76 Comments

• jfmulligan | Mar 19, 2013, 04:10 PM EDT

  re: howareya- why are you being such a dunce? IF every other group get to march with a banner EXCEPT a gay group that is pure prejudice and hate. If you advocated for a bannerless parade or in fact there was a single banner maybe your position would be worth discussing.

• howareya | Mar 19, 2013, 02:50 PM EDT

  Bocktherobber...Okay, St. Patrick was a Christian saint. It is believed he was sent to be the first bishop of Ireland by POPE Celestine I. So I'm assuming he was Catholic. Secondly, my point was that the feast day of St. Patrick is recognized as a Catholic feast day. Maybe other religions also recognize it...I don't know. But I'm saying parades are not religious. Thirdly, you did not answer my question as to why gay groups insist on marching a gay groups. They are certainly all welcome to march in the parade as Irishmen/women, Irish Americans etc. So why does it have to be Gay Irishmen. That was my point. We can accept everyone but do we have to accept them in divisions of Gay, Straight or otherwise?

• redhand32 | Mar 19, 2013, 10:53 AM EDT

  Let See. I'm doing the math. Gay marriage has been around somewhere in the States for about 2 years ? I will be celebrating my 4oth heterosexual Wedding Anniversary this October, even renewing our vows in Hawaii this summer. So far, my travel agent hasn't informed us that we are imminent danger from the LBGT community who would shut the whole thing down, perhaps kill us. Yet, I know that we should be afraid, very afraid that our "Traditional marriage is in imminent danger of going up in smoke, not worth the paper it isn't written on !

• BrianO | Mar 19, 2013, 09:30 AM EDT

  Ahh had a gay time at the St. Patricks day festivities in Boston, not sure if those I engaged in celebrating with were homosexual or not, as no one felt the need to exclaim their sexual preferences, and no one knew I was a transparent oaf as I felt no need to exclaim my transparent oafyness.

• Bocktherobber | Mar 18, 2013, 05:52 PM EDT

  Howareya -- Work it out. St Patrick was a Christian saint, not a Catholic one. And besides, Ireland these days, unlike Irish America, is a place that welcomes Catholics, atheists, gays and straights. What a pathetic national day it would be if it excluded so many Irish people. I think the best thing to do would be to hand over the St Patrick's Day franchise to the AOH and start a new one back here in Ireland. We could have parades in Ireland that excluded overweight Irish-American bigots.

• durtymurphy | Mar 18, 2013, 04:22 PM EDT

  If Gay Sex offends you then vote to let them Marry. ( That usually puts an end to the Sex)

• maryosullivan | Mar 18, 2013, 02:12 PM EDT

  Odd isn't gays are not allowed when every corrupt political character is welcomed. Actually, I can't imagine why they would want to associate with such bigots

• howareya | Mar 18, 2013, 01:31 PM EDT

  Okay...my usual question. Why do the gay groups insist on marching in the St. Patrick's Day parades as "gay groups."? Why can they not march as Irishmen/women or Irish Americans just like everyone else? We don't have people marching as "straight" Irish? And, St. Patrick's Day is a religious holiday. It is the celebration of the feast of St. Patrick, a Catholic saint. I remember well picking shamrocks and wearing them to Mass on that day. It was not a drinking holiday. The St. Patrick's Day parades are not religious processions but an Irish celebration. So there is a difference in the two. However, I still say...everyone is welcome to march in the parades as Irishmen, Irish Americans or those that love Ireland. We don't have to differentiate based on sexual preferences all the time, do we? And no, I am not a homophobe...my daughter is gay and I love her as well as her partner. And to top it off, she agrees with me!!!!

• howareya | Mar 18, 2013, 01:30 PM EDT

  Okay...my usual question. Why do the gay groups insist on marching in the St. Patrick's Day parades as "gay groups."? Why can they not march as Irishmen/women or Irish Americans just like everyone else? We don't have people marching as "straight" Irish? And, St. Patrick's Day is a religious holiday. It is the celebration of the feast of St. Patrick, a Catholic saint. I remember well picking shamrocks and wearing them to Mass on that day. It was not a drinking holiday. The St. Patrick's Day parades are not religious processions but an Irish celebration. So there is a difference in the two. However, I still say...everyone is welcome to march in the parades as Irishmen, Irish Americans or those that love Ireland. We don't have to differentiate based on sexual preferences all the time, do we? And no, I am not a homophobe...my daughter is gay and I love her as well as her partner. And to top it off, she agrees with me!!!!

• STEVENSTAR | Mar 18, 2013, 11:45 AM EDT

  WE IRISH CITIZENS HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH GAY PEOPLE UNLIKE ALOT OF HOMOPHOBIC AMAERICANS .. AS A MATTER OF FACT IN A RECENT REFERENDUM THERE WAS 75% OF PEOPLE IN FAVOUR OF GAY MARRIAGE.. HOW MANY REAL IRISH CITIZENS WERE AT THIS AMERICAN EVENT ?? ID DOUBT VERY FEW ... ITS AMERICANS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GAY PEOPLE AND AMERICANS SHOULD PLEASE STOP HI JACKING OUR NATIONAL DAY AND CULTURE TO SPREAD THIS WHOLE ANTI GAY THING....DO IT ON 5TH OF JULY YOUR OWN NATIONAL DAY AND STOP TRYING TO PORTRAY US IRISH AS ANTI WHEN WE ARE NOT .. I FIND IT REALLY OFFENSIVE!!

• olovely | Mar 18, 2013, 08:15 AM EDT

  Allow me, an Irish citizen, to tell you where to go instead IrelandNorth. Maybe take the last vestiges of your homophobic and racist fellow travelers with you (along with the snakes, eh?)

• IrelandNorth | Mar 18, 2013, 06:13 AM EDT

  Dublin City Council Saint Patrick's Day parade here in the Irish capitol Dublin, Ireland was marred by uncouth foreign nationals subcontracted as parade stewards to compensate the Gardá ban on overtime. Undoubtedly, some may consider this Irish citizen churlish for not enjoying being told grufly where to go in his own city by someone who probably isn't even a citizen themselves.

• EphraimKibbey | Mar 18, 2013, 02:02 AM EDT

  Sorry to get to this article so late but we spent the day celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Actually we have been celebrating all weekend here in Cincinnati. We took our 6 month old grandson and his parents to Cladagh, a pub in Newport, Kentucky just across the Ohio for his first St. Patrick's Day. I taught their bartender how to make a "Black Nail" highball. She got quite good at it. While we are not parade enthusiasts, as a City of Cincinnati taxpayer, I resent my tax money being used for ANY event that is not open to everyone. Unlike some of the LGBT groups mentioned below at other parades, I have not heard anything about misbehavior by this group in previous events. If, as it seems, the only reason for banning them this year was that this was a RELIGIOUS/CATHOLIC parade then I believe that all public funding should be withdrawn in the future as it must violate the separation of church and state for my tax money to be used to support it. Perhaps all of the non-Catholics should boycott it next year as well since we do not subscribe to all of the tenets of that religion and so must assume we too are unwelcome. While we are at it perhaps we should start boycotting all of the Catholic School Festivals as well as they probably don't want anyone there spending money who does not follow their beliefs fully. Wasn't St. Patrick chastised by Rome in his own day for not following their brand of Catholicism? This was a silly, bigoted decision made by a tiny group of small-minded individuals who will hopefully no longer be making decisions for next years St. Patrick's Day parade.

• falconflash | Mar 18, 2013, 01:21 AM EDT

  Agreed Ken....this company is an anti-Irish anti-Catholic one and when you defent the Church against what homos, abortionists and femi-nazis say they cut ME off, and not them.

• olovely | Mar 17, 2013, 09:36 PM EDT

  Professional bigots like Ken from Dublin, merefalow and anglo-norman infest discussion boards internationally with their "it's the gay bashers who are really being bullied!" nonsense. They're old, tired, sad, and unconvincing.

• merefalow | Mar 17, 2013, 07:49 PM EDT

  i hate bullying,BUT,this gay agenda is being pushed down peoples throats,Gay people have achieved legal status in all spheres of civil law,but there are still a majority of people who do not agree or find their lifestyles unacceptable,and these people should not have their agenda forced upon them,religious people believe in the bible so there fore by accepting something that compromises those beliefs,they are denying those beliefs.they go their way,religious people go theirs,and if they happen to own a PRIVATE BB,they should not be forced by law to allow homosexual activity under their private roofs in the privacy of their own homes.gay people should back of,they have legally achieved all thats required without forcing it down our throats.

• olovely | Mar 17, 2013, 11:50 AM EDT

  This is an Irish holiday and a Catholic holiday and a Protestant holiday and a Dissenter holiday. It doesn't just exist to celebrate Catholicism or Christianity; it celebrates the global Irish Diaspora in all of its complexity and difference. The Irish of Ohio have disgraced themselves by making it ugly, sectarian and bigoted.

• graham | Mar 17, 2013, 11:38 AM EDT

  This is an Irish Catholic holiday and there is no need for anti bullying or Gay and Lesbians to March with them While these are valid causes this parade in not a billboard for these issues. Bullying needs to be put down and those doing it punished severely. As for gay and lesbians, it is the chemical makeup in the brain and not something they can choose or not. I think the gvmt should make an alternate classification which would give them the benefits and/or protection they deserve but leave traditional marriage just the way it is- one persons opinion. ps I am Irish

• STEVENSTAR | Mar 17, 2013, 11:12 AM EDT

  WE IRISH HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH GAY PEOPLE UNLIKE ALOT OF HOMOPHOBIC AMAERICANS .. AS A MATTER OF FACT IN A RECENT REFERENDUM THERE WAS 75% OF PEOPLE IN FAVOUR OF GAY MARRIAGE.. HOW MANY REAL IRISH CITIZENS WERE AT THIS AMERICAN EVENT ?? ID DOUBT VERY FEW ... ITS AMERICANS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GAY PEOPLE AND PLEASE STOP HI JACKING OUR NATIONAL DAY AND CULTURE TO SPREAD THIS WHOLE ANTI GAY THING....DO IT ON 5TH OF JULY YOUR OWN NATIONAL DAY AND STOP EMBARRASSING US OVER HERE IN IRELAND !!

• BrianO | Mar 17, 2013, 10:34 AM EDT

  @johnshiel, thank you for pointing out the transparency of my label, I'll have to wear a sprig of gay shamrocks instead. Hope all enjoy the day, Cheers.

• johnozed | Mar 17, 2013, 09:45 AM EDT

  Hey falconflash: Gay & straight youths hounded and harassed to the point of suicide. Is that SPECIFIC enough for you or do you need blood samples from Phoebe Prince or Tyler Clementi? As far as poppycock, I am sure you are half acquainted with that phrase and it has nothing to do with flowers.

• johnozed | Mar 17, 2013, 09:42 AM EDT

  Hey Portia- Anti Irish prejudice by Gay and Lesbian groups? Really? And the proof of this is where? And why is it that Gay & Lesbian organizations don't protest other festivals like Chinese New Year's or Cinco De Mayo? MAYBE because Gays and Lesbians are allowed to march in Chinese New Year's or Cinco De Mayo events. I'd say 'think about it' but I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself.

• olovely | Mar 17, 2013, 09:02 AM EDT

  It's an anti-bullying LGBT group, not a bunch of leather daddies in chaps, for God's sake. They're as Irish as any other group that applied to march. It's disgraceful that Ohio has done this in 2013.

• thetint | Mar 17, 2013, 04:34 AM EDT

  It's not a Catholic event - it's an Irish event. And the Vatican is full of gays - go and sort them out!

• Scouse Tony | Mar 17, 2013, 03:30 AM EDT

  Denvergirl300 when you suggest that gay groups have cowed the evangelicals you make it sound like a bad thing. I spent eighteen months working for Child Services in Denver and found it a quite intolerant place.

• pilib04 | Mar 16, 2013, 11:35 PM EDT

  KenfromDublin, judging from Stevenstar's use of the vernacular, I am guessing he is from the part of Ireland that is in Pittsburgh, PA.

• pilib04 | Mar 16, 2013, 11:30 PM EDT

  This article started out about Cincinnati, and then changed in midstream to Boston. Starting celebrations early, are we? Also, out of curiousity, exactly what is "St. Paddy's Day."

• Bocktherobber | Mar 16, 2013, 10:30 PM EDT

  As somebody pointed out earlier, excluding gays would be illegal in Ireland. What a shame that some who claim Irish ancestry remain trapped in their bigotry over there in America. I suppose that's what happens when people become detached from their origins, but all we can do is feel sorry for people who think their Irishness depends on a debased and hate-filled version of Catholicism. Maybe if they moved home for a while they might learn how to be Irish instead of making it up.

• darao | Mar 16, 2013, 10:22 PM EDT

  openness, acceptance and respect are violated when any group is demonized based on hateful bigotry and exclusion because of race, gender or sexual orientation. The parade should be shut down and deprived of permits and of public financial or other support. It is sad to see hate speech here in this forum in particular. Such speech is not protected nor is it acceptable.

• denvergirl300 | Mar 16, 2013, 09:34 PM EDT

  Ken from Dublin and Portia O'Neill, please move to America immediately - we are in great need of sane minds such as yours. The gay agenda here in America has gone from demanding tolerance to demanding that their lifestyle be celebrated over and above other individuals' personal or religious beliefs. They have painted a bull's eye on Catholics and that's only because they've successfuly cowled the evangelicals into silence.

• garbo55 | Mar 16, 2013, 07:54 PM EDT

  Great point Portia, they never seem to want to infiltrate any other events....

• Portia_O'Neill | Mar 16, 2013, 07:38 PM EDT

  Over the years the leaders of gay & lesbian groups use St.Patrick's Day as a means to express anti-Irish prejudice. Gay pride is the mask they hide behind, claiming persecution, but the irony is that the prejudice works both ways.If this were not the case, why is it that Gay & Lesbian organizations don't protest other festivals like Chinese New Year's or Cinco De Mayo?

• Eschetic | Mar 16, 2013, 07:19 PM EDT

  The Hibernians New York who ran the New York parade for years pulled this bigoted garbage too. A parade which pointedly excludes large parts of the target group being celebrated has no business usurping civic facilities or funds.

• falconflash | Mar 16, 2013, 05:46 PM EDT

  Bullying covers too much territory....try to be more specific....it is a phony charge to get someone in trouble for -- who knows what? I sure as hell would not want my child picked on in school but even "picked on" is more descriptive than "bullying." Bullying is liberal poppycock.

• Bocktherobber | Mar 16, 2013, 05:42 PM EDT

  It is not a Catholic event for Catholics. It's an Irish event for all Irish people, whether they happen to be gay, straight, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim or atheist. It's our national day, and our nation is not confined to Catholics.

• Renelda M. | Mar 16, 2013, 05:35 PM EDT

  Gays, et al., have their platform parade on Gay Pride(?) Day. No. There does not need to be a prosylytizing group marching in any St. Patricks Day Parade. It IS a Catholic event for Irish Catholics and friends. That's what makes me dislike (not not love) pushy gays,et al. They WANT TO GLOM EVERYTHING HETERO OR that is not ABOUT THEIR LIFESTYLE. Enough!!! Gays are a self-centered bunch of neurotics.

• richard cahill | Mar 16, 2013, 05:05 PM EDT

  i'm afraid that the parade committee have this wrong. patrics day in ireland is non sectarian. in fact to exclude the gay community from the parade in ireland is illegal. would the committee consider excluding the Scots Irish, the Anglicans, should Mayor Bloomberg be excluded from new york's parade. Sorry guys but your decision is based on ignorance or prejudice! both are curable. forget catholicism and try a little christian charity, with humble pie ---- that should do the trick. dick cahill, ballymote co sligo ireland

• Bocktherobber | Mar 16, 2013, 04:41 PM EDT

  Are these fossilised Hibernian bigots aware that the real Irish parades, in Ireland, are non-sectarian and inclusive, with no Catholic displays and with all groups, including gays, welcome to take part?

• ciaradexy | Mar 16, 2013, 04:38 PM EDT

  Not every Irish person is catholic. Some of us have no religious beliefs.

• Will Hamilton | Mar 16, 2013, 04:04 PM EDT

  There ya go. This is why the whole Catholic sectarian bigoted idea that it's based on should be scrapped completely. A non-sectarian inclusive modern occasion should be founded called Paddy's Day with all traces of a foreign religion eliminated. The lies could be left behind as well. The French/Welsh preacher never used a shamrock or a clover for anything. It's a made up lie. The first Patricks day parade in Dublin was in 1700's and it was inaugurated by a Protestant organisation and stewarded by the Protestant Irish Volunteers.

• johnozed | Mar 16, 2013, 03:37 PM EDT

  Thanks durtymurphy. We are all the same we love disco and house music, drag shows and AbFab and I promise no one will approach with with a big rubber whatever it is the hell you are talking about. Now go forth and procreate.

• durtymurphy | Mar 16, 2013, 02:49 PM EDT

  I really love johnozed, and I love the gays, when I lived in London I had so many gay friends with whom I would accompany to gay clubs, the best of times and great entertainment and drag shows.Ab fab actually. Just don't come near me with one of those giant rubber you know what things. Life is for everybody. Signed, The big silly Hetro.

• ciaradexy | Mar 16, 2013, 02:38 PM EDT

  ''Its an Irish catholic parade''? Since when is the St Patricks day parade catholic?

• anglo-norman | Mar 16, 2013, 02:19 PM EDT

  Proper Order...

• johnozed | Mar 16, 2013, 02:16 PM EDT

  Actually durtymurphy, you do see the gays in the military parades like in every other parade you big silly person. You just don't know it. Nice imagination though, because gays are all fey and feminine....LOL. Idjit.

• durtymurphy | Mar 16, 2013, 02:12 PM EDT

  When the Military have a parade why don't we see the homos there, we know there are plenty of queers in the military nowadays. Start there, work on acceptance and just enjoy like most others, or join the drunks fighting and vomiting, I just imagined a troop of gay drunks falling around annd slapping the sh-t- out of each other all dressed up in green gay garb. This planet needs to relax.

• johnozed | Mar 16, 2013, 01:24 PM EDT

  As far as it not being a political event, I guess that would explain the lack of united Ireland signs and groups as well as Republicans and Orangemen walking side by side. And if someone wanted to march in a pride parade as St. Patrick, no one would stop them. In fact they might inquire where they got their fancy frocks. And joeburke, YOUR sexuality is shoved down Gay peoples throats all the time. You're in the thick of it and you have no clue. Your agenda is in our faces every day of the year, 24/7 but that's 'normal' to you.

• johnozed | Mar 16, 2013, 01:19 PM EDT

  nycSheridan: Your submission would be accepted in the PRIDE parade. Many hetero(straight) supporters are welcome. Join up, you'd have a great time!

• johnozed | Mar 16, 2013, 01:18 PM EDT

  nycSheridan: Your submission would be accepted in the PRIDE parade. Many hetero(straight) supporters are welcome. Join up, you'd have a great time!

• fmcevoy | Mar 16, 2013, 12:59 PM EDT

  I'm sure St. Serge and St. Bacchus weren't too happy about this decision.

• dickmac | Mar 16, 2013, 12:50 PM EDT

  A ruling was made on the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in South Boston when a similar group of gays was banned ! The parade is in the Honor of the Patron Saint of Ireland and is organized by a private organization. To enter you have to sign a contract and obviously agree to the terms. The group that marched did not honor the contract to they were refused to any future participation. Their complaint went all the way to the US Supreme Court and they were denied any future participate.

• johnshiel | Mar 16, 2013, 12:33 PM EDT

  briano, make note that the label you'll be wearing is actually that of "transparent oaf"... (a creative and fresh bit of name calling on this site, I must say;) but in any case people will not notice the label you are wearing because, of course, of its transparency...

• jfmulligan | Mar 16, 2013, 12:19 PM EDT

  Brian O: if every other group celebrating Irishness gets to walk behind and proclaim there identity EXCEPT Irish and Irsh American gay groups-that is bigotry pure and simple. Your position would only have weight if you were advocating for no banners in the parade.

• joeburke | Mar 16, 2013, 12:14 PM EDT

  I'm Irish. By that I mean that I was born, raised and live in Ireland. I visit America often. I'm very surprised at some of these comments. St. Patrick's day is a celebration of the introduction of Christianity to Ireland. St. Patrick used a shamrock NOT a four leaf clover, to explain the holy trinity. Three petals on one stem. It is idiotic to argue that St. Patrick's day is not a religious celebration. Gay groups have no place in this celebration other than enjoying it like everyone else, because it is not a celebration of freedom of rights or sexuality. Hey St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland and I support gay rights! Seriously! That's like dressing up as St. Patrick to walk in the Gay and Lesbian rainbow march. There is nothing discriminatory about not wanting ANY group to hijack the purpose and meaning of any celebration. I'm not anti-gay, but for Christ sake can you please get over your sexuality already, so the rest of us can get a break. I really dont care where you like sticking your tool. Maybe you could stick it in your mouth and shut the hell up so we can enjoy the day without your agenda in our faces.

• BrianO | Mar 16, 2013, 12:10 PM EDT

  Dear hoolaback I love being gay, it is a nice word, with a happy meaning. For those that are of Irish descent and wish to march in a parade I don't believe there is a questionaire asking about your sexual preference. I have no doubt that there are plenty of homosexuals marching in St Patricks day parades enjoying the day like everyone else. You know enjoying the day, being part of the crowd. So bully your agenda all you want, thank you for your insult, I'll wear my oaf label with pride, it will make my day gay and happy.

• BrianO | Mar 16, 2013, 11:51 AM EDT

  One truism in post-colonial studies is that the colonized imitate their colonizers & try to outdo them. Thus the Irish were oppressed by Victorian England, so many of us try to out-Victorian the Victorians. Before the English came, the Irish Church had a marriage ceremony to marry two men, but that was before Rome colonized our own native church, too. Rome & England taught us homophobia, and, to our shame, we try to outdo them in their hatred. Before Rome & England, Ireland civilized Europe; Rome & England have been working to reverse the advances we brought ever since, starting with us. It's sad to know we are still mentally & morally so colonized.

• ancavker | Mar 16, 2013, 11:50 AM EDT

  STEVEN; We are not all homo phobic here in the U.S. And how come it is perfectly OK for the Irish in Ireland to hijack American and English culture. I bet you are running around in Manchester U Jersey and driniing Bud's. And it is funny that as often as you post you never comment on those points. You are always criticizing Irish-Americans, never your own people in Ireland.

• STEVENSTAR | Mar 16, 2013, 11:44 AM EDT

  EVERY YEAR ITS THE SAME THING AS AN IRISH MAN LIVING HERE IN IRELAND ITS BAD ENOUGH WATCHING AMERICANS HIJACKING OUR CULTURE AND THEN BEEN HOMOPHOBIC..WE IRISH ARE NOT A HOMOPHOBIC COUNTRY AND MOST OF US LIKE AMERICANS HAVE NO ISSUES WITH GAY PEOPLE.. THE ONLY ISSUES I HAVE ARE THE ISSUES WITH AMERICANS WHO CANT BE HAPPY TO BE AMERICAN AND INSTEAD GO AROUND THINKING THEY ARE IRISH .. I MEAN HOW SILLY IS THAT !!!

• Pittsburghkid | Mar 16, 2013, 11:25 AM EDT

  The Parade is not about abnormal sexual relations.

• Rebelforce | Mar 16, 2013, 11:10 AM EDT

  When people refer to parading Irish Protestants in Northern Ireland as pigheaded bigots because they can't tolerate anyone who happens to be Catholic, they where it as a badge of honor. Sadly, its the same mentality with some "good" Irish Catholics. They where their homophobic intolerance as a badge of honor. It's sad, but the good news is they are on the same side of history as those pathetic white southerners who screamed abuse at black schoolchildren who dared to attend a white-only school.

• JimmieM | Mar 16, 2013, 11:06 AM EDT

  St. Patrick's Day IS NOT a gay rights day...it IS NOT a anti-bullying day...My God what is wrong with these people who cannot leave well enough alone, have to ruin a day for other people...It is Irish and Christian...go gave SEX someplace else

• johnbyrne | Mar 16, 2013, 10:49 AM EDT

  if we are going on the idea that gay /lesbians cant take part its going to be a tough call if any or most of the members of Vatican city turn up to one of these parades.incidently Ive seen good staunch catholics leading parades who should be in prison. get your facts correct before side lineing anyone is un Christian.

• Bocktherobber | Mar 16, 2013, 10:40 AM EDT

  St Patrick's Day is not a Catholic feast day. Besides that, it is not necessary to be Catholic in order to be Irish.

• NYCsheridan | Mar 16, 2013, 10:21 AM EDT

  May I submit that a hetero Irish-American group demand to participate in the Rainbow Parade....

• CavanAncestor | Mar 16, 2013, 10:19 AM EDT

  As usual, Irish Central's reportage is a shade too cute. They were hardly "booted", but rather their application to march was denied. The spin is abetted by the group's naming themselves as "anti-bullying" when the actual advocacy has little to do with that and their true purpose is antithetical to Catholic doctrine. Similar groups here in NYC have shown that even sat their own events, their intent is to shock. Take a look at the antics at the NYC Gay Pride Parade, which never make the evening news in TV. Historically, they cannot be trusted as a group near St. Patrick's Cathedral to behave, where they prefer to bully Catholics. Children are encouraged to attend the much heralded Halloween Parade in the West Village resulting in the horror and chagrin of responsible parents. Public nudity, bizarre costumes and phallic synbols abound. Good for Cinncinnati. NYC Mayoral candidate, Christine Quinn, rapidly becoming a professional lesbian a la Rosie O'Donnell, is boycotting today's NY Parade. Nobody will miss her and hopefully it appears higly unlikely she'll be Mayor.

• cillowen | Mar 16, 2013, 10:16 AM EDT

  they keep on pushing the abnormal as if there is not enough of such to deal with. Such distractions will destroy a culture - any.

• jfmulligan | Mar 16, 2013, 10:15 AM EDT

  Anti-gay St. Patricks Day parades are numbered. The parades celebrate Irisness not the anti-gay Catholic Church. ("kss me i'm Irish" not "kiss me i've just received communion" "wearing of the green" not "wearing of the rosary beads")Parade organizers call it a private event yet continue to hold it in the public square, funded by the public. Ireland and most of the Irish community in America have progressed to celebrate and recoginze our lesbian Aunty, trans cousin and gay brother.

• Paradigm | Mar 16, 2013, 10:06 AM EDT

  Tell me Niall O'Dowd why was my comment submitted and registered at 09:10 EDT removed and by whom?

• olovely | Mar 16, 2013, 09:45 AM EDT

  It was blinkered and idiotic for some cities to insist St. Patrick's Day was a religious parade ONLY. It is no such thing, it is also a secular celebration of IRISH identity. Except now the AOH and these Ohio bigots have claimed their understanding of what an Irish person is or can be is the ONLY understanding. They'll find themselves as irrelevant and worn out as the GOP shortly.

• hollabackgurl | Mar 16, 2013, 09:39 AM EDT

  I guess you don't know that you can be gay and Irish joan1954. I imagine you are confused about many things. And BrianO, your sophistries are tiresome: gay people being thrown out of a parade because they're gay doesn't make THEM the bullies, you transparent oaf.

• joan1954 | Mar 16, 2013, 09:37 AM EDT

  I am confused here, why would the gay movement even want to be in an Irish parade? Don't they have a parade of their own in September something to do with a rainbow? But this parade committee, one would assume, if it is connected with a Catholic group may have this right but if not connected with a religion then?

• BrianO | Mar 16, 2013, 09:28 AM EDT

  These days the homosexual groups are doing the bullying, since the agenda is to promote homosexual awareness I would suggest they form a parade for homosexual awareness day, that way all who showed up would be able to celebrate their agenda.

• Nicopernicus | Mar 16, 2013, 09:26 AM EDT

  Bullying or being a Bully is now the catch all word for any group who's main attempt is to bring attention to their cause by alleging some kind of verbal assault therefore discrimination. If you want too get an audience for any agenda you want to push...first establish a plight,and then blame someone. "I was bullied the other day at work"...Reality? I was told off by the boss because I'm a slacker and I don't do the job they pay me for. We live in a culture now where you cannot disagree with someones lifestyle or have an opinion lest you be referred to as a bully.

• bunchesofun | Mar 16, 2013, 09:00 AM EDT

  I commend them for taking a stand. I had never really thought about it before but it really isn't appropriate for a gay/lesiban group to be in a parade celebrating a Catholic Saint. Having said that, no one should be bullied. But someone mentioned teens and what they'd learn from this. I think they'll learn there's a time and place for things and this parade did not qualify.

• turzovka | Mar 16, 2013, 08:57 AM EDT

  The fact the Catholic Church teaches that homosexuality is a disorder of some kind is a bold position but it is based on Biblical teaching. It is not saying those who consider themselves gay are condemned or in worse peril than straight people. It simply cannot condone such a practice. Nor is the Church keen on G&L groups assuring every teen confused about their sexuality that they must be gay and so they will lead them down that path. Or are they certain that can be the only possible outcome? The Catholic Church is not, and the Church is very much concerned about the spiritual ramifications of sexual decisions. That is why they are not keen on a gay group in a Catholic parade. The wrong message.

• olovely | Mar 16, 2013, 08:37 AM EDT

  What sort of message does this send to teens being bullied because they're gay? It says the bullies are justified. Bigotry is especially disgusting when it wears an Irish face. We should know better. Don't ever have a gay son or daughter, or brother or sister in Ohio. You won't be able to look them in the face.