1. We already moved past this two years ago! The decision to allow OUTVETS and Boston Pride to march finally made the St. Patrick’s Day Parade inclusive. The AWVC’s most recent decision sets our neighborhood back 20 years.
2. Most of this council does not live in this neighborhood. Their decision is putting our neighborhood in a bad light and they don’t even live here.
3. The AWVC does not like rainbows – well, except if it’s on the St. Patricks float with a leprechaun and a pot of gold. To the AWVC, the rainbow means gay sex, not what the rest of the world thinks it means which is inclusion and exclusion. Tim Duross from the AWVC stated that part of OUTVET’s uniform violated the parade’s code – that part of the uniform was a small rainbow patch. Honestly?
4. The AWVC flip flops on their statements of what the parade represents. When Mayor Marty Walsh tried to shorten the parade two years ago, the parade was a historic military parade that needed to pass by historical sites in the neighborhood. That year is was the Evacuation Day Parade. Some years – particularly when the AWVC exclude – it’s a “Catholic” St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
5. Many veterans groups are distancing themselves from the AWVC. According to recent statement from the Perkins Post, apparently there are non-veteran volunteers influencing the members and their vote to exclude. These trouble makers have a political ax to grind and it reflects in the recent decision. The Perkins Post and the William Fitzgerald Post have withdrawn from the AWVC. Local veteran and veterans advocate from Mass Fallen Heroes, Dan Magoon – recently stepped down as the Chief Marshal. Also let us not forget the “Gay Umbrella” incident from a few years back.
We say the AWVC just goes away. What does that mean for the parade? Well, we recommend the good, kind-hearted local veterans from the Perkins Post and the Fitzgerald Post join forces and create a new parade that is represented of what this neighborhood truly is.
As for the membership of the AWVC – CIS has been trying to get a list but it’s nearly impossible to find. It’s shrouded in mystery – or the membership does not want their names known. Stand behind your vote. If you can’t attach your name to your vote, clearly you’re not proud of your vote or a complete coward. The closest thing we could get to something resembling membership is just this list of “some of our parade committee and volunteers” from the parade website.
*past
Excellent commentary Msureen ! I agree 100%. Thank you for speaking out on this.
Spot on Maureen. The actions of the AWVC sully the neighborhood. Plenty of other groups would be willing to put on an excellent parade without all the prejudice the current parade organizers spew. I think future parades will be in jeopardy if the parade remains with the current crew. Corporate sponsors don’t want to sponsor something, then have to pull away sponsorship like some sort of yo yo. Plenty of bridges have been burnt.
Maybe someone should tell them that Pope Francis said we need to be welcoming to LGBT community.
Atta girl Maureen!!
My dad as a Vet and a past Marshall would agree… let them march….they served our country they won the right
Thank you Maureen, this sums it up perfectly. I am sick and tired of being embarrassed by these dinosaurs. How dare they speak for this neighborhood when they don’t even live here?
How *utterly* hypocritical the AWVC is. They dare to say things like “oh the OUTVETS missed a deadline”. But the AWVC has not filed their 2016 report with the state, and they have not filed the paperwork with the state to update their officers- still lists Hurley as president. Look for youself: http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSummary.aspx?FEIN=043470309&SEARCH_TYPE=1
Veterans for Peace have been repeatedly snubbed by parade officials. It would be nice if this change of heart could also include them.
hi stop pick allied war vet. because bad idea oh lisa by why no vet to peace marching st pat parade south boston. no snubbed the jerk s it st pat day parade. not a prost, we don/t need a change heat and a lot bands from out side what I you talk about. we win court . so stop this talk. you must one fools jerk jerk and by the way magoon is jerk too.even to subject this.
Well said.