Reader: Can't We Compromise On Parade Chairs?

Dear Editor,

means so many things to so many people. To some, it is a chance to see their child march in their first parade with the high school band…or to some to see the last time their child will march in the parade with the band (this happened to me this year).

To some, it is the chance to see their local politicians riding in convertibles tossing candy at children’s feet. For many, this might be the only time they see their politicians in public unless they are particularly active within their community.

To some, it is to enjoy—with pride—watching a loved one or friend on a float or truck or in a group of marchers, representing some of the finest local organizations the area has to offer; whether they are scouts, dancers, civic organizations, sports teams, or local churches and houses of worship.

To some, it is watching a particular branch of the military march by their spot so they can clap as loudly as possible in an effort to somehow show a small portion of their appreciation of the soldier’s willingness to protect us, even when they are far from our own thoughts as we busily go through our day-to-day lives.

To some, it is a chance to gather with friends and family and spend a few hours together catching up while awaiting the next segment of fire trucks to roll through to show off their newest equipment with pride.

To some, watching the parade is just plain old tradition. They have been doing it for 50 years. And they have been sitting on the same stretch of Pike Street watching it, just as they did with their grandparents.

Only now they are the grandparents and are bringing their grandchildren to watch. And while many will stand on their own two feet to enjoy most of the parade, it has become such a large and lengthy event that sometimes it is nice to know you have a seat. And this year marked the 50th anniversary of the Canonsburg Fourth of July Parade—so some people may have gotten a bit enthusiastic and put their chairs out on the sidewalks of Pike street a tad too early for the liking of others (I firmly believe that the was due to the , rather than the norm).

But do we really want to take a giant step backward with this new restriction and make the chairs a point of contention within our community? Can’t we ask for a compromise of 48 hours prior to the parade

Do we really want to dampen people’s enthusiasm for an event that brings together 50,000-60,000 spectators for a single day? Should we even allow chairs to have that kind of power over our lives? When this world seems to be moving at the speed of light and instant gratification seems the norm and it’s hard to keep up with it all, isn’t it nice to know that if you went down to Pike Street on a July 1 evening you could find a quiet parade of chairs lining the street in anticipation of an event which brings friends, families, and communities together?

Many of the chairs are decorated in celebration of the . It’s a tradition and custom. Putting out your chairs for the parade is something passed on from one generation to the next. It’s comforting to know that “wholesome”, “tradition” and “patriotic” aren’t values that have gone from our lives. We get to see proof of it when we see the chairs lining our town.

And when, on July 4, you are looking down Pike Street waiting for your favorite group to march by, and you see all the people lining the street for more than a mile, you don’t even realize that there are chairs. You don’t realize it because now they have been filled with those same family and friends and neighbors you’ve been waiting to see.

And as we watch, the reason for the parade is there and it’s not about chairs. It is about the fact that a huge number of people are still willing to gather to celebrate that our country was founded on the ideal of freedom.

And for that, we should be thankful. It doesn’t happen everywhere. And for that, we should be proud.

- Anita Brecosky