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Former Grand Marshal accuses Hoboken mayor of racism over St.Patrick's Day parade

Anti-Irish claim made after parade is canceled by mayor citing arrests in 2011

By
PATRICK COUNIHAN,
IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 7:19 AM
Updated Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 10:50 AM

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See more: St. Patrick's Day  

Hoboken Police representing at the Hoboken St. Patrick's Day parade
Hoboken Police representing at the Hoboken St. Patrick's Day parade
Photo by Google Images


A former Grand Marshal of the Hoboken parade has accused city officials of intolerance against the Irish after they canceled the St.Patrick’s Parade.

Hoboken City and Mayor Dawn Zimmer suggested the event be moved to a Wednesday evening during March. The parade's committee decided to cancel the parade, which has been held on the first Saturday in March for the past 26 years.

Although last year there were 34 arrests and rowdy crowds, the fact that this year's parade will not go ahead has been roundly criticized by the Irish community in New Jersey.

John R.Howe, former police officer and Grand Marshal for the parade in 1997, has now written to the Hudson Reporter, a local newspaper, accusing the mayor and others of an agenda against the Irish.

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Read More:

Hoboken, NJ, cancels St. Patrick’s Day Parade after 26 years - POLL

Hoboken residents plan ‘Lepre-Con’ celebrations to replace St. Patrick’s Day parade - POLL

Massive pub crawls set to replace canceled Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day parade - VIDEO

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Howe wrote, “My family first came to America from Ireland in 1850, fleeing hunger and an oppressive regime. They have resided in Hoboken for over 125 years. I was a policeman here and I have been a participant in the Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day Parade since its inception in 1986. In 1997 I was honored to be selected as the Parade’s 10th Grand Marshal. On the first Saturday in March 1997, I, along with my late father, my son and grand-nephew proudly led the parade down Washington St. It was a chilly, rainy dismal day but, hundreds of people still lined Washington St. to see the parade. Whenever I look at pictures from that day I can see the pride in my father’s eyes as he marched with four generations of his family.

I always thought that this tradition would continue and that other descendants of Irish Immigrants would be able to share my experience. But, apparently intolerance has once again reared its ugly head. The Irish, the first big group of refugees ever to come to the United States, have born the brunt of American resentment before and prevailed. They paved the way for the waves of immigrants that followed in their footsteps. In the words of George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

​
See more: St. Patrick's Day , US Crime
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28 Comments

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AengusOg | Jan 25, 2012, 10:40 PM EST
The word racism should be, but seldom is, reserved for activities that are virulent manifestations of blind hatred toward a particular group. Prejudice is ignorance, jealousy, insensitivity and/or dislike. Bigotry is prejudice in action, i.e., ESPN calling the Boston Celtics the "Cs" rather than the Celts or Mayor Zimmer's actions. Rather than seek an acceptable solution that would have kept the parade alive, she pulled the plug because she could. (Imagine if NYC had canceled the Puerto Rican Day Parade after the wilding incidents.) Let's keep the sting in the word racism by reserving its use to more extreme cases of bigotry.

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ciaradexy | Jan 25, 2012, 08:28 AM EST
Please dont insult Irish people by calling it 'Patties' day.

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connor32 | Jan 25, 2012, 12:23 AM EST
Their behavoir during the St. Patrick's Day parade also feeds into the negative stereotypes against the Irish, which we need to put a stop to. Too many people stay silent or even condone this type of behavoir, eneough is enough. Now our parades are getting cancelled because of these "plastic patties", who do nothing but make us look bad?

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connor32 | Jan 25, 2012, 12:19 AM EST
Lets put this in perspective. The reason the Parade got moved to a weekday and eventually got cancelled is due to all of the "plastic pattys" that use our St. Patrick's Day parade as an excuse to drink too much and act stupid. These people don't care about the Irish heritage. The Irish community should stand together and unite against these people, and the bars/pubs that advertise St. Patrick's Day as a drinking holiday just so that they can make money off of our name. We need to stand up and do something about this. People cannot blame the mayor or the city for this, lets address the root cause to the issue.

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merefalow | Jan 24, 2012, 08:38 PM EST
who likes to see citizens of their nation drunken and vomiting and behaving like idiots through drink,whatever nation it is.there are laws against drunken riotous behavior,apply them,or would that break the profit of the big booze barons,purveyors of a legal taxable drug.

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ciaradexy | Jan 24, 2012, 07:41 PM EST
A few St Patricks day parades in small towns have been cancelled here in ireland and no one cried racism so how is it a racist issue in America for Americans?

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johnozed | Jan 24, 2012, 06:14 PM EST
"The Gays and supporters are in the ascendant." WTF does this have to do with anything?

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joycean | Jan 24, 2012, 06:13 PM EST
Unless Howe said something that wasn't quoted here, he did not say anything about "racism."

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AmericanGirl83 | Jan 24, 2012, 05:01 PM EST
I agree that this is uncalled for. It is common sense that anytime there is a public gathering of some sort, there will be a few individuals that will cause a disturbance. If they cancel this parade, then ALL Parades and public functions should be canceled due to " those people".

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RthrBHistCorr | Jan 24, 2012, 03:32 PM EST
In the tactics of the "Great Lie" the Zimmer administration keeps bringing up last years 34 arrests. What they don't mention is that thwe Zimmer Administration allowed ALL of those arrested to have their charges reduced to slaps on the wrists. Hardly a way to send a message of deterence. The problem is the Bars that open at 9:00AM and profit from over serving their clients, the Zimmer administrations doesn't want to take them on as the hypocrites realize that Hoboken's revitialization is fueled by these same bars. Howver Mayor Zimmer has to appear to be doing something and thus she throws the parade under the bus. Now that the parade is canceled, the same bars that are the root cause of the issue are organizing a giant Pub Crawel on the day the parade was supposed to be held. Mayor Zimmer has already said she will call for an increased police presence. So other than killing the parade and encouraging MORE drinking what has Mayor Zimmer done?????

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BillyFitz | Jan 24, 2012, 02:01 PM EST
Brendan - call it 150 to 175. I've seen the debauchery of this event and most of it is unacceptable. This can however, be Policed, trash clean up etc, if the Bars that are raking in the $$ hand over fist pay their fair share. Between the cover charges and jacked up drink prices, these places are making 25-30k and up on this one day. They should have to pay the Police and the like. The root of the problem is the City having to come out of pocket for the event.

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sirpeter | Jan 24, 2012, 01:46 PM EST
What brennanirish said.

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MarybethC.P. | Jan 24, 2012, 12:49 PM EST
The Officers and Members of the Irish Anti-Defamation Federation, based in Philadelphia, would like to support Hoboken's Mayor, Dawn Zimmer, in her decision to cancel the St. Patrick's Day Parade in her town. Although we are saddened by loss of that parade (what should be an all-generation, family-friendly celebration of Ireland's patron saint and display of our Irish heritage and culture for those who claim Irish roots), we think she was wise to put a stop to the distasteful, dangerous, and crime-ridden activities that have accompanied it, especially since last year's parade-associated crimes involved three reports of rape. Mayor Zimmer is sending a strong signal to all, whether Irish-American supporters of that Hoboken parade, revelers in the bars, or even just spectators, that things are out of control. Her necessary cancellation of the Hoboken St. Patrick's Day Parade is just one step towards fixing a dreadful batch of problems. We applaud her decision to make St. Patrick's Day the pride-filled celebration and holiday it should be. Mayor Zimmer does not want, and cannot afford for, Hoboken to be New Orleans at Mardi Gras, even if it means drastic changes are needed this particular year. For all those who disagree with her, we at the IADF suggest offering ways to create a family-friendly celebration once more, one that will not tax the police and other services required of the citizens of Hoboken. - Marybeth, Recording Officer, Irishadf.webs.com

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RedBranch | Jan 24, 2012, 12:32 PM EST
OR you could get the participants together, rent the jumbo, come over to Ireland and enjoy the real thing!

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BrendanDunphy | Jan 24, 2012, 12:30 PM EST
Billy Fitz ... 250 bars?? Really?? Maybe back in the days of the dockside/waterfront workers, but there are certainly not nearly that many today.

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