Sam Adams and Mayor Walsh should sponsor St. Patrick’s Peace Day

by Carol Rose, On Liberty March 14, 2014 01:38 PM

I like Sam Adams beer. I also like Samuel Adams, the American patriot, after whom the beer was named.

As I’m sure all of you history buffs recall, Adams was the guy who in 1768 called on the American colonists to engage in “non-cooperation” with the British crown, on the grounds that the occupation of Boston by British soldiers violated the British constitution.

So, I was happy to hear that the Boston Beer Company, which brews Sam Adams’ beer, announced its “non-cooperation” with modern-day bigotry by pulling its sponsorship of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade until and unless the parade organizers–the Allied War Veterans–open the parade to openly gay veterans groups.

Since Mayor Marty Walsh failed to persuade the War Vets to open the march to openly gay vets, the mayor and the beer company did the right thing–refusing to endorse discrimination by pulling their sponsorship.

Now, it’s time for the Mayor and the Boston Beer company to put their boots and their beer behind the alternative St. Patrick’s Day Parade, known as the “People’s Parade for Peace, Equality, Jobs, Environmental Stewardship, Social & Economic Justice”–otherwise known as the “Peace Parade,” which follows on the heels of the homophobe march.

The St. Patrick’s Day Peace Parade, organized by the Veterans for Peace, Smedley Butler Brigade, welcomes everybody to join the celebration–Peace Groups, environmental groups, LGBTQ equality groups–and Veterans! Indeed, the Vets for Peace brigade is named after another great American hero–Maj. Gen. Smedley D. Butler, the most decorated Marine in history, who famously said “war is a racket.”

You don’t have to agree with Gen. Butler’s views on war–or anyone’s views on equal rights–to acknowledge that veterans of all political stripes and sexual orientation deserve to march and to be honored for their service to our nation just as much as the narrow-minded Allied War Vets.

So, join in the real St. Patrick’s Day Parade–the one that honors the best of America and the best of Boston. The St. Patrick’s Day Peace Parade marchers will assemble March 16 at 2 pm, and begin their parade at 3 pm.

It would be great to see Mayor Walsh marching with the true American patriots in the St. Patrick’s Day Peace Parade. He could even join the organizers for a Sam Adams beer when it’s over.

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