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Why? Why not a Guy Fawkes Parade or a Bastille Day Parade? Why not a Cinco de Mayo Parade? Or why not some German parade? That at least would have some synergy with the city's history and marketing.
Why the hell not? I mean, if Sydney, Australia, can have a Mardi Gras parade, who are we to say that Huntsville can't celebrate St. Paddy's?
I would rather a St. Patrick's Day Parade than a KKK rally, or even a tea party (as if there's a difference).
Aren't you such an enlightened one?
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AuburnAL, do you really feel this way: "Given that these parades make it impossible to get into or out of downtown for several hours I beg to differ. At least have one out in Research Park, on University, or on the Parkway and let everyone enjoy the fun while giving downtown folks a break."?
Yeah, between the Christmas Parade, the Thanksgiving Parade, the Veterans Day Parade, the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and any of the other ones they have I am tired of the parades in general. If they're so great why not share the love so folks working in other parts of the city can enjoy the side effects.
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Why did you choose to pick this argument if as you stated "I don't really care one way or the other. The poster's justification for the parade was that most Southerners have Scots-Irish ancestry in which case it seems to me that people should be celebrating their immediate ancestry and not some preceding one."
Because I'm interested in why there's a parade when there're very few Irish people in the city. The city doesn't promote its Irishness. It doesn't have a lot of Irish people here. So why have an Irish parade. That's how it started out. When zenjenn went on her soapbox whining about people complaining over the hard work she puts in volunteering is when I got snide and pointed out that the parades aren't universal sources of cheer and joy. Shoot given the tiny number of people who actually attend them you don't even need to factor in the people who have their plans disrupted by them to see that.
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I guess this was just a rant from you because the parade made you miss your lunch? "Boo hoo."
Actually no they had the roadblocks (which are set up long before and taken down long after the parade passes by) set up one street over so I was able to get back.
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I have noticed a few snotty and snide posts from you. Is everything okay with you?
I could ask you the same thing. There's nothing wrong with me, but I'm sure the close minded people on this site think so since I don't fall lockstep in with their views.
Cinco de Mayo celebration is largely at odds with your desire for Southern Heritage celebration, surely.
Did I ever say I desired such a parade? No, I offered it as an alternative to the St. Patrick's Day Parade since it seems the reason offered for the St. Patrick's Day Parade was that "Southerners have a lot of Scots-Irish heritage." Beyond that how does celebrating Mexico avoiding paying off its debts have anything to do with the South?
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Perhaps Mexican Independence Day would be more appropriate in the South.
He was the ringleader of a group of Catholics who tried to blow up the English Parliament. They failed and now they have a holiday in England named after him.
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Bastille Day parade? Too close to 4th of July?
Could be, but if everyone's walking around with berets maybe they'd notice the difference.
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(Are some people just being grumpy?? )
Nah, I was just wondering about why we had one when there's not really a noticable Irish culture or Irish population. There's probably a larger Chinese than Irish population in Huntsville, but we don't have a Chinese New Year Parade.
It probably is popular only as an excuse for people to drink.
I could ask you the same thing. There's nothing wrong with me, but I'm sure the close minded people on this site think so since I don't fall lockstep in with their views.
I certainly don't fall lockstep in with a lot of views on these boards and usually I just avoid those posts. You however are simply rude and seem to be presenting a sense of superiority. If that makes me close minded, so be it.
There's an art to debate. Apparently you seem to think that if you belittle the person that you are responding to, that gives you the upper hand or the winning argument. It merely shows your lack of debating skills and your rudeness.
You asked a question. Some folks are giving you their insight or opinion and you argue and belittle as if they are simply wrong. Well, if you knew the answer all along (you must since your responses are argumentative) and knew that they are all wrong, then why ask the question in the first place other than to stir the pot?
And, do you know that there isn't much of an Irish presence in Huntsville? Did you take a survey? A poll? Small crowd at the parade?
Once upon a time Finnegan's Pub was an extremely popular place and drew large crowds, particularly on St. Patrick's day. So popular in fact, that there were no parking places to be found anywhere around. Perhaps that crowd (of which I was a part of some 30 odd yrs ago) had something to do with it?
I certainly don't fall lockstep in with a lot of views on these boards and usually I just avoid those posts. You however are simply rude and seem to be presenting a sense of superiority. If that makes me close minded, so be it.
Are you posting under two id's? Given that you quoted them, you certainly seem to take comments made to another poster personally.
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There's an art to debate. Apparently you seem to think that if you belittle the person that you are responding to, that gives you the upper hand or the winning argument. It merely shows your lack of debating skills and your rudeness.
If you're nice to me I'll be nice to you. If you come in here to say people who don't plan these events have no right to comment on them then yeah I'm going to take offense. If you come in here to insult me then yeah I'm going to take offense.
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You asked a question. Some folks are giving you their insight or opinion and you argue and belittle as if they are simply wrong.
Asking if "I'm okay" is just some innocuous comment I should take huh?
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Well, if you knew the answer all along (you must since your responses are argumentative) and knew that they are all wrong, then why ask the question in the first place other than to stir the pot?
I don't know the answer, and unfortunately only a minority of the posts here seem to even be trying to answer the question.
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And, do you know that there isn't much of an Irish presence in Huntsville? Did you take a survey? A poll? Small crowd at the parade?
I live here. I don't see a lot of folks with tags or bumper stickers on their cars proclaiming their Irishness. It's anecdotal, but you'll notice no poster yet has said I was wrong in my assessment. Even you didn't do that, but the parade certainly doesn't attract the crowds that the other ones do.
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Once upon a time Finnegan's Pub was an extremely popular place and drew large crowds, particularly on St. Patrick's day. So popular in fact, that there were no parking places to be found anywhere around. Perhaps that crowd (of which I was a part of some 30 odd yrs ago) had something to do with it?
I don't know. Perhaps if you have some actual information you could try to enlighten me instead of arguing with me. I'll agree that Finnegan's has bigger crowds on St. Patrick's Day than any other day of the year, but I hardly think 500-1000 (estimate based on what I saw in the parking lot when I drove by the 17th) people represent a large percentage of the city. The rest of the year it doesn't seem to do nearly that much business.
I don't know the answer, and unfortunately only a minority of the posts here seem to even be trying to answer the question.
Chiefly because it's a ridiculous question. I mean, who really cares? I mean, do you actually devote your free time to worrying about this? To me, the issue at hand is why ask the question in the first place?
I live here. I don't see a lot of folks with tags or bumper stickers on their cars proclaiming their Irishness. It's anecdotal, but you'll notice no poster yet has said I was wrong in my assessment. Even you didn't do that, but the parade certainly doesn't attract the crowds that the other ones do.
Well, at this point in our country's history, most of Caucasian America has some Irish blood coursing through its veins. And if they don't, so what? I mean, Savannah has a huge St. Patrick's Day festival, yet it's not like it has the Irish heritage of Boston or something. Are you going to travel down to the Savannah message board and kvetch about it there, too?
I don't know. Perhaps if you have some actual information you could try to enlighten me instead of arguing with me. I'll agree that Finnegan's has bigger crowds on St. Patrick's Day than any other day of the year, but I hardly think 500-1000 (estimate based on what I saw in the parking lot when I drove by the 17th) people represent a large percentage of the city. The rest of the year it doesn't seem to do nearly that much business.
Dude. Why be a killjoy? After a long winter, a good party is just what we need.
My humblest apologies. I took your out of the blue comment "Why not have a Southern parade then?" as a proposal in favor of such. If you say it meant something else, I will take your word for it.
If I exclaim, "Auburn AL, why not go jump in a lake?" no doubt you will not take it as in any way suggestive that I favor such an action.
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Beyond that how does celebrating Mexico avoiding paying off its debts have anything to do with the South?
You do not seem to understand what Cinco de Mayo celebrates. It celebrates the victory of outnumbered Mexican forces in Puebla over the French. Historians propose that this French loss delayed their takeover of Mexico by more than a year, such that French plans to reinforce the Confederacy were dashed. This is, in fact, why the US government endorses Cinco de Mayo as a holiday - because it is considered a indirect victory for the Union, i.e. the United States.
Yeah, between the Christmas Parade, the Thanksgiving Parade, the Veterans Day Parade, the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and any of the other ones they have I am tired of the parades in general. If they're so great why not share the love so folks working in other parts of the city can enjoy the side effects.
Downtown Huntsville is the best place for parades. There really isn't a lot of traffic downtown unless there is an event going on. If you are so tired why not take some time off or take a good nap, or just try being friendlier.
Because I'm interested in why there's a parade when there're very few Irish people in the city. The city doesn't promote its Irishness. It doesn't have a lot of Irish people here. So why have an Irish parade. That's how it started out. When zenjenn went on her soapbox whining about people complaining over the hard work she puts in volunteering is when I got snide and pointed out that the parades aren't universal sources of cheer and joy. Shoot given the tiny number of people who actually attend them you don't even need to factor in the people who have their plans disrupted by them to see that.
In this paragraph you managed to mock a celebration because it only represents a minority, belittle philanthropy, and contradict yourself.
Actually no they had the roadblocks (which are set up long before and taken down long after the parade passes by) set up one street over so I was able to get back.
If you know it's going to be an issue, you should probably take your lunch next time.
I could ask you the same thing. There's nothing wrong with me, but I'm sure the close minded people on this site think so since I don't fall lockstep in with their views.
I think I see what you did here. You either flipped the script on us, or you are confused about the definition of "close minded people".
I would rather find some common ground and discuss with you about something more productive. However, I just wanted you to know that your posts seem a little asinine at times.
A person does not have to be Irish to enjoy a St. Patrick's Day parade. Or a green beer. Do you think all the people having green beers even care about St. Patrick or what he did in Ireland? It's an excuse to have fun. You know... be happy? Hoist a brewski, listen to bagpipes, etc.
I think you answered your own question when you said you were tired of the parades in general.
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Originally Posted by AuburnAL
Yeah, between the Christmas Parade, the Thanksgiving Parade, the Veterans Day Parade, the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and any of the other ones they have I am tired of the parades in general.
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In this paragraph you managed to mock a celebration because it only represents a minority, belittle philanthropy, and contradict yourself. 
