San Antonio snubs the Irish?

[Tobus]

OK, maybe the title to this thread might be over-stating it. But read the article (and/or watch the video) and see if you come to the same conclusion I did.

Link to source article

After 44 years, a San Antonio tradition has come to an end: The St. Patrick’s Day street parade has been canceled.

The Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas has hosted the annual parade for more than four decades in downtown San Antonio. This year, however, they said the parade has been canceled due to high costs.

“We are the oldest and largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the state,” said society president Terence Peak.

The costs are just too high, Peak said. Especially those imposed by the city.

“The cost that the city fees involve in barricades and police officers plus other fees is over $12,000,” Peak said. “We can’t afford this type of expense and we don’t seem to have any support from the city.”

Peak said the lack of city support stems from an ordinance he claims waives certain fees for parades with cultural significance. Peak said the society has been denied certain waivers in the past, so this year they’ve canceled the parade.

Peak said he hopes supporters will reach out to their elected officials.

“Talk to your councilman and say ‘We miss this and is there any way you can work with the Harp and Shamrock Society to make it easier on them or affordable for them?’”

KENS 5 contacted city officials who said they would look into the matter.

Peak said the society will still be hosting a week full of events, just no street parade. He said the society is hoping to find sponsors in the future so they can once again host the parade.

In case you aren't aware, San Antonio also has huge parades for MLK Day, as well as a plethora of parades for Fiesta and other Hispanic-themed events. I am guessing that the "cultural significance" waivers continue to apply to these parades, since they continue to go on with lots of city support, but the Irish seem to not qualify as culturally significant.

[sailortats]

Tobus, I would say that your take on this is spot on. Certainly am glad that I am not a resident of that sorry city.

[AFS1970]

This is a big problem, especially for smaller organizations. The major expense in my city is the off duty police officers who direct traffic. My city's parade is nominally put on by the AOH, but after having to reduce the route one year by a block (eliminating 3 sides of a square and about 6 or 7 traffic posts) the local business improvement district stepped in.

They help with funding but in return the route has changed to stay entirely in the confines of the district, which does not include the AOH Hall, which is about a block away. This district also has a sponsorship deal with Heineken, so at a time when Guinness Imports was located here, we had the Heineken Saint Patrick's Day Parade.

Oh and as it is now held on Saturday not Sunday, it no longer features a Mass for Saint Patrick, which apparently was not commercial enough.

On the flip side, when NYC changed their parade rules and reduced the length of parades on 5th Avenue, the new law was written to take effect on April 1st so as to give the AOH one more year. The city came under a great deal of fire from various other cultural groups, including one that sees a huge spike in crime rates on their parade route, that has lead to businesses and residents on the route to board up buildings that day.

So I think everyone sees these rules as favoritism to the other guy, of course I still come down squarely on the side of the Irish on this one. Although I sometimes wonder this, while not wanting all the various problems, it would be nice if Tartan Day were so big we had to start worrying about this sort of thing.

[creagdhubh]

Tobus, I would say that your take on this is spot on.

Agreed.

[Beertigger]

Typical shoddy amateurish reporting by a local tv news station. One guy makes claims, but they aren't examined....

[DougC]

First, San Antonio is not a "sorry city." It is the seventh largest city in the US. As a city, San Antonio faired better than most large US cities during the most recent economic downturn and contiues to grow. With that said, it is a bit unfair that the City charges a fee for this event--but, it appears Guiness may have sponsored the parade in the past (based on the video of the story and my memory)--very likely, that set the precedent that the fee should not be waived. One thing the Harp and Shamrock society could have done better is to advertise the parade. While the parade might be one of the oldest in the country, it has been dwindling in the past few years. And yes, the MLK parade gets tons of support from the city and county because this is now a national holiday event--I don't think I could name an elected official or candiate that doesn't make some sort of appearance at that particular parade. I won't get into the Battle of Flowers or the other fiesta parades that honor Texas freedom--you can probably figure out why those are significant historical events considering the Alamo is here.

Meanwhile, come out and support ARTS San Antonio when we bring the Chieftains to town at the Laurie Auditorium on February 29th.

[DougC]

Here's another commercial...

If you want to go see how culturally significant the Irish were to Texas, visit the Institute of Texas Culture (run by UTSA). Texas and San Antonio would not be what they are today without ALL our ethnic diversity...I'm stepping off the soapbox now...Come see the Chieftains!

[Tobus]

I agree, San Antonio is not a "sorry" city by any means. Though in the spirit of full disclosure, I only work there; I don't live there. City life ain't for me! As large cities go, it's got a lot of good points. Low cost of living, a thriving economy, and its own unique history and culture.

It's just disappointing to me that a good tradition like the St. Patrick's Day parade is going to die, not from lack of interest, but from what seems like an unfair or selective city policy which favours only particular cultural events. I would think that the city more than makes up for a paltry $12,000 in tax revenue from the crowds of people who come to see the parade.

Even if Guinness or other sponsors have picked up the tab in the past, making the waiver unnecessary, it still smacks of favouritism, since there are plenty of other sponsors for the events that do get the waiver.

Hopefully, cancelling the parade is just a publicity ploy, and the city council will wake up and admit that they deserve the waiver just as much as any other ethnic/cultural group who wishes to celebrate their event.

[Bob C]

People complain about taxes and they complain when government does not give them everything they want. Can't have it both ways, folks.

[Mickey]

People complain about taxes and they complain when government does not give them everything they want. Can't have it both ways, folks.

I think the point being made here is equality across the board. If the fees are waived for one culture or heritage, they should be waived for all. If the city refuses to pay for one, they should not fund any.

Irish/Scottish heritage is being less recognized more and more.

Even in my own workplace, every ethnicity/heritage/lifestyle and their idiosyncrasies, styles of dress, habits of prayer, etc is not only embraced but highly encouraged in the policy of "championing diversity". But I am not allowed to wear a kilt to work as I told that it would be disruptive to the workplace. Never mind the male cross dresser across the hall (not kidding).

I agree with Tobus. It isn't right.