Maine July 4th Parade Spectators Speak Out on Reagan Coffin Float of Bobbing Head:"Nancy Who?"

July 10, 2004 | fight_truth_decay

[fight_truth_decay]

Letters to the Editor of The Lincoln County News in Damariscotta, Maine speak out in July 8th weekly edition on "anonymous[4th of July]parade float" depicting former President Reagan bobbing in and out of his coffin with a reference to his Alzheimer's disease, "Nancy who"?

GOOD TASTE NOT CENSORSHIP

To the Editor:

I attended the 4th of July parade in Rond Pond this year for the first time. Even though I don't agree with their politics, I found the anti-Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld floats quite amusing. But the float showing Ronald Reagan in a coffin with a headstone was in extremely poor taste. Also the attached sign that said "Nancy who?", mocking Reagan's Alzheimer's disease was disgusting! In a nation of rapidly declining morals people not standing up/talking/wearing hats during the Star Spangled Banner and general disrespect for our country and what it stands for, I suppose one must not be offended. Whoever ran the parade should have had the decency to ban this flaot. That is not censorship, just good taste!

Jack Corson Pemaquid Lake

APPALLED BY UNPATRIOTIC PARADE ENTRIES

To the Editor:

It is always exhilarating to come back to Maine for the summer and see Mainers celebrating summer with such verve. To me this means houses being painted, gardens planted, flags displayed and the Round Pond 4th of July parade.

Yesterday I took friends from Florida to the parade, wanting to show them the wonderful spirit of the people of Maine. Instead I was terribly embarrassed and disappointed. Whas has always been such a fun, positive event was marred by serious negative attacks on the President of the United States.

Parades in the past have had positive political advertising and even fun political mockery. But yesterday, rather than positive or fun political floats, I was stunned by deeply negative and serious attacks on our president. These anonymously produced attacks were distasteful, inappropriate and unpatriotic. I was appalled as were my guests.

Betsy Kinkle Walpole

EDITORIALLY SPEAKING FREE EXPRESSION AND RESPONSIBILITY

Freedom of speech means allowing someone you disagree with to state their opinion. This is difficult if the ideology is the antithesis of what you believe.

Freedom of speech also means choices. Do you want to put things a certain way in order to elicit the most intense reaction to your words?

Suppose you area at a 4th of July parade, a very public venue, intending to celebrate the hard fought birth of American independence and these United States. Imagine your surprise that one flat depicts former President Ronald Reagan bobbing in and out of this coffin and there is a reference to his Alzheimer's disease, "Nancy who?"

The anonymous parade float creator has the right to promote a demean depiction of the moving and stirring national eulogy to Pres.Reagan last month. However, the right to free expression comes with the responsibility for good taste and acceptable behavior. The opposite is true in this case.

Those who temper their statements and opinions with less shock and stridency are much more likely to strike a chord with someone with a dissenting viewpoint. Exhibitionism for the sake of making a point is an immature affront to a very serious freedom we all share. (The editor)

Following the parade a crowd of about 100 (locals and tourists) took in the hard rock band -the Round Pond Rangers, ate blueberry pie and attended an art display on the pier.

Round Pond

[fight_truth_decay]

Over at the Whitefield 4th of July parade, maybe 20 minutes away, artist Natasha Mayers acknowledged 2004 is a "year that's polarized, so maybe people can't be as open" to other viewpoints. At the same time she wasn't prepared to hear the parade was not "an appropriate occasion for a political statement" such as "Petroleus,God of Grease and War" skit she and about 20 others performed. A large sign read "Americans gave up health care, veterans benefits, education for this? The End is Near".
Cardboard mini models of gas gussling SUV's bore such license plates as "Puppet State-Gov 4 RNT", Terror State-May B-US", "State of Denial-WMD 4 SALE",and "State of Emergency-911 GWB, The Anxious State."

Noah Myers fed the gaping jaws of a Hummer SUV various simulated body parts as the driver, Paul Jumar, shouted: "I'm getting hungry! Feed me!" When one young woman cried out in protest, Myers quickly yelled:" God Bless America and all its oil companies!"

[Note: Letters to the Editor above are not shown on line and I have transcribed them from the "dead tree" paper edition.]

[fight_truth_decay]

Correction in spelling: Natasha Mayers, Noah Mayers.

[atomicpossum]

The editorial is online.

It strikes me that the 'anonymous' float idea is pretty much asking for scum to turn out.

[steplock]

Why wasn't a match or lighter dropped on any of them?

Because nobody wants the responsibility to stand up for our country.

We are now a nation of cowards - and with such will be no better, if not worse than frnace or germany - socialist pigstys

[don-o]

Sigh.

Thanks for posting this.

Thank God, Maine has only about four or five electoral votes.

[lonevoice]

This goes hand in glove with the report of the 4th of July parade in Bainbridge Island, Washington. An Iraqi veteran, marching in uniform in the parade, was "treated" to numerous yells of "Baby Killer!"

Independence Day celebrations are in danger of becoming nothing more than a vehicle for the loonies to parade their extremism and hatred of America.

[shadowman99]

Are there pictures of this thing?

I don't think we should let their side forget they do things like this.

[weegee]

Coming soon to a city near you:

[weegee]

While it is true that we are afforded "free speech" in this country, such displays from the left (and the near riotous protests after the 2000 election) have shown that we may not have a peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next for very much longer.

[Taxman]

Methinks that "WE" are better prepared for such and eventuality than "THEY" are?

[ZULU]

I agree. I support free speech but this transcends everything.

What kind of idiots run that town??

[crz]

Heaven help them if they try anything stupid. Maybe I should say "send em to hell and maybe hell will help them."

[fight_truth_decay]

Pictures are only in the paper edition-sorry.

[Taxman]

That would be the plan!

[Brad’s Gramma]

mailto:lcn@lincoln.midcoast.com

To telephone us: The Lincoln County News (207) 563-3171

For mail: The Lincoln County News (ATTN: Website Coordinator), PO Box 36, Damariscotta, ME, 04543


I pulled this off your link.

How disgusting. Hey, Ron Jr.....NOW how do you feel???

[fight_truth_decay]

Peace Action Maine New Members in 2002-the Mayers

[Brad’s Gramma]

Here, please.

[South40]

Liberal scum = liberal scum.

[Fiddlstix]

Thanks for the Ping

This is SICK! Just Plain SICK!
Disgusting!

[Darksheare]

Natasha Myers, says she's doing it all "For the Children".

www.mainething.com/ artists/natasha_mayers/
[excerpt from her site]
Natasha Mayers is Whitefield's prime mover when it comes to the ARTS ! Since the 1970's she has been the single handed force behind making sure that ART is up front and in our town, and in our schools and everywhere else it belongs.
When our school boards felt forced with their limited funds to cut the important Art program , it was Natasha who researched, motivated, created and got funding for some of the most innovative volunteer Arts programs in Maine - for our children.