Update on the NYC St. Patrick’s day Parade 2016

Posted by Jim on January 20, 2016

The Concerned Members of the Affiliated Organizations (“CMAO”) find it ironic that in a year when the eminent peace maker Sen. George Mitchell has been selected to be the 2016 Parade Grand Marshal that Dr. Lahey unilaterally continues down the road of confrontation with the Affiliated Organizations rather than dialogue and reconciliation. Senator Mitchell famously brought to the bargaining table two communities with a long and storied history of violent and bitter differences, yet Dr. Lahey refuses to come to the table to recognize and work with the duly elected Parade Committee.
Dr. Lahey has steadfastly refused to work for the common good of the parade because of his distorted belief that the Parade is the exclusive property of the Board of Directors. Dr. Lahey appears to be more concerned with protecting television contracts with NBC, courting favor with Mayor De Blasio,
the City Council and the Irish Government and the interests of Quinnipiac University above the people of the New York Irish American community who are the heart of the parade. In contradiction to glittering generalities served up for the benefit of his dignitaries and the press, Dr Lahey maintains an indifference to their voice and concerns as expressed through the Affiliated Organizations who have worked and supported the Parade for generations.
As we celebrate the centenary of the proclamation of the Irish Republic, one of whose key principles was universal suffrage, it is ironic that Dr. Lahey remains steadfast in his determination to disenfranchise the Affiliated Organizations and eliminate the Parade Committee. His blatant attempt to disenfranchise the Irish-American community from their own Parade dishonors the legacy of Pearse, Connolly and Markievicz. He has gone back on his word on numerous occasions, and thus we remain skeptical when
he claims that “the Parade Affiliated groups would have a role in future parades.”
In spite of the best efforts of the Quinnipiac University spin machine to herald a new era of inclusivity, Dr. Lahey has exclude the duly elected Parade Committee and Affiliated Organizations who are the heart and soul of the Parade in favor of an exclusive club of network executives and Quinnipiac University employees.
Dr. Lahey had the temerity to announce at the Grand Marshal installation that the Elected Parade Committee “is working extremely well with me and the board of directors in representing not only the committee but the affiliated organizations, 180 strong, that are such an important part of the parade.”
However, Dr. Lahey’s actions do not match his rhetoric, since Dr. Lahey (i) has publicly refused to recognize the Parade Committee on numerous occasions; (ii) has refused to let the Parade organize and operate the Parade as they are duly authorized to do so pursuant to the By-Laws; (iii) has appointed an unelected Special Executive Committee to run the Parade in lieu of the Parade Committee; (iv) continues to manufacture news reasons out of whole cloth to justify his ignoring the By-Laws with regards to Board appointments and the operation of the Parade Corporation; and (v) refused to invite the Parade Committee Chairman on the dais during the announcement of the Grand Marshal; (vi) Dr. Lahey denied the honor the traditional honor accorded the Parade Committee Chairman of presenting the Grand Marshal. Dr. Lahey’s deliberate avoidance of working with the Parade Committee or meeting with the Affiliated Organizations is both a testament to his arrogance and contempt for the countless Irish-Americans who have dedicated their hearts and souls to this Parade. It should be noted that in a bit of burlesque that despite Dr Lahey’s claims of “working closely with Mr. Tully” he could not identify him when he attempted to do so from the lofty perch of the podium. Despite the comedic aspects, we are angered that our elected chairman was used as no more than a prop. It is further interesting to note that while MR. Tully and the Board members were absent from the invitation to the GM installation, the Board managed to remember their names on the fundraising letter; a Freudian slip which shows how the Board views the affiliates: a disenfranchised cash cow.
The CMAO can understand the decision of Chairman Tully and his committee being silent since their election by the affiliated was an attempt to create an open space for dialogue, however, it appears that this sincere overture has unintentionally created is a vacuum which Dr. Lahey and the Board choose to
fill with misinformation. We remind the committee that they were elected by the affiliates to represent the affiliates. In that spirit we call for Chairman Tully to convene a meeting of the affiliates to explain their planned course of action in light of the recent disrespect and continuing marginalization of the
Affiliated organizations.