Parades and Politics

Keeping with family tradition, I attended the local Fourth of July parade this weekend. We situated ourselves a block from the start of the parade in a prime viewing location. There was the obligatory high school marching band (although its numbers were low), your oddities (red hat ladies, Shriners) and your miscellaneous commerical businesses. Oh, and there were a lot of political groups (expected - it is an election year).

And that is where things were most interesting this year. Different politicians have different styles. There are those who are content to ride in some borrowed car and wave occasionally, those who sit in the vehicle and throw candy occasionally, and those who actually pound the pavement and press the flesh for the entire route. I always like to see the politician out amongst the people greeting them, even if I can't stand that person or their stance on various issues. It's just one of the few venues where the people get to interact (be it ever so briefly) with the candidate or incumbant. I think it's a good thing.

It's also cool when they hand out candy. Next preference for kids would be balloons, followed by stickers. No children want to have a piece of paper shoved into their hands at a parade. Come to think of it, most adults don't want to be given anything to read either. It takes the enjoyment out of the moment when someone hands you something that they want you to read and think about. Suddenly, it feels like you have a homework assignment. No thank you... Give me a cavity instead. I'll read all about you and your political stance as I sit in the dentist's chair - I promise.

About halfway through the parade, my younger sister (she's 12) brought to my attention an approaching group of people. It was a group of maybe 20 people all in a herd walking down the middle of the street. They weren't really in columns or rows, but they were not spreading out either. They weren't saying anything. they weren't throwing or passing out anything. They were holding signs promoting various candidates in the upcoming elections. And they didn't look too thrilled to be walking in this particular parade. No smiles. No laughter. In fact, they weren't even looking at the crowd really. Just walking in a somber group down the middle of the road. I couldn't even read half of the signs, because they were blocked by another member of the group.

And that's when I heard the following conversation:
[Girl #1- about 7] - Who is that?
[Boy - about 12] - Some politicans
[Girl #1] - What are they doing in the parade?
[Boy] - I don't know. Just walking.
[Girl #1] - Just walking? They look mad.
[Boy] - Yeah. Maybe they are tired.
[Girl #1] - But the parade just started.
[Boy] - I know. I don't know what's wrong with them.
[Girl #1] - I wish they would hurry up and go away.
[Boy] - Me Too
[Girl #2 - about 9] I wish they would at least do something.
[Boy] - Yeah. Me too. Or say something.
[Girl #1] - I wish they weren't here.
[Girl #2] - Yeah. At least the Bush people were giving out candy and smiling.
[Boy] - Yeah. And there were more of them.
[Girl #1] - Good. They are finally gone.

And that ladies and gentlemen sums up the perception of the politicians in this parade by the children. They like it when you do something or give out something. They want you to be having fun while you are in the parade. Come to think of it, that's what I want to see too.

Maybe the local Democratic Party group could learn a few lessons from the conversations of little children...