Ignore city's spin: Flag flap a slap at vets

The heart and soul of the Marietta July Fourth Parade each year are the many military veterans who take part, some of them in their old uniforms - not the hordes of politicians who use the event as an excuse to get "face time" in front of potential voters.

The veterans and veterans groups elicit by far the loudest ovations from the crowds that line the parade route, louder than the cheers for any politician or other participant. And that's as it should be.

But to its great discredit, Marietta City Hall this year has decided to give the veterans the back of its hand.

City Hall informed the VFW that it would not be allowed to give out the flags, citing an obscure rule prohibiting parade participants from passing out materials or throwing candy - a rule they've never enforced when it came to the flags.

But as for worries about children getting hurt by marchers throwing candy or aged veterans passing out little flags, get real.

We think it's time for City Hall to raise the white flag on this, and let the veterans pass out their flags as they always have.

It’s not only a slap at the Vets, it’s a slap in the face of this country. I guess they are afraid of “offending” someone. I say let them be offended. They are in the USA. If they don’t like it they go back to where ever they came from.

It’s Independence Day, for pete’s sake. It’s THIS country and THIS flag.

“Moreover, you would think City Hall would give local veterans “pride of place” in the parade, putting all of them up front and letting the politicians, Scouts, beauty queens and the rest bring up the rear. But City Hall has other priorities. The VFW is the 28th of 100 units in this year’s march, for example.”

Ain’t that the truth......draft-dodger Sen Carl Levin, D Mich has never seen a parade he didn’t want to lead....he hijacks every one he can get the lead in.

My letter to the Editor-- Marietta puts Big Lie to work in parade Friday, June 29, 2007 2:24 AM EDT � DEAR EDITOR: The July Fourth Parade in Marietta is a highlight of my year. For two decades, a cabal of friends has staked out a prime spot on the Square, often arriving at 6 a.m. to lay claim to a prime spot for later-arriving family members. In fact, I first met my wife at the parade. We acknowledge our patriotic debt to our country, and savor small-town Americana: the marching bands, the children and dogs on parade and the sheriff's mounted patrol, and we joyfully exercise our First Amendment rights by heckling the parading political class. But in particular, we appreciate the service and contribution of public safety members and the armed forces. Without fail, veteran's groups have passed out the now-banned flags during the parade, and we jockey to the front of the line in order to grab a flag for our smaller children. This is all done in plain view of the adjacent reviewing stand packed with city officials. These people are either disingenuous or blind. � For some reason, this year's enforcement effort strikes a resonant current chord - right up there with border enforcement in terms of being the Big Lie of the political class. Mark A. Johnson

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EDITORIAL

Ignore city's spin: Flag flap a slap at vets