Among trial attorneys, there is an unwritten rule that proscribes putting a witness on the stand unless you know in advance what he or she will say. In the courtroom, surprise is not a good thing.

In the court of public opinion, however, the unexpected and unanticipated can be downright refreshing. Unless you're Al Pryor, the publisher of the righteous and rightward leaning Patriots' Herald weekly newspaper.

In last week's edition, Pryor gave his readers six chances to vote on the worthiness of Diversity Weekends, including five opportunities to more or less bash them. A staunch opponent of the Domestic Partnership Registry, Pryor may well have thought he was polling to the choir.

The choir, however, had an altogether different tune in mind, wholeheartedly endorsing Diversity Weekends as «an important tourist event for Eureka Springs.» In other words, 73 percent of respondents supported Diversity Weekends. And only 25 percent had anything negative to say about them. A mere 12 percent wanted them stopped or limited.

__________

How do you view Diversity Weekend?

73% (108 Votes) It is an important tourist event for Eureka.
5% (7 Votes) It is a minor tourist event.
5% (8 Votes) It has hurt tourism.
3% (5 Votes) Tourist do not play an important role in this event.
7% (11 Votes) 4 DW events a year is too many.
5% (8 Votes) Diversity Weekend should be stopped.

__________

Granted, a total of only 147 votes were cast. So the poll can hardly be construed as authentically representative of the Eureka Springs population or even of the Patriots' Herald readership. But the results clearly did not reflect Pryor's flat-earth world view either.

Maybe that's why he was lurking with his camera around the fringes of the overflow crowd at Basin Spring Park's traditional Diversity Public Display of Affection photo op last Saturday--trying his best to get a picture that would illustrate why Diversity Weekends are hurting tourism. There were at least as many people--straight and gay, young and old--in the park that day as had voted in his poll.

And, while it's hardly a scientific survey, we suspect a good 73 percent of them--including the Jericho Riders Independent Motorcycle Ministry--were happy to be there.

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