Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Even with shift, NYC St. Patrick's Day parade draws gay protests
Source: Reuters
Even with shift, NYC St. Patrick's Day parade draws gay protests
BY SEBASTIEN MALO
NEW YORK Tue Feb 17, 2015 6:07pm EST
(Reuters) - Gay rights activists and elected officials said on Tuesday they would continue to protest New York City's main St. Patrick's Day parade even as organizers prepared to let a gay group carry a banner this year for the first time in the parade's history.
The problem, they say, is that the group, an organization of gay NBCUniversal employees, does not represent gay Irish-American people at an event that marks the most prominent celebration of Irish heritage in the United States.
"The issue has never been about having a gay group in the parade," Daniel Dromm, a City Council member, said at a news conference outside City Hall where he was joined by Irish Queers, a group that has organized annual protests of the parade. "It has always been about having an Irish gay group in the parade. For the parade organizers to try to pull this trickery by allowing an organization called OUT@NBC to march in the parade is not a solution."
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
They allowed only the group from NBCUniversal, the Comcast Corp unit that broadcasts the parade, to join on March 17, but suggested similar groups may be able to apply for the 2016 parade.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
BY SEBASTIEN MALO
NEW YORK Tue Feb 17, 2015 6:07pm EST
(Reuters) - Gay rights activists and elected officials said on Tuesday they would continue to protest New York City's main St. Patrick's Day parade even as organizers prepared to let a gay group carry a banner this year for the first time in the parade's history.
The problem, they say, is that the group, an organization of gay NBCUniversal employees, does not represent gay Irish-American people at an event that marks the most prominent celebration of Irish heritage in the United States.
"The issue has never been about having a gay group in the parade," Daniel Dromm, a City Council member, said at a news conference outside City Hall where he was joined by Irish Queers, a group that has organized annual protests of the parade. "It has always been about having an Irish gay group in the parade. For the parade organizers to try to pull this trickery by allowing an organization called OUT@NBC to march in the parade is not a solution."
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
They allowed only the group from NBCUniversal, the Comcast Corp unit that broadcasts the parade, to join on March 17, but suggested similar groups may be able to apply for the 2016 parade.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/17/us-usa-new-york-stpatricks-idUSKBN0LL26020150217
