World

US: The Catholic League refuses to participate in NYC St Patrick’s Day Parade

Sep 12 2014
Written by John DeLamar

Thursday, The Catholic League announced it would not participate in the 2015 St Patrick’s Day Parade because parade organisers aren’t allowing an anti-abortion group to march.

According to league president, Bill Donohue, the group is pulling out because parade organisers promised that if a gay group could march under their own banner so could an anti-abortion group.

He said: “Now I am being told that the list of marching units is set and that no pro-life group will march in next year’s parade. Accordingly, I have decided to withdraw our participation.”

Recently, Donohue appeared on SiriusXM urging gays to behave and keep their pants on during the parade.

Parade organisers announced last week that, for the first time, they would allow an openly-gay group to march in the parade. OUT@NBCUniversal, an LGBT resource organisation at NBCUniversal, will be the only LGBT group allowed to participate.

Parade organisers said that allowing the group to join in the parade was a “gesture of goodwill to the LGBT community”.

A group called the Irish Queers was told Tuesday they could not march in the 2015 parade, and asked the OUT@NBCUniversal not march until all gay groups were welcome.

Parade organisers have stated that additional LGBT groups are welcome to apply to march in the 2016 parade.