Oh vey, with the contortions! That's quite the specious reasoning. The St. Patrick's Day Parade, despite its reference to a Catholic saint, is not a "religious exercise," but a secular celebration of Irish heritage. A religious exercise would be a church Mass celebrated in St. Patrick's honor.
You know, of course, that in 1995 the US Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that "Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade was a privately run operation that could write its own rules for participation." So a private organization is well within its rights to make rules, and their rules stated no political banners. This rule applies to all groups, not just the St. Patrick's Parade.
An yet, at the parades this week, there were people bearing rainbow flags and signs protesting--what is in your opinion--a "religious exercise," and these protestors were not excluded from voicing their opinion outside the parade. They could participate in the event, just not under their banners.
Mr. Donohue may have meant well, but was short-sighted. A good attorney knows never to ask a question to which he does not know the answer. I suspect Mr. Donohue applied to march in the Gay Pride Parade, expecting to be told to shove off, and then use that refusal as political leverage. But he was outsmarted when the Gay Pride Parade committee said sure why not, march in our parade under your banner.
Now Donahue has fallen into a trap of his own making. If he participates in the Gay Pride Parade, it will be a public affirmation of the "tolerance" of the homosexuals and "intolerance" of the people who refuse to let homosexuals march under their banner in their private, non-political parade. But I suspect you know that already...
Make the most of it, I say. DO it.
There are local parishes that take part in the organization of various St. Patrick’s Day parades. When a church is involved in the organization, they have the right to keep certain parties out of their parade.
Bill Donahue has not fallen into any trap. He knew he would not be excluded from the gay parade and will prove to be quite the contrast to the other marchers who will be dressed in clothes not intended for their gender and will be spreading a message that goes against Christian and American values.