Posted on 03/15/2014 8:34:48 AM PDT by raccoonradio
The fight over Southie’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade got frosty yesterday, with Boston Beer Co. pulling its longtime sponsorship from the parade over the organizers’ refusal to let gay veterans march — and one Southie bar fighting back with a vow to boycott the brew.
“Sam Adams doesn’t support South Boston. They don’t want to support veterans like my father and uncle, so they can go sell their beer elsewhere,” said Tommy Flaherty Jr., a lifelong Southie resident whose father and uncle own the landmark Cornerstone Pub & Restaurant on West Broadway.
Flaherty Jr. said he and his father, Thomas Flaherty Sr., 70, and his uncle John Flaherty, 81, were “taken aback” when they learned yesterday afternoon from reading bostonherald.com that the brewing behemoth pulled its sponsorship, so they decided not to sell Sam Adams indefinitely.
“(Boston Beer Co. has) no problem taking the money from the people drinking at the bars along the parade route,” Flaherty Jr. said, adding he has no qualms with gay people. “We serve to everybody. I don’t have a problem with gay people, nor do my father and uncle.”
Boston Beer Co. could not be reached last night for comment on Cornerstone’s boycott. Representatives of the beer company — until yesterday listed as a “proud sponsor” on the parade’s website — have marched in past years, but announced yesterday morning they will not participate this year because the organizer, Allied Veterans War Council, is refusing to change its longtime policy of banning anyone from marching under a gay-rights banner.
“We have been participating in the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade for nearly a decade,” Boston Beer Co. said in a statement. “We were hopeful that both sides of this issue would be able to come to an agreement that would allow everyone, regardless of orientation, to participate in the parade. But given the current status of the negotiations, we realize this may not be possible.”
The flap came after other supporters, including Westin Hotels and Gillette, distanced themselves from the parade. Yesterday, the parade’s website — which had featured dozens of business backers — erased its sponsorship page and replaced it with a message saying, “We’re updating our sponsors, thank you for your patience.”
Mayor Martin J. Walsh said last night he was “still hopeful” a deal can be made.
“We’ve gotten pretty close to an agreement here, and I think a lot of people thought this was the year we were going to have an agreement,” Walsh said. “I’m not giving up on that hope, we still have some time left. ... I have a glimmer of hope that we’re going to be able to work something out.”
As for Boston Beer Co. pulling its sponsorship, the mayor said, “They made a policy decision there, and I commend them for it.”
The real problem is the need for sponsorships to begin with.
The sponsorships pay for a lot of permits and licensing etc. I say screw the permits and have the parade anyway.
Sam Adams is getting slaughtered by Yuengling and Yuengling is only available in 13 states. NE doesn’t deserve Yuengling. Go to Texas first (which I think Dick Yuengling has his eyes on).
The Bar is on the side of the Parade Sponsors who are not buckling to the Gay Nazis.
I supsect that Sam Adams (the Patriot) would not approve of the company that bears his name.
The silver lining is that you get to see the SPD parade with no fags ruining it like the Rose Bowl..
The parade is about the Irish and St Patrick... not a sounding board for political messages (including the gay agenda).
The parade wouldn’t allow a pro-life group to march either... so why should they allow a gay group to march?
Either way, beer drinkers don’t tend to be people that want to be associated with the queer agenda.
There aren’t enough queer bars to keep Sam Adams in business.
No fair! You actually read the article before commenting! :-P
Is the parade really refusing to let gay veterans march, or are they refusing to allow them to wear rainbow-colored thongs and “Pride” banners…therefore turning a Catholic holiday into an orgy?
Fat Tire is a good beer.
I had to give up alcohol entirely, but these days I am making a list of businesses who support this movement to make depravity acceptable. Those on the list get no business from me.
“Sam Adams stinks anyways.
I’d rather have a Yuengling Lager instead.”
I agree completely.
Honestly, the parade is probably better off without corporate sponsors or big-wigs, anyhow.
Excellent! That’s my understanding of the parade. It was never intended to be a venue for political or social causes. It’s about the Irish!
It would be interesting to see the effects of a boycott of Sam Adams over this. If Sam Adams suffers because of this, it may cause other companies to rethink their support of homosexuals.
FiRst round’s on me!
You must be a real riot on the playground.
I took a quick look at Sam’s site to post some quippy versions of there beer names with a gay theme.
Decided that FR would pull my comment and waste my time. FR not a fan of creative freedom.
see my correction on post #13
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