There’s certainly some irony that the nation’s top beer, brewed in Boston by the Boston Beer Company, has dropped their support of its hometown’s — and one of the nation’s top — St. Patrick’s Day parade. After over a decade, Sam Adams beer has withdrawn their support of Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Sam Adams doesn’t seem to be alone. A quick look at the parade organizer’s sponsors’ page shows no major corporations — in fact, the section is empty. Less than 48 hours before the parade is scheduled to start, the section reads:
“We’re updating our supporters, thank you for your patience.”
UPDATE: Heineken Boycotts NYC’s St. Patrick’s Parade Over Anti-LGBT Policy
Sam Adams may be in good company. The Massachusetts-based anti-gay hate group MassResistance claims that brands including Gillette, New England Coffee, Sam Adams, and The Westin’s Boston Waterfront hotel “have notified the parade organizers that they no longer will be sponsors, and that they wanted their logos taken down from the parade website, etc.”
At issue, of course, is the fact that the organizers of the centuries-old historic Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Allied War Veteran’s Council, have yet again barred an LGBT group from marching in the parade. Mass Equality’s group of LGBT veterans was prohibited from marching under a logo that would identify them as an LGBT group, and prohibited from wearing tee shirts of other items specifying they are LGBT.
Why?
“It is our intention to keep this parade a family friendly event,” parade organizer state. “We will not allow any group to damage the Integrity [sic] of the historic event or our reputation as a safe and fun filled day for all. We strive to hold the largest and most entertaining St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the Country.â€
Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has stated he will boycott this year’s parade if the LGBT vets remain barred.