Among the old Boston bigot clichés are that Black folk can find themselves unwelcome in the North End and gays in South Boston. Like most such adages, these did not appear without basis.
Yet, yesterday at the St. Patrick's Day parade along the, if you pardon the expression, drags in Southie, nearly 800 signed pro-same-sex-marriage cards for MassEquality. Volunteers had been a little wary before the drive, considering how hostile the parade organizers have been to gay causes and marchers. They stayed on sidewalks, where they had First Amendment status.
Volunteer Chris Mason said he got a few vacant stares and polite rejections. Whether it was the occasion, their own politics or chemical additives, hundreds of spectators signed the cards. These will go to legislators urging them to reject any amendment all for rescinding same-sex marriage.
"Zero hostility," reported MassEquality Campaign Director Marc Solomon.''People's perception of South Boston and what the reaction would be to marriage equality is very different from the reality."
1 comment:
Very cool. Let that be a lesson to all of us about profiling: ethnic, geographic, economic, etc.
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