Fourth of July parade exclusiveness coming up for debate

BY Scott Merzbach
Staff Writer

Published on April 18, 2008

With questions about the freedom of speech of participants in the July 4 parade still unresolved, the Select Board is expected to hold a public discussion on the subject in the near future.

Select Board Chairman Gerry Weiss said Monday that the issue centers around a private group organizing the parade and using town resources, including the public ways, while attempting to prohibit people from marching with signs that might be deemed offensive.

The concerns are being raised even though invitations to the annual parade have gone out to the Select Board and rules about what will and won't be allowed in the parade have been sent Town Manager Larry Shaffer.

Police, fire to be withheld?

Shaffer said earlier this year that he might not let police and fire vehicles be in the parade if certain groups were denied the right to march.

Kevin Joy, an event organizer, said he wants a "good old hometown parade," meaning no banners with obscenities or signs that would offend youth.

"We try to be as inclusive as possible and the town manager has our new regulations," Joy said.

Revised rules

The revised rules came after Shaffer met with residents worried that they might have their applications to march taken away if they wanted to hold up certain signs, including ones opposing war in Iraq.

Now, any organizations' members can hold up banners with the name of the group they represent, even if that group opposes parade organizers' ideas of supporting veterans, active military and public safety officials. "My goal will be to continue to work with the parade committee," Shaffer said.

For resident Larry Kelley, the board's decision to examine the parade worries him.

"I'm a little more nervous about it now based on what happened last night," said Kelley, reached at home Tuesday.

But he is confident that First Amendment rights of free speech don't apply to the privately run parade, basing this opinion on a Supreme Court decision.

Organizers have already held two fundraisers to pay for the event. Kelley said he believes it would be hard for the town to fund the parade, since it would cost more than $10,000.