Irish gays banned from St. Patrick's Day parade - Concord Monitor Online - Concord, NH 03301

The chairman of the nation's biggest St. Patrick's Day Parade marched yesterday while sidestepping questions about remarks comparing gay Irish-American activists to neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan and prostitutes. "Today is St. Patrick's Day. We celebrate our faith and heritage. Everything else is secondary," said the chairman, John Dunleavy, who wore a sash of the Irish colors. Dunleavy was blasted by the City Council's first openly gay leader for the remarks, which appeared in The Irish Times on Thursday. He told the newspaper, "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?" About the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization, Dunleavy said, "People have rights. If we let the ILGO in, is it the Irish Prostitute Association next?" (...) "The comments bring to the forefront a longstanding bigotry, and the bigotry often translates into violence in our communities,"said graduate student Emmaia Gelman, 31. She was among a dozen demonstrators organized by a group called Irish Queers, who hoisted a sign that read, "Troops Out, Queers in," a reference to military groups participating in the parade. siehe auch: St. Patrick’s parade festive despite remarks, NYC parade protested for antigay stance, Gays Excluded from yet another NYC St. Pat's Parade. The Irish and Gay Discrimination, Anti-Gay Remarks Shadow NYC Parade. Protesters joined bagpipers, marching bands and thousands of flag-waving spectators at the St. Patrick's Day parade Friday after the parade's chairman compared gay Irish-American activists to neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan and prostitutes