Could be lots of rainbows in the parade!

If you’ve been following along this Evacuation Day/St. Patrick’s Day Parade saga, OUTVETS is not being allowed to march in this year’s parade because of a “code violation.” The Allied War Veterans Council voted on Tuesday night to deny OUTVETS application to march due to the rainbow on its banner and uniform. According to a statement by the AWVC prohibits the advertisement or display of one’s sexual orientation, and that the ‘rainbow’ flag on its banners and logo was in violation of this rule.

So what about all the other rainbows? St. Patrick’s Day is synonymous with leprechauns and pots o’ gold. And what leads the way to the pot of gold? A rainbow.

In addition to those rainbows, potentially there could be army veterans and service men and women wearing a rainbow. Local veteran and veterans advocate from Mass Fallen Heroes, Dan Magoon – recently stepped down as the Chief Marshal and proudly posted this eye opening photo of his Army Service Ribbon.

Looks an awful lot like a rainbow doesn’t it. Here’s the meaning behind this ribbon:
The Army Service Ribbon (ASR) is awarded to Enlisted personnel after their successful completion of their initial-entry training and Officers after their completion of their own basic/orientation or higher level course. Created in 1981, the award is retroactive providing that the soldier was still on active duty after 1981. For members of the Army that have transferred from a different branch of service and have not had to complete a basic training course, they receive the award after 4 months of active duty.

Also here’s a quote from General McArthur:

“The 42nd Division stretches like a rainbow from one end of America to the other.”

So it seems the real reason the AWVC voted against OUTVETS is the fact that they were even allowed to march in the first place. Mayor Marty Walsh applied pressure on the AWVC to allow the group to march.  In addition, Phil “Don’t Yell At Me” Wuschke was evidently confronted and threatened by the mayor at an event back in 2014. A column written in the Boston Herald by the attorney for the AWVC Chester Darling stated that the parade organizers were forced to let OUTVETS march and votes were manipulated. From the column:

“The mayor orchestrated more meetings, and during a banquet in the lobby of the Boston Convention Center, he confronted Wuschke and threatened him in an effort to change his mind and permit the gay groups to march. The intimidation, coercion and threats did not work with this tough marine.

In 2015 and 2016 invitations and votes were manipulated to include gay groups in the parade.”

So there’s the real reason – some members of the AWVC have a political ax to grind. The rainbow excuse is just that an excuse – a trumped up charge to exclude.

If you’d like the Allied War Veterans Council to take another vote for the OUTVETS application to march, you should email parade organizers here!  Ask them for a revote and ask them to hold the vote in a public location at a time and date known to all.

We have heard that the only person who can call a revote is Bill Desmond from the AWVC and he’s refusing to do so. Not surprising.

More to follow.