"Umm, the Ku Klux Klan is an organisation devoted to suppressing the rights of black people, as far as I know.

Gay Irish people aren't trying to stop other Irish people having any rights, are they? Or have I missed something here?"

Ah, but the question isn't who is for or against what, only that two organizations have equal rights to publicly express their opinions (the reason the ACLU supported the KKK in Skokie) and to associate with whom they please. Those are pretty well established Constitutional rights after all. It's the lack of equity that's confusing. I realize that rights are not absolute, but this seems reduce the rights of one these groups just because you don't agree with them.

In the case of the Saint Patrick's parade, those citizens are just trying to honor a religious belief that goes back roughly 2,500 years. It's your right to be as gay as you want; it's their right to think you live in sin and are going to hell, even if the idea's not universally popular.

"So, if you intend to abridge others' rights in conjunction with your parade, your rights may in turn be abridged."

Ah, a technicality. So by this reasoning it's reasonable for cities to create zones for protesters who could interfere with things like a WTO meeting?