St.P's Day NY: Sorry, not if you're gay

Thursday February 14, 2002 11:11

by grainne close

For the 12th year running the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual + transgender) community has been actively excluded from marching in the St. Patricks day parade in New York.

St Patrick's Day
It's that time of year again, "when were all off to 5th ave in the green, in the green..." oh wait, except for the Irish lgbt. This year we have a new mayor, Mr Bloomberg who stated during his election campaign that he would not be marching in the St.pats day parade. He has now decided that he is going to march in this bigoted parade to honor all the victims and the rescue workers of september the 11th? We need your help in asking the mayor not to march in the parade, please send letters to Mr Bloomberg , Irish Echo,Irish voice and the Irish media in Ireland. I have enclosed a sample ,letter that you can use to send to Mayor Bloomberg or you can do your own. It is really important the Echo & Voice recieve letters from Irish people living in Ireland Supporting the lgbt community, most of the Irish Americans are ultra conservative and view Ireland the way they left it 60 years ago (I'm sure this is not news to any of ye).

Sample Letter
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007

Dear Mayor Bloomberg:

Your decision to march in the St. Patrick's day parade- an overtly exclusionary, bigoted parade-not only blantly contradicts a capaign promise, but aligns you squarely with the unrepentant homophobia of the parade organizers.

The st.Patrick's Day parade has clearly and deliberately defined itself as a venue for marchers who do not support civil rights; who are willing to invoke the right of religion to place themselves out of reach of civil rights law; to exclude lesbian, gay and transgendered people, as in the past they excluded women, Irish community members resisting British occupation, people of color and people in wheelchairs. The presence of police and firefighters does not change this fact. Similarly, your own presence does not promote inclusion "from the inside", but simply lends the strength of the mayor's office to the exclusion.

There are many ways to honor the victims and the rescue workers of September 11th, and there are many reasons, particularly now, to stand strong for civil rights. We hope you will choose a venue that honors all people affected by 9/11- queers, people of color, immigrants and others whose civil rights are under attack right now-and which does notserve to pit the NYPD and FDNY against the people of New York City.

Sincerely,

IRISH ECHO: Editor- Tom Connelly: [email protected], 309 5th ave,
New York, NY, 10016-6548

IRISH VOICE: letters sent to [email protected], letters to the
Editor 432 Park Ave. South, suite 1503 , New York,
NY 10016.

When you send a letter to any of the above could you please let us know. Looking forward to hearing from you all.
Thanks for the support, Irish Queers
grainne close [email protected]

(article copied by rowan)

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St.P's Day NY: Sorry, not if you're gay