Gay groups denied permission to march in St. Patrick's Day parade in South Boston

OscarQ · March 2012

tartaruga:
I am dying at anyone seriously discussing the sanctity of St. Patricks day lololololol

You know I'm not serious about the sanctity of St. Patrick's Day right? I think the whole thing is a joke and should just be acknowledged as such. They can have their drunk fest but don't exclude the gays from a parade because it's a "religious event". For what it's worth the parade should be sponsored by Guiness and Jameson.

I just sit home grumbling about Paddy not Paddy and yelling at those rascally kids to keep off my lawn.

IrishBrideND · March 2012

princess_cal:
mysticporter:

If this is such a private affair, perhaps they shouldn't bill it as the "one and only Official" South Boston parade (http://www.southbostonparade.org/index-3.html). That in and of itself I'm assuming is a direct shot at the Peace Parade.

It's legal, but it's just garden variety homophobia.

Maybe they do because it is "The second-largest parade in the country, this annual procession is seen in person by more than 600,000 people and aired live on TV." It's not homophobic. It's a St. Patrick's Day parade that the organizers want the focus to be on a St. Patrick's Day celebration.

And allowing gay people takes the focus away how?

OscarQ · March 2012

curlydoglover:
OscarQ:
+adamwife+:

I'm wondering if the organizers are trying to keep it a family parade for children and are worried about "questionable" activity happening on these floats. I would think that they could solve this issue by just saying that everyone on the floats has to be dressed appropriately and behaving appropriately (across the board - gay or straight).

AW - I'm as Irish-American as it gets. My FIL is from Ireland so H has his Irish citizenship (as so does my son). I grew up completely immersed in Irish-American culture. I named my son Kevin Patrick....and I call him Paddy! [which brings me to your siggy - is the St. Patty's day some joke? If not, it's Paddy, not Patty].

If St. Paddy's Day was such an important religious event that it merits a parade they should ban alcohol and have the multitude of police along the route keep the idiots at bay.

Marry me. I bring this up every year and people look at me like I've grown a 2nd head. Patrick is a boy's name. Hence, Paddy. Patricia = Patty.

I can't stand going out for St. Paddy's day anymore. There were two good bars I'd go to with my BFF that weren't drunken riots but that was 10 years ago now. We'd have mass at St. Patrick's (in gaelic) and then head out for some rashers, sausage, fried eggs, etc. and a pint of Guinness. But now she lives in Illinois so...

Anyway, sl?inte mhaith!

I will happily gay marry you. And we can be in the parade. We'll even build our own float - just don't dress too gay!

The worst part is that St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is now ruined too. 15 years ago I was there for it and it was no big deal. Like they didn't even get why we really cared about it. Now, it's a drunk fest too. I'm glad they're able to get silly Americans to go over for it and spend tons of money there but it's over the top.

Slainte cracks me up. My dad can't say it (he also can't pronounce Pittsburgh or Carolina right either so there you go). He says something close to Chaka Khan. So now that is a family cheer.

Chaka Khan!

IrishBrideND · March 2012

We were in Galway for St Patricks day 3 years ago and it was still pretty somber. I think outside the huge towns, its not a drunk fest yet.

Sibil · March 2012

St patrick's day in America is about as religious as me yelling out ohmigod during sex.

RedheadBaker · March 2012

+adamwife+:
OscarQ:
+adamwife+:

I'm wondering if the organizers are trying to keep it a family parade for children and are worried about "questionable" activity happening on these floats. I would think that they could solve this issue by just saying that everyone on the floats has to be dressed appropriately and behaving appropriately (across the board - gay or straight).

AW - I'm as Irish-American as it gets. My FIL is from Ireland so H has his Irish citizenship (as so does my son). I grew up completely immersed in Irish-American culture. I named my son Kevin Patrick....and I call him Paddy! [which brings me to your siggy - is the St. Patty's day some joke? If not, it's Paddy, not Patty].

I hate St. Patrick's Day. It's become a drunk-fest and an embarrassment. There is nothing family parade about any of the parades I've seen recently. They're just an excuse for people to get drunk, wear green and act like morons.

This is a political ploy by the gay groups. It happens every year. I understand these parades are in theory sponsored by private entities (the Catholic Church) and they may exclude anyone they want to exclude. I also think it's stupid and just makes the CC look bad - sure, you can act like a drunken fool in public but just don't be gay about it!

If St. Paddy's Day was such an important religous event that it merits a parade they should ban alcohol and have the multitude of police along the route keep the idiots at bay.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I've always heard Americans say St. Patty's. I didn't realize.

The sig is there because DH is Scottish (well, technically Scotch-Irish, but whatever). St. Patrick's Day is just an excuse for him to wear his (Scottish) family tartan in publicj without judgment and drink some Guiness. Well, it used to be. He doesn't do much of that anymore because of the kids.

I agree that the drunkenness isn't appropriate either and that this just makes the church look bad.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you too!

Sorry to pick on you again, but it's Scot-Irish. My mother (born in Glasgow) flips her lid when people refer to her as "Scotch." Scotch is an alcoholic beverage.

c_joy · March 2012

princess_cal:
mysticporter:

If this is such a private affair, perhaps they shouldn't bill it as the "one and only Official" South Boston parade (http://www.southbostonparade.org/index-3.html). That in and of itself I'm assuming is a direct shot at the Peace Parade.

It's legal, but it's just garden variety homophobia.

Maybe they do because it is "The second-largest parade in the country, this annual procession is seen in person by more than 600,000 people and aired live on TV." It's not homophobic. It's a St. Patrick's Day parade that the organizers want the focus to be on a St. Patrick's Day celebration.

So gay people can't be on television? Gay people can't be Irish? Gay people can't drink Guinness and wear funny green hats?

Sibil · March 2012

RedheadBaker:

Sorry to pick on you again, but it's Scot-Irish. My mother (born in Glasgow) flips her lid when people refer to her as "Scotch." Scotch is an alcoholic beverage.

To be fair, I think it's Scots-Irish. Which, when you're drinking, can sound a lot like scotch Stick out tongue

.

mysticporter · March 2012

princess_cal:
mysticporter:

If this is such a private affair, perhaps they shouldn't bill it as the "one and only Official" South Boston parade (http://www.southbostonparade.org/index-3.html). That in and of itself I'm assuming is a direct shot at the Peace Parade.

It's legal, but it's just garden variety homophobia.

Maybe they do because it is "The second-largest parade in the country, this annual procession is seen in person by more than 600,000 people and aired live on TV." It's not homophobic. It's a St. Patrick's Day parade that the organizers want the focus to be on a St. Patrick's Day celebration.

of?fi?cial/?'fiSH?l/

Adjective:

Of or relating to an authority or public body and its duties, actions, and responsibilities.

Being big doesn't mean it's official. Being on TV doesn't make it official. In fact, nothing would make it "Official" but the blessing of some type of authority, and they are claiming that the whole reason they can exclude the gay groups is because they are private (opposite of public, opposite of official).

The second parade is just as official as they are, which is why I'm guessing the "one and only" crap is just an extension of homophobia.

How exactly do you (or they) know that the focus of the gay participants won't be on St. Patrick's Day? I'm guessing all of the other parade participants and groups manage to pull it off without making it about who they have sex with.

RedheadBaker · March 2012

Sibil:
RedheadBaker:

Sorry to pick on you again, but it's Scot-Irish. My mother (born in Glasgow) flips her lid when people refer to her as "Scotch." Scotch is an alcoholic beverage.
To be fair, I think it's Scots-Irish. Which, when you're drinking, can sound a lot like scotch .

Ugh, you are right. I'm typing with one hand (nursing baby is in the other) and missed the "s"

laurenpetro · March 2012

Sibil:
St patrick's day in America is about as religious as me yelling out ohmigod during sex.

RIP, laurenpetro.

+adamwife+ · March 2012

RedheadBaker:

Sorry to pick on you again, but it's Scot-Irish. My mother (born in Glasgow) flips her lid when people refer to her as "Scotch." Scotch is an alcoholic beverage.

Scotch-Irish refers to an American group (descendants of Scottish people who lived in Ireland and then settled in America) and is actually the common term used to refer to them in North America. I can see how someone from Scotland would not use the term, but many Americans do. DH has some Scotch-Irish blood and he also has family off the boat from Scotland.

mysticporter · March 2012

I'd also be curious how, if their point is that they want to keep it all about St. Patrick's Day, that these folks fit in. (Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that they do, but if adherents of a Buddhist spiritual practice can be "trusted" to maintain the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, I'm not sure why a LGBT group couldn't).

pixy_stix · March 2012

waaaaaaiiiit... Did we just have a dictionary defense just come into play. ffs.

hindsight's_a_biotch · March 2012

+adamwife+:

RedheadBaker:

Sorry to pick on you again, but it's Scot-Irish. My mother (born in Glasgow) flips her lid when people refer to her as "Scotch." Scotch is an alcoholic beverage.

Scotch-Irish refers to an American group (descendants of Scottish people who lived in Ireland and then settled in America) and is actually the common term used to refer to them in North America. I can see how someone from Scotland would not use the term, but many Americans do. DH has some Scotch-Irish blood and he also has family off the boat from Scotland.

Uhm, those are still Scots-Irish, same as the ones who upped from Scotland and moved to North Ireland.

+adamwife+ · March 2012

hindsight's_a_biotch:
+adamwife+:

RedheadBaker:

Sorry to pick on you again, but it's Scot-Irish. My mother (born in Glasgow) flips her lid when people refer to her as "Scotch." Scotch is an alcoholic beverage.

Scotch-Irish refers to an American group (descendants of Scottish people who lived in Ireland and then settled in America) and is actually the common term used to refer to them in North America. I can see how someone from Scotland would not use the term, but many Americans do. DH has some Scotch-Irish blood and he also has family off the boat from Scotland.

Uhm, those are still Scots-Irish, same as the ones who upped from Scotland and moved to North Ireland.

Yes. But my point is that in America, Scotch-Irish is an acceptable term. It means the same thing as Scots-Irish. My DH and his family are not wrong in referring to themselves as Scotch-Irish.

Do a quick google search. Both words are used to describe the Ulster Scots.

2Vermont · March 2012

missusbee:
MrsDL:

princess_cal:
They are not banning gay people from marching in the parade. I am sure there will be many of them. What they don't want is a St. Patrick's Day parade to turn into a soapbox for LGBT issues. It's a private parade, they can allow whatever groups they want to join.

This is why I don't have a problem with this. Let people get their Guinness on in a nice mindless way with one parade not-chalked full of advocacy groups and causes.

Yeah except its not about keeping it advocacy-free. They have plenty of groups and causes represented, just not gay ones. Get it?

I mean, the argument still holds that it is a private group that can do whatever it wants, but let's not make this into anything more noble than it is.

Could you provide examples of these groups and causes please? Because, like I said, I'm willing to bet that they don't include pro-choice groups....even Catholic ones.

mysticporter · March 2012

No political groups, my ass.

http://www.dailypaul.com/220007/ron-paul-contingent-in-bostons-st-patricks-day-parade

We ('Ron Paul for President') have been approved to join the official St. Pat's Day parade in South Boston on Sunday, March 18. Parade steps off at 1:00 PM.

2Vermont · March 2012

mysticporter:

No political groups, my ass.

http://www.dailypaul.com/220007/ron-paul-contingent-in-bostons-st-patricks-day-parade

We ('Ron Paul for President') have been approved to join the official St. Pat's Day parade in South Boston on Sunday, March 18. Parade steps off at 1:00 PM.

Did anyone say they didn't have political groups..or just political groups they disagree with? The choice to include Ron Paul contingent doesn't surprise me at all.

KateAggie · March 2012

c_joy:
princess_cal:
mysticporter:

If this is such a private affair, perhaps they shouldn't bill it as the "one and only Official" South Boston parade (http://www.southbostonparade.org/index-3.html). That in and of itself I'm assuming is a direct shot at the Peace Parade.

It's legal, but it's just garden variety homophobia.

Maybe they do because it is "The second-largest parade in the country, this annual procession is seen in person by more than 600,000 people and aired live on TV." It's not homophobic. It's a St. Patrick's Day parade that the organizers want the focus to be on a St. Patrick's Day celebration.

So gay people can't be on television? Gay people can't be Irish? Gay people can't drink Guinness and wear funny green hats?

Princess Cal obviously prefers her television to be free from anything entertaining.

tartaruga · March 2012

OscarQ:
tartaruga:
I am dying at anyone seriously discussing the sanctity of St. Patricks day lololololol

You know I'm not serious about the sanctity of St. Patrick's Day right? I think the whole thing is a joke and should just be acknowledged as such. They can have their drunk fest but don't exclude the gays from a parade because it's a "religious event". For what it's worth the parade should be sponsored by Guiness and Jameson.

I just sit home grumbling about Paddy not Paddy and yelling at those rascally kids to keep off my lawn.

No, I was referring to princess's comment, which was apparently seriously referring to how St. Paddy's day is a somber celebration of Irish culture. lolololol

mysticporter · March 2012

2Vermont:
mysticporter:

No political groups, my ass.

http://www.dailypaul.com/220007/ron-paul-contingent-in-bostons-st-patricks-day-parade

We ('Ron Paul for President') have been approved to join the official St. Pat's Day parade in South Boston on Sunday, March 18. Parade steps off at 1:00 PM.

Did anyone say they didn't have political groups..or just political groups they disagree with? The choice to include Ron Paul contingent doesn't surprise me at all.

Princess has been arguing that we're being unfair to paint these folks as homophobes, because excluding the gay rights groups is because the organizers want the focus on St. Patrick's Day and not politics. The inclusion of a presidential candidate's group shoots that out of the water.

princess_cal · March 2012

Uh, I never said it wasn't about politics. What it is not is a place to make a stance for gay rights. That is what the Peace Parade is for, which started a mile after the official parade.

tartaruga · March 2012

princess_cal:
Uh, I never said it wasn't about politics. What it is not is a place to make a stance for gay rights. That is what the Peace Parade is for, which started a mile before the official parade.

So it's OK to have political groups, just not those political groups.

mysticporter · March 2012

princess_cal:
Uh, I never said it wasn't about politics. What it is not is a place to make a stance for gay rights. That is what the Peace Parade is for, which started a mile after the official parade.

mysticporter · March 2012

tartaruga:
princess_cal:
Uh, I never said it wasn't about politics. What it is not is a place to make a stance for gay rights. That is what the Peace Parade is for, which started a mile before the official parade.
So it's OK to have political groups, just not those political groups.

But they aren't homophobes, nosirree. They just want the parade to be about St. Patrick's Day. (Oops! And Ron Paul. And anything else they agree with.) Just not the gays. But they aren't homophobes...they just don't want anybody accidentally thinking they agree that gay people have rights (or that it's OK for veterans to support peace).

BTW, not that it matters, the Peace Parade trails the Allied Veteran's parade by a mile, it doesn't start before it, and it wasn't created to made a stand for gay rights. The organizers just happen to not mind associating with gay rights groups.

MeredithE · March 2012

laurenpetro:
Sibil:
St patrick's day in America is about as religious as me yelling out ohmigod during sex.

RIP, laurenpetro.

Can I be buried next to you?

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