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Election roundup: Only one candidate says he would march in the St. Patrick's Day parade
By adamg on Wed, 07/31/2013 - 2:40pm
The Globe reports only Charles Clemons - whom the Globe helpfully notes has only $3,200 in his campaign warchest - has no problems with excluding gays and lesbians from the annual South Boston parade. The Globe reports on other differences among the candidates as well (including, as we reported earlier, on charter schools).
Among those now frowning on the anti-LGBT tenor of the St. Patrick's parade is John Connolly, who has marched in the parade in the past. He released a series of LGBT-specific proposals today, including local funding for enforcement of a state anti-bullying law and an LGBT Youth Commission:
The Anti-Bullying Law was a good start, but it does not go far enough and it does not provide funding for schools to implement the law. As Mayor, I will not wait for the legislature, I will find the money to implement the law and will take any and all steps necessary to end bullying in our schools and online. BPS is doing the best it can with the resources it has, but it needs the full funding to ensure that all students are safe and secure at school and beyond.
Felix Arroyo is thinking about young'uns, too, with a plan for ending the achievement gap between white and minority students in BPS schools that includes more pre-school slots, longer school days, beefed up STEM teaching, better vocational training and curriculum sections that "better reflect the socio-economic conditions of the student population and are culturally relevant."
Arroyo does not say how he will pay for all this.
Adrian Walker declares John Connolly and Felix Arroyo panderers for supporting an East Boston-only vote on the proposed Suffolk Downs casino:
No one disputes that East Boston will be the neighborhood most affected by an East Boston casino. However, a casino would sit on a road we all pay for and will be policed by cops we all pay for. If, heaven forbid, someone falls ill while losing at the blackjack table, he or she will be whisked away in an ambulance we all pay for. So despite what politicians say, it’s not as though East Boston will bear all the impact here.
The Herald reports Dan Conley is returning $350 in donations from three of his underlings, who "defied" his edict not to give him any money, damnit.
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Comments
It really not Anti-LGBT
to not want a group trying to push their agenda in a annual parade that took a turn for the worst 10 years ago. If you think there are no LGBT marching in the parade you're stupid. Their just no LGBT group marching in the parade.
Did Wacko Hurley figure out
Did Wacko Hurley figure out how to use the internet?
He's dead
Stay classy!
He's dead? since when?
He's dead? since when?
and the Paratroopers...
What do paratroopers have to do with St. Patrick? I see no reason why an LGBT group can't march in the parade if paratroopers can. And seriously, what's their agenda - acceptance? How dare they, their agenda is unbelievable!
Zippers on boots
It's against nature, I tell you.
And don't get me started about the Navy paratroopers.
Don't you know God hates Frogs?
It's not easy being green...
K, I happen to be an amphibian.
I bet your response
Would have been different if we were talking about the pride parade. Lets say a pro life group wanting to march!
PS the group that is trying to march in the st. Patrick's parade don't necessarily represent the LGBT community, it's a small group of wackos.
Like this storied Son o' Southie?
Parades
If a pro-life group wants to march in the pride parade - go for it. I'm sure there are some LGBT people that are pro-life. They actually do have an agenda, ending abortion. Seeing their float won't change my opinion on abortion any more than a LGBT group marching in a St. Patrick's day parade "with an agenda" is going to make me rethink my sexuality.
Besides, who the hell goes to a parade looking to soul-search on where they stand on issues? They go to parades because there's music, floats, people throwing beads, candy and firetrucks. Stop all the madness about who belongs in what parade. Wear some green and you're good too go. Or in the case of the pride parade, wear something fabulous.
Yeah, look at the Dot Out float in the Dorchester Day parade
Always one of the highlights. I've never felt I had to cover the kidlet's eyes or worry about them trying to gay marry her.
DOT OUT
Really cover the kids eyes. Guys dress up in dresses as women, now when your kid asks you a question why are grown men doing that, your going to tell them thats right. Do honestly think dressing up in drag is a family friendly parade? really.. I always thought of you in higher regard I really did
Really?
Here's the only thing that's ever gotten her upset at a parade: Those blasted Imperial storm troopers marching in the Arlington Patriots Day parade. And not because she's worried the Emperor is going to blast her with a lightning bolt from his fingertips, but because, well, try to figure it out.
Otherwise, yes, she's able to grasp the concept of people dressing in costumes and just having a grand time at it. But maybe that's because she's a sometimes thesbian herself (one time, for a summer program, she dressed up as a spider for a performance of "Charlotte's Web" - she only tried to inject us with venom once or twice).
Yeah Really
Maybe I am not getting this? what do you mean by Imperial Storm troopers. The Allied Vets council from South Boston Many of them WW2 and Vietnam Vets. Did you know that South Boston lost more men in Vietnam per sq mile than anywhere else in the United States. SO yes this is about Sacrifice for your fellow man , maybe this is something you should read about in the history books. They have the right to celebrate evacutation day and honor our vets that served honorably. This is not about dressing up in drag and waving a sexual theme flag, This parade is not about a sexual theme.
Again there is a parade in the South End for that purpose in June, and thats fine
I admit it: I went to the South Boston parade one year
And among the marchers were a group of men dressed up like Imperial storm troopers. You know, the guys in white plastic who can never shoot straight in all the Star Wars movies?
Could you explain how, exactly, they are paying tribute to the men and women who sacrificed for this great country of ours?
really
Ha maybe your right, I do not have an answer for people dressed up as star wars themes. I do not recall seeing that, but at the same time it is not a halloween parade either, It is a parade to celebrate Evacuation Day and Honor the many Sons and daughters of South Boston who have sacrifced their time in the service, many whom never came back.. Gay people should march, they should just march with everyone else as they have always done and no one has ever had a problem with that. So the Bigot sterotypes are misguided
Really?
"It is a parade to celebrate Evacuation Day and Honor the many Sons and daughters of South Boston who have sacrifced their time in the service"
Is it? Because from all the photos and reports I've heard, it's a time to wear green and consume lots of alcohol. I honestly didn't know it was anything other than that based on the accounts of people I know who attend, many of whom have various civil service jobs.
Evac Day
Thats becuase your probably a Newbie who just moved here or who has no idea what evacuation day is or the role South Boston played in Evacuation Day, Before you run off your mouth and make sny remarks about people who work in civil serivce jobs maybe you should read some American History
eeka can speak for herself, but ...
I can vouch for the fact she's lived here longer than many of the people who attend the parade, which, yes, celebrates a great moment in American history, just one that has absolutely nothing to do with the mass consumption of green beer and drunken vomiting in the street (howsoever do Roslindale and Dorchester not have the sort of vast alcohol consumption with their parades?).
really
If it was up to the residents of South Boston they would prohibit the alcohol consumption, every year there are 5-7 arrests and every year the people, the people arrested are not South Boston residents or even residents from the city from that matter. Alot of new residents in their 20's think its just an excuse to get drunk day which is horrible they have no idea that yes its a celebration of the role South Boston played in Evacuation Day , South Boston Residents who are veterans and yes the heavly populated Irish American community that makes up our great city
I'm old enough to think for myself, SBvoter.
And I really don't care. Hey, I wear trousers, why can't guys wear dresses?
Parade
Hey maybe guys can wear dresses in parades in the SOuth End and Cambridge and giggle. But the St. Patricks day parade in South Boston cleebrates Evacuation Day and Honor and sacrifice of our veterans. The Veteran population per sq mile is Southie is twice as high as anywhere else in the city and lost more men in Vietnam per sq mile than anywhere else in the country. That is why you might notice South Boston has the first Vietnam Veterans memorial in the Unite States.
The Pride parade is in June not in March
Forget men in dresses
Let's talk about men in plastic playing Imperial storm troopers. None of you sons of Southie has yet to explain how exactly that shows tribute to the contributions made by our brave soldiers, sailors, etc.
Notice how I haven't yet questioned how giant green felt beards and giant green plastic leprechaun hats show support for the troops.
really
I do not remember the Imperial Storm troopers but you might be right. But they are not marching to promote a sexual theme, which the parade organizers do not want. That is their right to keep it free of a suxual theme and they won that right 9-0 at the U.S Supreme Court
I gather you've never been to the Dorchester parade
I realize it may be hard for you to imagine, but not everything gay people do is about sex.
The Dot Out people aren't promoting a sexual theme, either, which you'd realize after you fainted at the site of a goofy guy with a goofy grin in a goofy dress and then managed to wake up (ever seen a movie called "Some Like It Hot" or a TV series called "MASH"?).
A few things first of all it
A few things first of all it took me one google search to find Arroyo saying how he would pay for his plan. And I for one am grateful one of these candidates is talking about the achievement gap and providing a plan not just talk.
“We spend a billion dollars in our school district,” Arroyo said. “I would suspect most people feel they are not seeing a billion dollars worth of results.”
“We do budgeting the wrong way. We do budgeting from the top down. We should do budgeting from the classroom up,” he said.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/blogs/the-race... <<<<---link
Second of all if Connolly and Arroyo are pandering with their Casino stance (which from what I understand is allow East Boston to vote on whether or not a Casino gets put in their neighborhood) then what are Rob Consalvo, and Michael P. Ross; state Representative Martin J. Walsh; John F. Barros; and Charlotte Golar Richie are doing? since they all share the same stance, the same stance I might add that the current Mayor holds.
Thanks for the link
Still, I dunno, if a candidate puts together a long paper on a particular position that will require spending money, I'd like to see some discussion of how he's going to pay for it there, rather than having to Google it.
Fair enough.
I hear that.
Wait so now all of a sudden
Wait so now all of a sudden the candidates who have already walked in the South Boston Day parade ie Consalvo, Connolly, Walsh, and Dan Conley. All say they won't walk in the parade as mayor? What's the difference between then and now? Speaking of pandering. That's the very definition.
Check Out the Globe's Graphic
Conley has not walked in the parade since the AWVC lawsuit. I've seen him in the Pride parade many times though.
Oh, I don't know the repeal of a section of DOMA,
Supreme Court allowing the repeal of Prop 8.
The late US Rep. Joe Moakley took a unique approach. He would march in Gay Pride and the St. Patrick's Day parades. Moakley didn't want to support gay exclusion, but didn't want to miss out on the parade otherwise. Moakley could have been asked not to participate in Pride if he wished to march in a parade that excludes openly LGBT participation. I don't think he was threatened with being uninvited to the private event of the St. Patrick's Day parade because of his presence at Pride.
The Boy Scouts won the right to exclude LGBTs, but now considers allowing those under 18 to be members. LGBTs that age out are not allowed to participate as adults.
And so it goes...
Fools...
If one of the "front-runners" had waited a day and announced he would march in the St. Patrick's Day parade, the others would have divided the approximately 3% gay vote and the one willing to march would have garnered the support of those tens of thousands who have no problem with the South Boston Allied War Veterans deciding who marches in their parade. What a crop of P/C fools.
So will you be voting for
So will you be voting for Charles Clemons? Sounds like he's your guy.
It's not the 3% gay vote
its the vote of everyone who wishes that Wacko and the rest of the old school bigots would hurry up and follow Dapper's lead and just fade away or die off or retire to Florida already.
History is on the side of justice and against hate. Must suck to be you and know that.
Allied War Vets Rights
Last time I checked this went to the Supreme Court and the Allied War Vets won 9-0. I haven't heard of too many unanimous rulings on the Supreme Court that were 9-0...
Listen you know and we all know the people in South Boston do not have problems with Gay people or gay people marching in the parade. As long as they want to march with everyone else. There are plenty of gay people that march in the parade with supporters and groups and behind politicans that march.
The fact of the matter is this is not a sexual theme parade there is no need to advertise and wave the flag, they casn just march and get behind everyone else. This is a parade to honor our veterans and thier sacrifice to this country and to celebrate evacutation day, Its not a parade to celebrate rainbow flag gay pride.. There is a great parade in the South end for that in June
Honor our veterans?
Yeah, I can think of no higher honor for our veterans than the contingent of Imperial Storm Troopers that marches every year.
Woo hoo
+1000. I've been waiting a long time to say bye to the bigots.
Parade
I thought it was the 'Evacuation Day' parade celebrated coincidently on St Patricks Day. Beer companies have hijacked a very important historic event.
"While Saint Patrick's Day
"While Saint Patrick's Day parades have been held in Boston since 1876, Evacuation Day was not declared a holiday in the city until 1901,[6] amid interest in local history that also resulted in the construction of the Dorchester Heights Monument. The state made it a holiday in Suffolk County in 1938"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evacuation_Day_%28Mas...
Here's an idea
Take the parade over to Roxbury, have it start at Dudley and proceed to City Hall. Let the LGBT groups, Pro-life groups, KKK, Veterans for Peace, Veterans for War all participate. See how many Mayoral candidates, Yupsters and Hipsters show up.