By Michael Howard Saul And Sonja Sharp
The first gay organization in the history of the St. Patrick's
Day Parade marched up Fifth Avenue on Tuesday, but its presence
failed to quell criticism from politicians and others who accused
the event's organizers of discrimination.
For the second year in a row, Mayor Bill de Blasio and other
elected officials, including City Council Speaker Melissa
Mark-Viverito, boycotted the event because they said the organizers
excluded Irish gay groups.
The organizers ban displays of gay identification, such as
banners, flags and pins, which effectively prevents openly gay
groups from marching. But this year, for the first time, they made
an exception, allowing Out@NBCUniversal, a group of gay employees
at NBC, to march behind its own banner.
The NBC group was one of the last contingents to march, starting
its procession up Fifth Avenue a bit before 4 p.m., after NBC's
local station stopped broadcasting the event.
The group of about 60 people marched behind a banner that read:
"Out@NBCUniversal: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Straight
Ally Employee Alliance."
"It is pretty awesome," said one member of the NBC delegation,
30-year-old Kaitlin Becker, who identified herself as gay. "I'm
very excited. It's super important. It's the first time ever.... It
feels great to be a part of it and this is just the first step in a
long journey."
One man standing near Central Park gave the delegation the
thumbs-down sign, prompting Rob Buchanan, an NBC producer, to
confront him.
Mr. Buchanan ran up to the man and told him he was the first
person on the route to respond negatively. "So, be proud of that,"
he said before being pulled away.
Several people along the parade route said "thank you" as the
NBC group passed by.
Mr. de Blasio and others, including a number of gay activists
who held a protest along the parade route, said the NBC group was
insufficient. They said it was a corporate organization that isn't
directly connected to Irish culture.
The mayor described the organizers' decision to permit the NBC
group to march as "progress" but said "if someone's LGBT and they
want to celebrate Irish heritage, they should have a right like
anyone else."
Mr. de Blasio, who last year became the first mayor to boycott
the parade in 20 years, pointed out that Boston allowed gay
organizations to march for the first time this year.
John Dunleavy, chairman of the 253-year-old parade, said he
wasn't disappointed by the mayor's boycott. "If he doesn't want to
march, that's his decision," he said.
Mr. Dunleavy also defended the protesters, who accused the
parade organizers of bigotry. "They have every right to protest,"
he said. "This is why you have the freedoms you have in
America."
Mr. Dunleavy declined to comment on whether the organizers would
be willing to include other gay groups next year. "I never
predict," he said. "I take one day at a time."
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York and the grand
marshal at this year's parade, was all smiles at the start of the
event. When asked about the mayor not being there, he raised his
arms, shrugged and replied, "I'm just happy for everyone who
is."
The mayor held a breakfast Tuesday morning for the Irish
community at Gracie Mansion and attended Mass at St. Patrick's
Cathedral.
Mr. de Blasio, who has a history of tardiness, showed up late to
Mass, making it at least the third St. Patrick's Day-related event
in recent weeks that he was late for.
Two beer companies, Guinness and Heineken that had withdrew
their corporate sponsorship last year because of the organizers'
policy on gay groups resumed their sponsorship this year because of
the NBC group's inclusion.
Emmaia Gelman, a member of Irish Queers, a group that has been
protesting the parade organizers' policy on gay groups since the
early 1990s, praised Mr. de Blasio for boycotting. But she
denounced the NBC group, calling it a scandal that the organization
has "let itself be used this way."
Allen Roskoff, a longtime gay activist, said the NBC
organization was"undercutting our community" by marching and
"basically thumbing their nose at the Irish LGBTQ community."
"They have betrayed us all," he said.
Craig Robinson, chief diversity officer for NBCUniversal, said
he hoped the NBC group would "usher in a new era of inclusion."
Because NBC had a relationship with the parade committee, he said,
there was an "opportunity to help change people's minds."
Mr. Robinson said he understood why other gay groups were upset,
but he said "this was not about us trying to steal anyone's
thunder."
Betty O'Malley, a 76-year-old retired court reporter from
Delaware, traveled to New York to protest Cardinal Dolan for
participating in the event. She held a sign that said " Dolan
Shame."
"Cardinal Dolan caved to the homosexual group," she said. "It's
exalting their lifestyle."
Dennis Dunn, whose face was painted with the colors of the Irish
flag, lambasted Mr. de Blasio's decision to boycott.
"He deserves to get hammered by the Irish community because he's
ignored us," he said.
Write to Michael Howard Saul at michael.saul@wsj.com
Access Investor Kit for Comcast Corp.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US20030N1019
Access Investor Kit for Comcast Corp.
Visit
http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US20030N2009
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires