Yes, you’re reading this correctly, we are writing about the St. Patrick’s Day parade in August. It seems controversy has surfaced early and once again, our neighborhood’s parade is back in the spotlight. It’s really an old controversy with a new twist. The subject is LGBT groups marching with a slice of pissed off rantings from Mayor Marty Walsh.
According to the Boston Globe, Chester Darling – an attorney for the Allied War Veterans Council (the group that organizes the parade) filed an amended complaint on an earlier lawsuit alleging that the mayor used threats and verbal bullying to pressure organizers into allowing LBGT veterans to march in 2014. (Remember Umbrella-gate?)
Darling is the same attorney the won a lawsuit back in 1995 which allowed the organizers to exclude groups from the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. (Yes, up until 2014 – organizers excluded LGBT groups.) This newest lawsuit states that Mayor Walsh ignored that court order and violated the organizers civil rights. The article in the Globe also brings up last year’s parade controversy – remember the shorter route issue? Well, Darling is accusing the mayor of “retaliation” with attempting to shorten the route.
So there you have it. We expect this lawsuit to be a shit show and possibly set back our neighborhood by 20 years. And honestly, how is a parade still a thing? It’s 2016 and there are a million more exciting ways to spend a day.
it’s still a thing because it’s ours! if you don’t like parade day, I hear NH is nice in march!!!
So fighting for your rights makes you a bad person or group? Im going to assume your civil rights haven’t been stomped on Caught is Southie falls under the Freedom Of Speech would you like that taken away ? I don’t think so .
No, but I think when the Allied War Veterans hide behind the “Freedom of Speech” to exclude a certain group of people like LGBT groups, it’s wrong. Don’t you? It’s 2016. They need to evolve a little.
I don’t think the Allied War Veterans are hiding behind the Freedom of Speech to exclude anybody, they are exercising their Rights you don’t have to agree with it , that what make living in the USA great. If me and my friends want to March because we are heterosexual and that’s the only reason or message I would expect a big fat no , gay people march in the parade every year whether in a band or some other capacity, The Allied War Veterans put on the parade they own it who are you or Marty Walsh to tell them they have to do it your way, you don’t want people telling you how to run your business and that’s all this is about their Civil Roghts and you trying to say different make s it a shot show!
Shit show
Mr. Walsh is a phony and a fake and all long time southie residents know what he is about. I doubt Mr. Mayor will see a second term. He sold us south bostonions the minute he got into office and believe me we will remember come election time!!