GAYIFYING ST. PATRICK’S DAY
NEWS: VIDEO REPORTS
New York's last stronghold
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TRANSCRIPT
In New York, the alphabet soup mafia will not rest until every St. Patrick's Day parade includes mini-gay-pride parades. But, while the LGBT community almost entirely succeeded in the region, Staten Island continues to keep the gay at bay. Church Militant's William Mahoney looks at New York's last stronghold.
Staten Islanders paraded down Forest Avenue on Sunday in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day.
This year's application to participate in the parade clarified in all caps, "THIS PARADE IS NOT TO BE USED FOR AND WILL NOT ALLOW POLITICAL OR SEXUAL IDENTIFICATION AGENDAS TO BE PROMOTED."
Naturally, LGBT crusaders are incensed by the policy.
KC Hankins: "The idea that because we are queer we are sexually motivated is very insulting. It is not true."
Hankins, who identifies as nonbinary and gay, served as lead organizer of the Rainbow Run, hosted by the Staten Island Athletic Association.
KC Hankins: "This is about undoing the homophobia of the past and making sure LGBTQ Staten Islanders know they are welcomed in all spaces."
That run is essentially a protest of the St. Patrick's Day parade policy in Staten Island.
Carol Bullock, Pride Center of Staten Island: "I think there's this thought that you can't be Irish, you can't be Catholic and you can't be LGBTQ+ [at the same time]."
The corresponding secretary of New York's Gay Officers Action League (GOAL) also weighed in on the policy.
Joyce Garrison, GOAL: "Participating in this parade would also give them a chance to show the community that not only are we here to serve and protect, which is our job, but we're also here to represent."
But plenty of parade-goers were fine with the policy.
Attendee: "They're free to march in the parade, but not under the banner. ... It's not a sexual parade."
Another attendee: "I'm sorry — it's an Irish parade; it's not a gay pride parade."
Staten Island is the only of New York's five boroughs with a St. Partick's Day parade devoid of rainbow flags.
In 2014, New York's cardinal Timothy Dolan was all aboard the gay train for the inclusion of LGBT groups in the city's parade. He even called it a "wise" decision.
The following year, Dolan served as the parade's grand marshal for the debut of those gay groups.
Cdl. Timothy Dolan: "Good to be with you all!"
Michael Voris: "Your Eminence, a question."
Cdl. Timothy Dolan: "I've been looking forward to this for a long time."
Michael Voris: "Your Eminence, do you have anything to say to loyal Catholics who find what you're doing here a great scandal to the Faith?"
Cdl. Timothy Dolan: "No, come on in, we'd love to have you, alright?"
Michael Voris: "That's not really an answer, Your Eminence."
Pro-LGBT advocates in Staten Island are calling for the St. Patrick's Day parade there to be defunded. Among that cancel-culture chorus of voices is New York City's comptroller.
Brad Lander, NYC comptroller: "We shouldn't be spending scarce city dollars providing the police and public accommodations without a strong human rights law that says you can't discriminate. And there's just no doubt this parade is discriminating and it's got to stop."
The policy in Staten Island was established to prevent the St. Patrick's Day parade from becoming just another vehicle for pushing political or sexual identification agendas.
Pro-LGBT groups and individuals making a scene over the policy demonstrate the very reason for the policy's establishment.
Saint Patrick is recorded as saying, "I have vowed to my God to teach the heathen though I be despised by some."
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