Recently the down town New Bedford Public Library held a Drag Queen Story Hour.

For those not familiar with these events, a drag queen reads a children’s book to children in a public library. It is not a drag show with music, dancing, or adult jokes, but, as far as many children know, a woman sits on a kiddy chair and read them a book, just like Police Story Hour has a police officer do.

It is not a mandatory event, and most likely those who attend are brought by parents who support the GLBT Community, or GLBT parents themselves who choose to share a part of their culture with their children in a safe place where they might actually be motivated to take out a book and read it on their own.

There is nothing beyond the name of the event that separates it from other similar events, and people in other parts of the library see kids in the children’s section being read to, while anyone passing by the library sees the library they always see when they walk pass.

It is, for all intents and purposes, a non-event, or at least one of no note, unless someone chooses to make an issue of it.

Across from the now rarely, if ever, used main entrance to the library with its Greek temple look complete with an imposing flight of stairs that leads to the huge columns past which are the two huge bronze doors, is the Marian Friary of “Our Lady, Queen of the Seraphic Order” run by the Franciscans of the Immaculate which offers daily Mass, the Sacrament of Penance, perpetual adoration of the Eucharist, and has a problem with drag queens.

Those who grew up in Boston could see this place as New Bedford’s version of the Arch Street Chapel.

Leading up to the Drag Queen Story Hour, the monks wrote extensively on their web pages opposing the story hour, promoting the usual derogatory and uninformed stereotypes, making lots of recruitment claims, concerns of child safety issues, warnings of Satan, and bemoaning the destruction of the innocence of children.

And, of course, this tax exempt entity railed against the use of public property supported by taxpayers, among whom, they seem to forget, are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people along with their families, friends, and allies.

How nice of them to exclude some actual taxpayers while claiming to be defending taxpayers.

Perhaps, if they paid taxes, they would have a better understanding of who taxpayers are.

Then they organized a rally in opposition to the event across from the now used entrance that faces city hall with the usual fire, brimstone, and burning forever in hell banners.

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Again, while no one was forced to be at the library, the publicity they garnered for the event had the library needing to use a larger room to accommodate the number of people who showed up with their kids.

Of interest to some might be that the friars of this chapel hold an outdoor Rosary in front of the public library on library (public) property, not across the street in front of the own friary, on the city’s Arts, History, and Architecture Night (AHA), a cultural event held on the second Thursday of each month. As this takes place outside on a night when many people come downtown for the evening, unlike Drag Queen Story Hour that takes place inside and to which no one is forced to attend, people cannot avoid and are, therefore, forced to either partake actively or by default in, or actively avoid this Rosary on taxpayer property held by those who do not pay taxes.

After going through some hard years, the downtown district of New Bedford is experiencing a revitalization, and with its increasing arts venues, micro-breweries, historic neighborhoods and parks, one a National Park, night clubs, eateries, coffee shops, and boutiques, it is becoming a destination for tourists and those looking for a nice night out.

A recent addition to its offerings is a once a month Drag Brunch held at a newly renovated hotel offering food and entertainment on Sunday mornings for the over 21 crowd as there are alcoholic beverages and some salty language from the entertainers. It is one more attraction to entice people to come down town and possibly go to other offerings in the area when brunch is over.

On the inaugural morning of the brunch, while people were eating and being entertained, the friars assembled across the street to protest the event that was taking place in a side dining room of the hotel. It was not on public property, nor was it an event attended by children, but there they were, again, with their fire and brimstone, you’re all going to hell signs.

Most people in the downtown area were in all probability unaware the event was happening and were probably curious as to why the friars were protesting a hotel where nothing seemed to be going on and which had not been the topic of any news story that might explain why monks were gathered across the street protesting and condemning GLBT people

Most assuredly some straight people who were at the brunch wondered if their eternal salvation depended on what they had ordered off the menu.

It would seem, tired of their quiet routine and the low involvement of the greater community in their chapel, the friars are looking for some action that will give them needed attention and publicity.

But this is Massachusetts, not the Bible Belt, and Westboro Baptist Church street style performances are out of place.

I would think that, rather than condemning drag queens for reading books to children and lip-synching Cher, they would be more active in condemning the corruption of children by clergy within their own church.

Unless this is just their needed distraction.

I worked with a vice-principal once who made a big deal out of my being Gay and promoted the idea that I was a threat to students. He eventually lost his job and his newly acquired license to practice law because of charges of inappropriate sexual advances toward more than one female student.

Not saying there is a similarity, just wondering.