Gay groups welcome Mary McAleese’s stand over NYC St. Patrick’s Day parade

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Marchers, including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (far left), take part in the Queens St. Pat’s for All parade.

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Emmaia Gelman, a spokesperson for the Irish Queers group, told the Irish Voice she welcomed McAleese’s decision.

“We’re pleased that she decided not to participate. It would be great if she conclusively said I could never possibly participate in a parade that excluded LGBT people,” Gelman said.

“Regardless, it’s clear to everyone that she couldn’t participate because it’s a discriminatory parade. I’m in no way saying we’re dissatisfied.”

The fact that so many Irish and American elected officials still feel compelled to say they had scheduling conflicts that prevent them from marching is unfortunate, Gelman says.

“It’s indicative of the amount of power that anti-gay conservatives in the Irish American political sphere hold,” she said.

Irish Queers has also asked New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly to pull uniformed police officers from the parade.  “Our argument that the NYPD should not parade in their official capacity is based on the discriminatory nature of the parade itself. To our minds that’s illegal,” said a letter from the group sent to Kelly last week. 

“A parade that has explicitly gone to court to say it’s a homophobic one is one that violates the right of the LGBT community to feel like the police are acceptable to us.”

“On the one hand the parade organizers say it’s a private event and so they have the right to discriminate about who participates, on the other hand they present it as a public celebration with elected officials and past governors. You can’t do both.”

Last Wednesday, after the Irish Voice report made news in Ireland, McAleese’s office in Dublin issued a statement confirming the New York grand marshal invitation, but adding that the president declined because of scheduling conflicts.

“Unfortunately, due to scheduling constraints in a very busy final year in office, it is not possible for the president to travel to New York next March,” a statement said.

“The president has conveyed to the organizers her deep appreciation for the invitation as well as her very best wishes for the success of the parade in this significant anniversary year.”

Read more - President Mary McAleese declines St. Patrick's Day NYC Grand Marshal invite

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