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| City Council Speaker Christine Quinn Credit: International Business Times, Connor Adams Sheets |
Being both gay and Irish in New York is a difficult role for City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
Now the runaway favorite to be the next mayor, the 46-year-old will have major issues on both her ethnicity and her sexuality to resolve.
Ever since the St.Patrick’s Parade fracas involving the rights of gays to march, gays and Irish have often been at loggerheads.
One can certainly expect that outspoken Cardinal Timothy Dolan will keep his distance from Quinn over the next year and tip his red hat towards whoever her opponent is.
Dolan manages to disguise his iron fist inside a velvet glove and bask in positive media coverage of his attractive qualities of wit and humor.
But make no bones about it, he is doctrinaire on the issues such as gays in the St.Patrick’s Day Parade, not to mention in Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s residence, and he will look with a jaundiced eye on Quinn.
Quinn will have to face the thorny issue of whether she will walk in the St Patrick's Parade in 2013 and salute Dolan at the Fifth Avenue Cathedral of St.Patrick..
As Speaker she has refused to march, preferring instead the small inclusive parade in Queens instead.
Starting next March when the election campaign will be underway, Quinn will have to face a difficult decision.
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Current mayor Michael Bloomberg has cut the baby in half and marched or spoken at both parades.
Quinn, so far, has not done that, but it might be a savvy political move to do that come St.Pat’s 2013.
To do so would be to send a message of equality to Irish Catholics too that she understands that there is a deeply held faith and devoutness there that she can relate to.
She is hardly likely to lose gay support as a result and she would certainly find such a move would be well received in the Irish redoubts in Queens and the Bronx where she needs to win.
Of course, her tactics on the parade may well be decided by who her ultimate opponent will be.
In the Democratic primary she will likely not face another Irish Catholic but if she runs up against Ray Kelly, the NYPD Commissioner, in the general, then that is a very different matter indeed.
Kelly is being love bombed by the GOP right now who see him as their savior.
Kelly will be seeking the Giuliani coalition of outer borough ethnic Catholics to ensure his victory.
In order to reach into that group, Quinn will have to make serious gestures in their direction and marching in next year's parade may be a deeply symbolic and important step.
Quinn takes Manhattan against all comers but it is the outer boroughs where the potential Kelly favoring voters reside, where she will have to seek a decent percentage.
All of which makes for a fascinating race ahead in 2013.
Quinn’s task may look like a mission impossible; keep Gays and Irish Catholics happy, but her hopes of winning City Hall may depend on it.
29 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seamus620 | May 22, 2012, 02:18 PM EDT
In addition, she worked with Mayor Bloomberg to ensure term limits were over turned. This is direct violation of Democratic principles, the voice or vote of the people. Bloomberg stopped the investigation of her slush fund, and she and Bloomberg got an illegal term
seamus620 | May 22, 2012, 02:06 PM EDT
It was listed in your article that Christine Quinn attended the Inclusive Day Parade for St Paddy's Day. That is a mistake. This year she was supposed to show, and she called and did not show. She is supported by Denise Spillane, daughter of Micheal Spillane of the McManus Democratic Association which raises funds for the ArchDiocese. She has been meeting to get the support of Brooklyn Congregations United, a faith based Orginization in Brooklyn.at various Catholic Churches, very quietly ,of course. In addition, Enily Giske, a super delegate for the DNC supports her through her connection with insurance companies that legalize viatical insurance companies ,which made billions during the AIDS crisis.Christine Quinn is not supportive of the Irish, Catholic, or Gay Community. She represents her own hunger for power
EamonnDublin | Apr 27, 2012, 01:36 PM EDT
"STEVENSTAR", You're a gas man altogether! You seem to spend all of your time telling other people to "calm down" and "chill out"! By the way, if you press the "Caps Lock" key, you will find that you also can type in lower case! Now, I'm off for an ice-cool Coor's - then I'll jump in the fridge. Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.
BrianO | Apr 26, 2012, 10:47 AM EDT
Irish central knows how to write a headline, Gay Irish Catholic, wouldn't matter who or what they stood for. Personally I'm all gayed out, I'm a concervative and I vote for candidates that are closest to my views, there are gay conservatives, there are catholic conservatives, and dare say it there are conservatives of Irish descent. Americans as a whole make up their own minds and vote for what they feel best represents them
eiriamach | Apr 26, 2012, 09:47 AM EDT
Christine Quinn should run if only to show New Yorkers that Cardinal Dolan's intolerance is not the voice of Irish-descended New Yorkers. Ethnic, socio-economic class, and other divisions have been a core problem of New York politics since elections began there. Let the diverse face of Irish descendants show itself in New York, and let the divisiveness end. "Though fools may flout and bigots rave, and fanatics may cry, / Yet when they want good fighting men, the Irish may apply, / But when for freedom and the right they raise the battle-cry / Then the rebel ranks begin to think: No Irish Need Apply. -- John F. Poole, 1862.
hollabackgurl | Apr 26, 2012, 09:22 AM EDT
I think Christine Quinn will do a better job of uniting Irish, Catholics and Gays better than Cardinal Dolan or Ray Kelly ever will. She'll do New York proud.
STEVENSTAR | Apr 26, 2012, 09:15 AM EDT
IrelandNorth | Apr 26, 2012, 05:51 AM EDT >>>>>>> YOU SEEM TO HAVE WAY TOO MUCH TIME ON YOUR HANDS MATE.. WHY DONT YOU GO ON A HOLIDAY SOMEWHERE AND CHILL OUT .. AER LINGUS DO CHEAP FARES TO IRELAND THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, GIVE EM A CALL
IrelandNorth | Apr 26, 2012, 05:51 AM EDT
'Irish' and 'Catholic' are used interchangeably in this (and other) articles. They are not coterminous. There are Irish Protestants ya know, as well as other denominations! (And British Catholics too). And Irish heterosexuals and heterodox Christians. And who cares what an unelected bombastic theocrat says or does. So the Mighty Ms. Quinn attends a private parade - in Queen's. How appropriate! I hardly thing Mayor Bloomberg is a latter day King Solomon, cutting babies in half. Ms. Quinn could walk in the formal parade - wearing a pink aran sweater and bawneen cap, as a sort of homosexual Clancy sister. P.S. Ignore Ulster unionist fifth columnists who try to control and manipulate an Irish nationalism they don't subscribe to, and whose sole reason for being on this site is to alienate and estrange Irish-America from Ireland!
Nicoletta | Apr 25, 2012, 08:35 PM EDT
Good for Cardinal Dolan for being "doctrinaire." He is doing the job to which he was appointed.
borefield | Apr 25, 2012, 07:49 PM EDT
Patrick, what a shame , you don't have any attractive qualities, you have no wit or humor either. Like the rest of the liberal left all you know how to do is spread hate and division.
borefield | Apr 25, 2012, 07:43 PM EDT
Cahil
manhattan | Apr 25, 2012, 06:38 PM EDT
Gearoid4 , well said. But I'm afraid it will be lost on those two knuckle heads that keep trying to insult Irish Americans. I think the best way to get rid of them is to ignore them.
Gearoid4 | Apr 25, 2012, 04:09 PM EDT
On the contrary, many people born in the US of Irish descent exhibit a more profound knowledge of Irish culture, language and music that would put your average Irish resident to shame. Of course there are Irish-Americans who have a "Darby O'Gill", stereotypical view of Ireland but there are many more who have seriously taken the time to study and appreciate the history and culture of the land of their antecedents. Too many Irish people, especially those imbued with a rather narrow, prescriptive and distorted "Dublin 4" view of "Irishness", seem to lack this insight. In fact, many of them show disdain for the Irish language and traditional culture and seem to be embarrassed to be associated with them, as it might offend their faux sophisticated sensibilities. The Irish language has been ineffectively promoted by successive administrations in the Irish Repbulic, whereas it is gaining increasing population among the Irish diaspora in countries like the US and UK.
snakehips | Apr 25, 2012, 04:04 PM EDT
The wonderful thing about the American voting booth is that we go in there by ourselves behind a curtain and vote how we feel and believe. We live in a fantasy world that rotund, hubristic seniors who run the Roman Church as well as the "near death's door","ancients" who run the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the New York parade, actually have a significant influence on the way we vote. Most Roman Catholics and for that matter most New Yorkers probably would appreciate a bright and thoughtful mayor like Quinn, whether or not "His Chubiness" salutes her or not or whether or not she is gay.
Bythebay | Apr 25, 2012, 03:41 PM EDT
Gearoid4, look to yourself for ignorance about Irish history and culture. Her ancestors' birth country, as with the foreign birth countries around the world of ancestors of other millions of your citizens, does not by any means imbue her or any other with any knowledge of the country of birth of those ancestors. On the contrary, among Americans of Irish descent exists an arrogance and ignorance of Ireland today which far exceeds and overwhelms that of the majority of other nationalities in the US and is grossly unwarranted.
handsome68 | Apr 25, 2012, 02:57 PM EDT
Living as I do in the West Village of New York City, I would not give this woman the time of day if she asked. A pro-life advocate who is also anti-NYU's expansion, I think she has alienated a significant number of the electorate. However, hypocrisy, and such, has never stopped stupid people like she is, from getting elected. Still, I think she has too much baggage, a lot of which stinks, to get elected mayor.
Gearoid4 | Apr 25, 2012, 02:10 PM EDT
I think that Christine Quinn should get into office as N.Y. mayor on the basis of her personal character and ability and not on a association with any particular lobby. @ByTheBay, Immigration has been an all too present reality throughout Irish history for the past 500 years or more. To dismiss someone born abroad with Irish parents/grandparents as non-Irish displays a breathtaking ignorance of Irish history and culture. She has the right to be Irish under the citizenship rules which practically all countries in our western democracies recognize in respect of their own citizens e.g Germany.
el rubio | Apr 25, 2012, 12:52 PM EDT
rugbyplayer, Quinn's biggest adversary in 2013 (I will not use the term 'enemy', anyone who was in the city on 9/11 would know who our true 'enemies' are) is not Cardinal Dolan. Rather it is the city's black and Hispanic power brokers, the Harlem clubhouse, Sharpton, Barron and company; plus the white liberals who are mad at her for being a Bloomberg yes-lady. The Democratic nomine will not be Christine Quinn, she has alienated enough of the party's left wing base and its minority voters. Keep in mind that blacks and Hispanics make up the bulk of the Democratic primary vote, along with the aforementioned white liberals. Irish Catholics not so much, not anymore anyway. Bill Thompson or Scott Stringer will most likely be the Dem nomine, or else Ruben Diaz Jr. or Adolfo Carrion if they decide to enter the race. Like it or not, New York City politics is still based very much on ethnicity and culture, particularly in the Democratic party. There is a reason that a Democratic mayor hasn't sat in Gracie mansion since 1993.
Bythebay | Apr 25, 2012, 12:19 PM EDT
jamieLM, then Mr. Roberts needs to correct his incorrect Irish reference. It does not refer to Ireland.
PhlutiePhan | Apr 25, 2012, 12:09 PM EDT
Christine Quinn stands for everything that T Dolan as a representative of the Catholic Church is against. The Church is patriarchal and discriminatory in the recesses of Ms. Quinn's brain as well as that of her hero OB.
rugbyplayer | Apr 25, 2012, 11:54 AM EDT
No doubt, Quinn's biggest enemy will be pompous and arrogant New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan who thinks he can deliver a "Catholic vote" to the politician of his choice (a Republican,anti-Gay, anti-choice candidate, etc.). Let's see how this will play out.
francisquinn | Apr 25, 2012, 11:05 AM EDT
This year we will get rid of BO...and next year CQ...she shoudl stay in the closet and BO should show the real BO....a BIG LIBERAL...
jamieLM | Apr 25, 2012, 11:04 AM EDT
Anyone with an iota of intelligence should be able to figure out that Mr. Roberts is writing about American Catholics with Irish ancestry, since this column is about a NYC election. We Americans all got it. @ manhattan @ hyattsville @ donnymoss - well said and you all make good points.
manhattan | Apr 25, 2012, 10:46 AM EDT
Christine Quinn should be elected for her ability to run New York city and not her sexuality. Think of all the male politicians that have had terrible scandals involving women. Ms. Quinn i'm sure has more morals and brains then all those who use her lesbianism against her. It will be a great day when someone who is gay is respected for the good person they are. If she is Mayor and marches and the Cardinal turns his back on her as he did to that great Irish patriot Michael Flannery so be it the parade will go on without him.
hyattsville | Apr 25, 2012, 10:43 AM EDT
I think you could change your headline to 'Can ANYONE keep all Gays and Irish Catholics happy' and the answer would be 'Nope, not possible' but Quinn actually stands a better chance than most of achieving that. In my opinion that is!
donnymoss | Apr 25, 2012, 10:30 AM EDT
It's too late for Quinn to keep the gay community happy. Too many of us are aware of her actual record: overturning term limits against the will of NYers who voted twice to keep them; allocating millions of dollars to fake charities and then doling them out in exchange for political favors (the slush fund scandal); stripping the City Council of the democratic process by using discretionary funds and bonuses to control votes; killing bills in committee that have a veto-proof majority of supporters; blocking virtually every human rights and animal protection bill introduced in the City Council while declaring publicly to be an advocate; being exposed for using City employees to campaign for her in the 2009 election. Voters need to look beyond a candidate's identity to his or her actual record.
Bythebay | Apr 25, 2012, 10:29 AM EDT
She's NOT Irish, has nothing to do with Ireland.
Bythebay | Apr 25, 2012, 10:28 AM EDT
So New York you're supporting candidates on the basis of nationality and not on ability or what's best for New York. Typical.
STEVENSTAR | Apr 25, 2012, 10:15 AM EDT
IM AN IRISH CATHOLIC .. WHAT HAS SHE GOT TO DO WITH ME??? I LIVE IN IRELAND , SHE IS AMERICAN THE HEADING SHOULD BE ABOUT AMERICAN GAY PEOPLE AND AMERICAN CATHOLICS .. LEAVE US IRISH OUT OF IT .. I NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THIS WOMAN AND I WOULD THINK NO ONE IN IRELAND EVEN HEARD OF HER ...