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Actual Irishman joins boycott of Southie parade
By adamg on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 11:45am
Mark O'Neill, now living in Boston, writes it's a pity there's no non-discriminatory parade in the Boston area to compete with South Boston's:
... Last year I skipped this parade, and spent St Patrick's Day in Ireland - in Oldcastle, County Meath, watching the local town parade there. Much warmer than Boston, and without any discrimination about who could march in the parade. Although it was in a small town in Ireland, it was also more multicultural than the South Boston parade, including Eastern Europeans and Brazilians. ...
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Comments
I agree
I agree with Mark on that. And it's the same in Donegal, anyone, and I mean anyone, who can get a float together, or even an auld tractor is in the Parade.
Years ago there was such huge controversy over gay Irish (not Irish Americans) not being to allowed to march at the Southie Parade. Whereas in Ireland at the time it was no big deal. At the time it really annoyed me that someone was telling Irish men and women they couldn't March in a St. Patrick's day Parade.
As me mother would say, some of them people (organising the parade) are very far back.
Also, things like this paint Southie in a bad light that doesn't represent everyone who lives there. It's not a one-dimensional neighbourhood. Plus, the parade attracts gurriers from all over the Boston area. Who often cause the trouble that is blamed on the locals.
Funnily enough I've never been to the Southie Parade.
Bad case makes good law
Well, at least the parade produced some good freedom of speech and freedom of association law.
It's not the government's role to regulate the content of expressive activity.
Kind happens when pride
Kind happens when pride overcomes patriotism.
Most of the Irish in south Boston are several generation removed, and sadly left behind in economic prosperity. the excessive drinking, discrimination of outsiders, and starting fights in public in front of children doesn't exactly pay honage to your forefathers.
It's the whole "guns and religion" thing through a different cultural lens.
Yes, but does their parade
Yes, but does their parade have Stormtroopers?