Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Columbus Day Parade not particularly Italian or Columbus-related

I attended the Columbus Day parade on Sunday; it was a beautiful day, and a nice parade, well attended, and a nice showing of communities in the Greater New Haven area. It showed the diversity of the area, and as best I know, went off without incident (outside of the fact that the Allingtown fire department had to leave part way through the parade for a call).

I had a few concerns, though:
  • There was a decided lack of Columbus-related floats. In fact, I counted two.

  • I felt that the politicians who marched and blared their political messages marred the day - this was supposed to be a celebration, not a political statement.

  • I wonder how much this cost the West Haven taxpayers?

2 comments:

Colonial Park Taxpayer said...

I absolutely second that sentiment.... When i 1st found out that this parae was going to be held on a Sunday i had to do a second take.... We moved the fireworks so that OT costs would not be high.... It just doesn't add up, but around here what does.

West Haven Tax Payer said...

The bands WERE incredible :) I enjoyed the patriotic music by the Blue Devils, too - they understood what Columbus Day is celebrating!

Partisan politics really turns my stomache; and everytime I turned around, there was another campaigning politician. I'm not referring to sitting mayors and council members, or fire commissioners or police commissioners... I'm talking about the ones that are actively running for office. A parade is NOT the time to be on your soap box, and pressing negative campaign issues. It's a time for celebration.

Then again, I suppose in a way, the fact that these people have the right to say what they want IS a part of America. I guess I just really don't like the way that they say it.