that you would choose not to comment on Rosen's rather appalling assumption that straight folk at a gay-focused and organized event makes it a minstrel show. Worse, you give him credence with the kind of headline you're usually ripe to point out is absurd. Forgetting the fact that the analogy holds no weight and is rather offensive to begin with -- these clearly aren't gay (or straight) men mocking their own culture, but rather celebrating it -- it's not clear how such a parade, regardless of the crowd, does a disservice to anyone.

Hundreds, thousands of people out peacefully enjoying themselves and showing to the larger community that being gay and flamboyant is a source of pride can only be a good thing -- I would think. I would think you would think so as well. Why, if giving this dude face time, wouldn't you call him out on his ignorance and naivete? I guess it's a good thing that he realized he was being a "dick" by making the assumptions he did, but one hopes he could give us more of an about-face than he did by acknowledging that straight people don't come to these events to mock and gawk.