Yesterday, police investigated a bomb threat at St. Patrick’s Cathedral staged by homosexual militants. It is believed that the threat was a response to court decisions upholding the right of parade organizers to exclude gay groups from marching in the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade.
In the Bronx yesterday, a gay group called the Lavender and Green Alliance was barred from marching in the St. Patrick’s Day parade by the Throgs Neck Benevolent Association. City Councilwoman Christine Quinn and State Senator Thomas Duane, were arrested when they sought to march illegally with the gay group. Bronx Borough president Fernando Ferrer, New York City Public Advocate Mark Green, and City Comptroller, Alan Hevesi, refused to march, showing sympathy for the gay cause.
William Donohue, president of the Catholic League, remarked as follows:
“If a pro-life group were to stage a bomb threat against abortion providers, Governor Pataki would be outraged, a major investigation would take place, cries of chilling free speech would be heard and talk of terrorism would be in the air. But when it’s Irish-Catholics who are being targeted—for simply exercising their right of freedom of association—not a sound is heard.
“It is a lie that gays cannot march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade; they do so every year. What they cannot do is march as a separate contingent with their own banners. Nor can right-to-life advocates. That doesn’t make parade organizers anti-life anymore than it makes them anti-gay. It simply means they will not put up with those who have an agenda which is extrinsic to the parade’s purpose.
“The politicians who refuse to march show their hostility to Irish-Catholics and their contempt for the law. We trust the NYPD will take the necessary security precautions at the Cathedral on Wednesday and will promptly arrest parade-busters. At this point, we have greater confidence in the police than we do in many elected officials.”
