Tag: Boston

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Boston: St. Patrick’s Day Parade U-Turns, Votes To Allow Gay Veterans Group To March After Backlash

Earlier this week organizers of the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade voted to not allow LGBT veterans group OUTVETS to march in this year’s parade after two years of participation.

After several sponsors and prominent politicians pulled out of the event, parade organizers u-turned today and issued an invite to the group.

From the Boston Fox News affiliate:

“This is something that had to be fixed. This is something that I needed to do,” parade organizer Tim Duross said.

OUTVETS had initially been denied entry because parade organizers said they violated the code of conduct which prohibits ‘the advertisement or display of one’s sexual orientation’ by carrying a rainbow flag and wearing a logo with a rainbow on it.

No word yet on whether or not OUTVETS will accept the invite.

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Rock Band BOSTON Cancels Three North Carolina Concerts Over HB2

One of my absolute favorite bands of the late 70s/80s, BOSTON, has cancelled three concerts in North Carolina over the recently passed anti-LGBT legislation, HB2.

Boston’s hits include “More Than a Feeling”, “Peace of Mind”, “Rock and Roll Band”, “Smokin'”, “Don’t Look Back”, and “Amanda”. The band has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, including 31 million albums in the United States, of which 17 million were from their self-titled debut album released in 1976.

From the band’s Facebook page:

While the enjoyment of our fans is our central concern, and we have been looking forward to celebrating forty years of history performing for our listeners in North Carolina with spectacular live shows this spring, human rights are more important. It is with deep regret, that I must announce the cancellation of our upcoming shows on May 4, 5 & 6 in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh in order to raise awareness, and protest in the strongest terms, the recent passage of HB2, the so called “North Carolina bathroom law.”

HB2 has the appearance of an oppressive discriminatory law against a small minority, who already have to deal with a narrow-minded world regarding issues beyond their control which they did nothing to bring upon themselves. Other aspects of the new law arguably encourage bigotry. With thousands of fans in attendance at our shows, it is likely that some members of our audience and/or their loved ones are affected on a daily basis by this ugly expression of intolerance.

My sincere apologies to our fans who have already made arrangements to attend these shows. The removal of the shows from our schedule is a major disappointment. It has always been my wish to inspire people with BOSTON’s music. Hopefully the sacrifices we are all making here will inspire people to do the right thing in the future. We look forward to the day that the state government of North Carolina will come to its senses and treat ALL individuals with equal freedom in their pursuit of happiness here in the United States. ~ Tom Scholz

I love when folks you admire for a long time don’t disappoint 🙂

One of my favoritest recordings – ever.

(h/t JMG)

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Boston: Brothers Cite Donald Trump As Inspiration After Beating Hispanic Man

Scott (L) and Steve Leader (R)

Two brothers from South Boston, Steve and Scott Leader, have been arrested after allegedly targeting, attacking, beating and ultimately urinating on a homeless man because he is Hispanic.

From the Boston Globe:

Police said two brothers from South Boston ambushed the 58-year-old as he slept outside of a Dorchester MBTA stop, and targeted him because he is Hispanic. One of the brothers said he was inspired in part by GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The allegations ignited widespread condemnation Wednesday.

Mayor Martin J. Walsh said the brothers “should be ashamed of themselves.” Boston’s top prosecutor, Daniel F. Conley, called the case “sickening.”

Police Commissioner William B. Evans, a South Boston resident, said the brothers had given his neighborhood “a bad name.” He called it “a disgrace.”

Trump, told of the alleged assault, said “it would be a shame . . . I will say that people who are following me are very passionate. They love this country and they want this country to be great again. They are passionate.”

Trump, in his campaign kickoff speech in June, made disparaging comments about Mexican immigrants that advocates feared could cause a backlash against immigrants.

According to reports, Scott Leader told the police, “Donald Trump was right, all these illegals need to be deported.”

And Trump’s reaction? “People who are following me are very passionate???”

Wow.

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Boston: History Made As LGBT Groups Allowed In St. Patricks Day Parade

In a historic first,  LGBT organizations were allowed to march in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Boston.

After years of boycotting the parade over lack of inclusiveness, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh joined those celebrating in the parade. Also attending were Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

OUTVETS, which includes lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender veterans, was invited to be a part of the festivities.

Progress, folks, progress!

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Sam Adams Beer cancels participation in St. Patrick’s Day parade for exclusion of LGBT

Statement from the Boston Beer Company, makers of Sam Adams Beer:

“We have been participating in the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade for nearly a decade and have also supported the St. Patrick’s Day breakfast year after year. We’ve done so because of the rich history of the event and to support veterans who have done so much for this country.

“We were hopeful that both sides of this issue would be able to come to an agreement that would allow everyone, regardless of orientation, to participate in the parade. But given the current status of the negotiations, we realize this may not be possible. We share these sentiments with Mayor Walsh, Congressman Lynch and others and therefore we will not participate in this year’s parade.

“We will continue to support Senator Linda Dorcena Forry and her St. Patrick’s Day breakfast. We wish her all the best in her historic stewardship of this tradition.”

(via MassEquality)

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Santa Speedo Run Boston 2013

On Saturday hundreds of men and women braved crazy cold conditions in Boston to run in the 14th Annual Santa Speedo Run which raises money for The Play Ball! Foundation.

The mission of the Play Ball! Foundation is to create and expand team sports opportunities for middle school age urban youth who are at a pivotal time of physical and emotional development.

(via BosGuy)

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Boston: Two patients thought “cured” of HIV sees the virus return

In a disappointing turn for HIV research, two men who were thought to have possibly been cured of HIV after bone marrow transplants have seen the virus return:

The patients, both of whom had been living with HIV for years, had each received bone marrow transplants several years ago to treat the blood cancer lymphoma. The treatment appeared to have made HIV retreat to undetectable levels in their blood.

At the time of the announcement in July, one man had been off anti-retroviral drugs for 15 weeks and the other for seven weeks.

But the virus returned in one patient in August and the other patient in November, said Dr. Timothy Heinrich, infectious diseases associate physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Boston Globe first reported. Both have since resumed taking HIV medication.

Timothy Ray Brown, known as “the Berlin patient,” received a bone marrow transplant along with chemo and radiation back in 2007, is still considered to be “cured.” But his transplant came from a donor who had a rare genetic mutation known as CCR5-delta32. The two Boston patient’s donor did not have this mutation.

(source)