By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN — Columbus Day parade-goers booed Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino and told him to "Go back to Buffalo!" a day after he told a group of Brooklyn rabbis that children should not be "brainwashed" into thinking it's okay to be gay.
Paladino and his Democratic challenger, attorney general Andrew Cuomo, both took part in the annual festivities, marching from Midtown to the Upper East Side, flanked by supporters three weeks before the Midterm.
When asked about his comments Sunday in which he said that children should not be "brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid or successful option," Paladino stood by his words.
"My remarks were very clear. I am 100 percent unequivocally pro-gay rights, except for one thing: gay marriage. That’s it. It's that simple," he said before switching the topic to Christopher Columbus and the legacy of Italian-American immigrants again and again.
At a press conference before the parade, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn denounced Paladino's comments, describing them as "outrageous, damaging, hateful and dangerous."
She said it is "irresponsible" for a man in such a high position to be "spewing dangerous homophobia throughout our state," especially after recent hate attacks and suicides by gay teens.
While Cuomo attracted the bigger crowd as he marched with supporters up Fifth Avenue, it was Paladino who drew the most attention from parade-goers standing at the side lines.
"I'm angry as hell," said Upper Westsider Ronnie Gitlin, 66, as she watched Paladino march by with supporters. Gitlin said she was deeply offended by Paladino's remarks against gays and said that seeing him in person "made me repulsed and nauseas."
Upper East Side resident Adam Gentle, 29, booed Paladino as he passed.
Gentle, who is openly gay, said he'd watched Paladino on the news and thought his comments were "hurtful and disgraceful."
Putnam County resident Vincent Castldo, 49, also called Paladino "a disgrace."
"Head back to Buffalo!" he screamed from the sideline, adding that, while he is not a big fan of Andrew Cuomo, the Democrat is "the lesser of two evils."
Nonetheless, an enthusiastic and energetic Paladino worked the crowd like he didn’t notice the 'boos,' posing for photos, grinning, and hugging fans.
And there were some fans.
Garry Murphy, 40, a small business owner in Westchester, said he plans to cast his vote for Paladino.
"I've see the dysfunction in Albany and we need a leader like him to clean up the cesspool," Murphy said.
While Murphy disagrees with Paladino's comments concerning gays, he said his priority this year is "jobs, jobs, jobs."
Enrico Difinizio, 53, a sheet metal worker who lives in Staten Island, said he's also a Paladino supporter.
When asked what she thought of Paladino's remarks, Carolyn Maloney, who was also on hand and marched with a handful of supporters, said that "Outrageous statements like his do not deserve a comment."
She predicted a full-out Democratic sweep.
"I think it’s going to be a Democratic victory all the way down the line," she said smiling.
Cuomo, meanwhile, made his way up Fifth Ave. flanked by dozens of supporters, who held signs and chanted "Cuomo! Cuomo!" as they walked.
"I'm here to lend my support to the attorney general. He's the right person to represent New York," supporter Bob Martin, 50 said.
"He's young, he's vibrant and he has the experience," agreed Suzanne Iannaccone, 50, a health insurance claims specialist, who said she is a long-time supporter of the attorney general's work.
Before the parade began, Cuomo again ripped Paladino for his remarks.
"I think they were reckless in light of all the recent violence that we’ve had. They were divisive. They were the worst cynical politics trying to pit people against one another," Cuomo said.
"We celebrate our diversity," he said, adding that homophobia "is repugnant to the concept of what New York is."
