Mary McAleese does the right thing by turning down NYC St. Patrick's Day parade invite

Watereskhill--It's obvious from what you write that you've never seen the NYC Parade. Don't show your ignorance--you have nothing to offer this discussion.

AmieZi--Thank You for some Common Sense.

shes only a NWO worker bitch anyway....She attends the bilderberg club meetings...DO NOT TRUST THIS WOMAN

It boggles my mind why there is need for such negativity - people complain about gay bashing and then bash the AOH. Clearly the U.S. Military and over 2 million supporters think the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade means something and having the President of Ireland in NY to celebrate the national Irish holiday is about more than a "vaudeville" act. If she is not wanted in Dublin for the parade there then why begrudge those who would appreciate her presence. Heaven forbid the millions upon millions of Irish in the U.S., many of whom are trying in whatever way they can to give back to Ireland, be afforded the opportunity to celebrate with the President. Is there anyone in NY that does not know that New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is a homosexual person? How many are aware that she has been invited to march in the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade? And we need her carrying a banner stating her sexual orientation on St. Patrick's Day as opposed to displaying her pride in all that she has accomplished for Irish Americans - why? I have seen City Council Speaker Quinn at the Mayor's breakfast on St. Patrick's morning, among many hundreds of Irish/Irish Americans/and fans of breakfast and she had no banner proclaiming her homosexuality, or wore no t-shirt stamped "gay", nor did any of my homosexual friends. There were no protests at breakfast, no issue whatsoever, despite numerous sashes identifying group affiliations. So it would appear that breakfast is too early to be shouting from the rooftops, but by mid-morning the banners are awake?

I'm just sitting here watching our stupid Puritan background show it's ugly face again. You better keep your eyebrows trimmed, or you'll get hung for a witch.

Doesn't take much to bring out the homophobes and haters, does it? Y'know, "No faggots allowed" has the same ring to it as "No Irish allowed."

There are no floats in the "Paddy" parade as you put it. There are no political banners either, save for the traditional, "England get out of Ireland banner'. I don't even know if thats still carried. Get your facts straight water, you're embarrassing yourself.

I don't buy it that the gay banner was the deciding factor here. President McAleese is Head of State. Not some Mary O'Hara celebrity. Or some Rose of Tralee contestant. The dignity of that Office reduced to a clownish 'ambassador' waving from a bedecked float simply because it's Paddy'Day and it the 250th Parade. The people of Ireland straight or gay do not ask this of her on St.Patrick's Day to be a "Grand Marshall" A daft title in my books. The Hibernians in NYC lacked protocol in my opinion. To haul gays into the mix is rubbish. President Obama is as respectful of Ireland as she is of the U.S. Archbisop Dolan may be miffed for a few moments on being considered 'a second choice' but will keep the day vaudeville Catholic.

Finally a political leader who has the guts to do the right thing. Parade organizers should be ashamed of themselves for excluding anyone of Irish descent in a St.Patrick's Day parade. Maybe President McAleese's refusal to participate in this discrimatory parade will bring the organizing commitee to it's senses.

Good question hancock, I hope there is an answer soon.

Why do you need a gay banner to march again?

This makes me appreciate the St. Patrick's parade in my city of over 350,000. There's just people dressing up, having fun, and celebrating Irish culture and honoring St. Patrick with no separate groups pushing their own agenda. Parade marchers don't feel the need to identify themselves as gay, lesbian, straight, Catholic, Protestant, or whatever. Everyone's Irish and proud of it. The only problem we've ever had was a horse dropping dead in the middle of the route and everyone trying to decide if the horse was "really Irish." (joke)

How about an Omadhaun's float or, more to the point,a Bigots float? But would such ignoramuses show up? We know the answer to that, of course. At least our fellow gay and lesbian human beings have the backbone to demonstrate their cause.

McAleese has been a staunch defender og gay rights for a long time. But she hasn't appeared to put forward that reason for not accepting the invitation. God lads, it could have been worse, imagine all you conservatives trying to deal with our last President Robinson who [shock and horror] supported the Palestinians!

Thanks, AmieZil, for so clearly stating my thoughts on this issue. This is called common sense and reasoning - something sorely lacking these days, especially in those who have their own PC agenda. I would also like the answer to 74viking's question about whether this was Mary McAleese's stated, not assumed, reason for declining the invitation.