Peace Contingent in the Memorial Day Parade in Ogunquit, Maine, May 31, 2004

Some members of Seacoast Peace Response wanted to show our concern for veterans and other victims of war by marching in Memorial Day parades. We wanted to be a part of this country’s recognition of veterans and also get across the idea: “Support Our Troops – Bring Them Home Now.”

Wes Flierl joined me in contacting parade organizers in Portsmouth, Durham, and Somersworth, where we got negative responses. The parade organizer in Portsmouth said there was to be “nothing political” in the parade, and the organizer in Durham advised that there would be certain self-appointed citizens who would most likely make it a point to be sure we were not welcome.

We had a better reception in Maine, where Herb Hoffman of Veteran’s for Peace had contacted the Parade Marshall of the Ogunquit parade, who told him, “all are welcome.” Thus, nine activists from Seacoast Peace Response joined nine others from Women in Black (Wells and Ogunquit), Freedom Rousers (Ogunquit, Wells and York), and Veterans for Peace, for an eighteen person peace contingent between the marching band and the fire engines near the end of the parade.

The peace contingent was led by “Women in Black” with a blue peace flag with a dove and the word “peace” in many languages. Our signs, t-shirts, etc. included, “Mourning all Victims of Violence, Terror, War and Intolerance,” “Say No to War,” “We Are Against the War,” “Support Our Troops – Bring Them Home Now,” “Another Vietnam Veteran for Peace,” “Honor Veterans / Abolish War!” ‘What Good is War-Absolutely None,” and “No Blood For Oil.”

It was a beautiful, clear, cool spring day, and Shore Road was lined with people. The response to our message of peace was overwhelmingly positive. A good majority of the spectators clearly approved our message, as they applauded, gave us the peace sign, or photographed our signs. Members of the military saluted the American flag that several in our group were carrying. The exceptions, other than the official speaker, were rare and mostly very minor.

As Pat Frisella observed, “We were surprised and pleased at the number of people along the parade route who applauded, gave us the thumbs up, or gave us the peace sign. Some appeared to be tourists, some residents, and many were workers who popped out of restaurants and stores to offer encouraging remarks. One family, mom, dad, and little girl joined our group spontaneously. The child wanted to march in the parade, and they were comfortable doing so with the peace contingent.”

Joan Newton wrote, “The fact that we marched in this parade, I feel, is quite newsworthy. At one point, down at the beach, I found myself marching in place, side by side with an open trolley carrying full dressed veterans. It seemed we searched each other’s faces, and I felt no anger or animosity between us, but a mixture of hope and solemnity. It was just one moment, but one I will never forget.”

Joan went on to write, “The women watching the parade appeared the most vocal in support of us, many clapping and hooting as we passed. The most difficult part of the experience for me was listening to the highly politicized speech at the parade’s end. I couldn’t see the speaker’s face, and don’t know is name, but his words I will have to work to forget. He claimed it wasn’t the poets who gave us our freedom… it was the soldiers; nor was it the protesters who gave us out freedom… it was the soldiers. Over and over again he professed to the crowd that freedom was only gained on the killing fields, through the action of soldiers. I thought of Gandhi, his peaceful resistance that yielded the world’s largest democracy. The speaker, with his direct and malicious attempt to marginalize us who supported our troops in the name of peace, missed the point that neither is exclusive of the other.”

Despite the official speaker, it was remarkable that we essentially had a peace march in the middle of a Memorial Day parade with such a positive response to our message. It gave us a glimpse into the true feelings of our fellow citizens on the question of war or peace.