RAY ROSSI: Should LGBT Banners Be Allowed in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade?

Another year, another St. Patrick’s Day parade, another controversy.

When in years past, gay groups were not allowed to march in the parade, this time around, gays will be allowed to march, just not under any banner proclaiming they’re gay.

And that has some in an uproar – particularly gay groups and politicians that support them and their right to proclaim just who they are.

But who they are is the larger issue – being Irish and proud, or being gay and proud.

Organizers are claiming the parade is about celebrating ones heritage – not sexuality.

According to this story from newsday.com:

New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio was to become the first mayor in decades to sit out the city's traditional St. Patrick's Day parade over a dispute involving whether march participants can carry pro-gay signs. But Ireland's Prime Minister refused to be sidelined, saying he'll join the procession in Manhattan because the holiday is about Irishness, not sexuality.

New York's Irish, their descendants and the Irish for a day will revel in the celebration of culture on Monday, but de Blasio's decision to skip the parade underscores lingering political tensions over gay rights issues in the Northeast.

Boston's Mayor Martin Walsh also opted out of his city's parade on Sunday after talks broke down that would have allowed a gay group to march.

In the words of Rodney King, “can’t we all just get along?”

And I guess that’s just not going to happen – at least not this year as of this writing.

You’re already award of parades that celebrate the sexuality of the participants. I’m sure the organizers for those parades lay out rules as to who can march and what can be displayed.

Bottom line here: the organizers of the parade have already determined the parade’s one purpose: to celebrate Irish heritage – nothing more!

Their parade – their rules!