You can see WCTV's coverage here (with video). The accompanying article states:
In a surprise move, the Veterans say the parade's cancellation was partly their own fault.
"We as veterans should be more actively involved in this parade than we have been in the past. And it's time we stepped back up and took charge of our parade," says Joe West, the secretary for the Vietnam Veterans of America's Big Bend Chapter.
And in true military form, the veterans are already planning to take a bigger role in organizing Veteran's Day events with the county.
The Veterans say they want to work with all the different veteran organizations in the area and put together a parade "company" so they can take more responsibility over the annual parade.
Our attempts to find coverage in the Tallahassee Democrat, The Florida Capitals leading newspaper, we found the following here:
In other news, three veterans spoke out regarding the cancellation of the Veterans Day parade because of inclement weather.
Neither of which would have given you the flavor or meaning of what the veterans were saying. Of course as far as the Democrat goes, what else can one expect.
Watching the proceeding the message we heard was, we are taking the parade out of the governments hands and assuming responsibility for it ourselves.
As Mr. West was quoted in the video,
"its time we stepped back up and took charge of our parade."
In fact there are two messages being sent here:
It's a damn shame that the veterans have to take responsibility for a parade that is meant to be an opportunity for the community to honor and thank them them for their service to their community and country.
In other words the capital city of a state the size of Florida can not be trusted to do the right thing when it comes to their veterans.
This comes as no surprise to us as it has been an ongoing theme of many of the posts on this site.
The other message being sent is,
If you want to insure the right thing is done, do not depend on the government, local or national. Especially a government that would cancel a parade honoring those that served it by canceling an opportunity to pay respect due to a chance of rain????? One that even when it doesn't cancel those opportunities relegates them to the back streets of the capital so as not to interfere with the traffic of the ungrateful.
It was apparent that the commissioners had no taste to keep control of the parade. They were to busy congratulating themselves with reorganizing themselves with cake, crackers, cheese, Chamber Music
and meaningless dribble.
As a side note we here that next year the Veterans Day parade WILL be going Through the middle of town. Sometimes you just have to TAKE the respect owed.
Hats of to the Vets that represented their respective organizations. They did so respectfully and honorably. Words the Capital of Florida seems to have forgotten.Add to Technorati Favorites
