comments_image -

St Patrick's Parade: Gays, KKK, and Neo Nazis Need Not Apply

Nothings says Happy St. Patrick's Day like telling Gays and Lesbians to step aside.
March 17, 2008  |  
 
Advertisement
 

Nothings says Happy St. Patrick's Day like telling Gays and Lesbians to step aside, which is why, since 1991, the New York City Saint Patrick's Day Parade has excluded "the gays" from the festivities. But before people get their shamrock-pattern panties all up in bunch, you should find out why having gay-free Gaelic activities is so important.  John T. Dunleavy, Chairman of the New York City Saint Patrick's Day Parade, explained "If an Israeli group wants to march in New York, do you allow neo-Nazis into their parade? If African-Americans are marching in Harlem*, do they have to let the Ku Klux Klan into their parade?"

Now, whatever you think about the gays, you have to admit, Dunleavy is on to something. Because, of course, long before the Nazis eliminated 6 million Israelis**, and the KKK  terrorized thousands of blacks in Jim Crow South, the gays starved one million Irish to death, during the great potato famine, stealing the staple crop, in a sinister plot to make the most fabulous rosemary-infused potato shallot souffle ever.

* Do the African-Americans have to keep their parade within the confines of Harlem? Or do they forfeight their right to a KKK-free rally once they step below 125th street? 

** I'm using the Dunleavian interpretation of "Israelis" in which Israelis signifies Jews. 

Katie Halper is a co-founder of Laughing Liberally, a political comedy group, with whom she performs regularly. Katie is also an Artistic Director and Comedy Curator at The Tank, a non-profit performing arts space for emerging artists.
submit to reddit

-
Email
Print
Share
LIKED THIS ARTICLE? JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST
Stay up to date with the latest AlterNet headlines via email
See more stories tagged with: gay rights, nazis, homophobia, kkk, st. patrick's day
Advertisement
Most Read
Most Emailed
Most Discussed
On REDDIT
On DIGG
 
loading most read content ..
Advertisement
Pro-Coal Group Pays People to Wear Its Shirts at EPA Hearing

By Heather Moyer | Sierra Club

 
 
Kids Inundate NY Governor With Concerns About Fracking

By Seth Gladstone | Food and Water Watch

 
 
Shareholders, Top Doctors Demand McDonald's Assess its Health Impacts

By Sara Deon | Civil Eats

 
 
Republicans Block NY Minimum Wage Increase That Would Give 880,000 Workers a Raise

By Laura Clawson | Daily Kos

 
 
Why Don't TV Meteorologists Believe in Climate Change?

By Katherine Bagley, | Inside Climate News

 
 
New Book Says Teenage Obama Was a Huge Pot Head -- So Why Won't He Legalize It for the Rest of Us?!

By Kristen Gwynne | AlterNet

 
 
Pew Poll Finds Clean Energy Is A Political Wedge Issue for Republicans

By Stephen Lacey | Climate Progress

 
 
Mitt 'Not Concerned with the Very Poor' Romney Visits West Philly, Gets Lesson in Keeping it Real

By Kristen Gwynne | AlterNet

 
 
Corporate Media Stokes Racial Angst in Election Coverage

By Adele M. Stan | AlterNet

 
 
5 Things to Know About the Paycheck Fairness Act (The Next Big Legislative Battle for Women)

By Annie-Rose Strasser | Think Progress

 
 
 
 
 
loading ...
POWERED BY DIGG'S USERS
 
[ page served from web 1 ]