‘Peace parade’ challenges Boston status quo

By Steve Gillis
Vice President, Boston School Bus Drivers
Steelworkers union Local 8751

Nearly 1,000 marchers, led by the Smedley D. Butler Brigade of Veterans for Peace, withstood chilly winds and South Boston’s bitter history of racism and anti-lesbian/gay/bi/trans/queer discrimination when they conducted a “Peace Parade” through South Boston’s neighborhoods on March 20. They marched one mile behind the official St. Patrick’s Day parade, which had many military and ROTC contingents.

WW photo: Maureen Skehan

With the backing of the U.S. Supreme Court, the official parade has legally banned anti-war and LGBTQ groups from participating. In 1992 the Irish American Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Group of Boston formed a contingent in the parade, but it was met with bigotry, epithets, jeers, snowballs, bottles and a lawsuit by the Allied War Veterans Council, claiming the right of “private” parade sponsors to discriminate against anyone they choose. The Supreme Court infamously upheld that in 1995.

This year Vets for Peace applied and fought for a separate march permit for the same day and the same streets. They won this right in local courts, declared it a victory in the struggle against discrimination, and invited all LGBTQ groups, anti-war organizations and unions to take back the streets of South Boston with them in a Peace Parade.

Pat Scanlon, a Vietnam War veteran and coordinator of the Greater Boston Chapter of Veterans For Peace, courageously led the Peace Parade onto Broadway Street and into the crowds of revelers. Marchers included Vets for Peace, several LGBTQ rights groups, anti-war activists and unionists from the Service Employees, Steelworkers and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. They chanted and demanded an end to the wars; bring the troops home now; money for human needs, not war; and an end to anti-LGBTQ bigotry. They strutted to the sound of their own marching band and to the School Bus Drivers’ sound truck blasting the Street Dogs’ “Power in the Union!”

While there were some slurs and other invectives displayed toward the peace marchers, the vast majority lining the streets and on their porches loudly and enthusiastically cheered the Peace Parade’s contingents and message. Hundreds jumped police lines to dance and march with the officially banned vets. Spectators planted hugs and green-beaded necklaces on the rainbow-festooned marchers, many of whom were carrying placards denouncing the bombing of Libya. Fists in the air greeted the union folks bringing up the rear flank with signs proclaiming “We Stand With Wisconsin Workers” and “Stop School Closings!”

If the war establishment was counting on support and backlash from the old South Boston, they were likely deeply disappointed by the display of unity and solidarity marching, chanting, singing and dancing up Broadway Street.