I believe that not allowing the group Concord for Ukraine to march in the Patriot’s Day parade is a serious error and it is inconsistent with the meaning of the Patriot’s Day and is also inconsistent with past practice. I marched in the group “American Promise (People Govern, Not Money)” in the Patriot’s Day parade a few years ago. We were protesting the Citizens United decision and people lining the way cheered us on enthusiastically. We were supporting the free speech of individual people as opposed to corporations.
The Patriot’s Day parade celebrates a “political rebellion” against a foreign military power. Supporting Ukraine against Russia is also a “political rebellion” against a foreign military power.
The parade celebrates the personal will of a people fighting for their autonomy, those who lived here in 1775, but also those now in Ukraine.
Paul Jameson
College Road