Long Beach Veterans Day Parade: After Action Report

Anti-war marchers allowed in parade

L.B.: War protest groups banned from last year's Veterans Day event will be able to participate this year, organizers say.

By Kelly Puente
Staff Writer

Article Launched: 03/16/2008 09:56:10 PM PDT

Editor's Note: This is the follow-up to an article we published on 11/20/07, which was the impetus for the challenges subsequently made to the Long Beach City Council; grassroots actions that ultimately changed the Long Beach Council's position regarding this topic. A position that the Council have held since they denied our 1973 SoCal VVAW contingent authorization to march. An incident that backfired on them then, as well. We went ahead and marched behind the street sweepers, and the crowds gave our contingent many tears, cheers, and standing Os, as our raggedy but right contingent proudly passed before them along the route, trailing the street sweepers. No one left the parade route until we had passed by them to deafening cheers. Some of the same folks that were together then, were together again for this battle, were together, yet again, in Silver Springs, Maryland, at the Natonal Labor College , for the presentation of Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan. Their efforts on all fronts are proof that grass-roots coalition involvement can effectively win hearts and minds, and change the way that all levels of our government do business. I am publishing this article here, in it's entirety, with full accreditation, because VetSpeak was involved from the initiation of this action, and because the mainstream media rarely hails the Peoples' victories. WH.

LONG BEACH - Three anti-war groups who were banned from marching in the Long Beach Veterans Day Parade last year will be allowed to take part in this year's parade, organizers said Sunday.

Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Military Families Speak Out were prohibited from marching last November because organizers said they didn't fit the spirit of the parade. The act sparked an emotional city-wide debate.

But after careful consideration, parade coordinator Martha Thuente said organizers and the groups finally reached an agreement last month.

She said the groups will be allowed to hold one banner each, but cannot make any political statements or pass out pamphlets.

They can wear their T-shirts but are "encouraged to wear their uniforms, which makes more of a statement," Thuente said. The event takes place along Atlantic Avenue in North Long Beach.

They will also be required to submit their parade applications separately. Last year, the three groups submitted one application under the name "Military Patriots."

Councilman Val Lerch, a member of the parade committee, said the application was unanimously rejected because organizers feared the group wanted to raise political issues at a parade meant to honor veterans.

Since they've reached an agreement, Lerch on Sunday said the groups can even ride a vehicle in the 12th annual parade on Nov. 8

"If they come in a Humvee, they're more than welcome," he said. "Just as long as they agree not to make a political statement."

Pat Alviso of Military Families Speak Out, an organization of people opposed to the war in Iraq who have relatives or loved ones in the military, said group members are happy and relieved after putting in more than three months of work.
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Alviso said they have always supported the troops. Her son, Beto Alviso, is a gunnery sergeant in the Marines and has served two tours of duty in Iraq. He may be deployed to Afghanistan by the end of this year, she said. "You can support the troops but not the war," Alviso said. "There's a few of the old-timers who still do not get that."

Although they were banned from marching, more than 25 members from all three groups attended the parade anyway, standing peacefully and cheering for the veterans.

Alviso thinks their positive behavior had an influence on the organizers' decision.

"We do not want to make this parade anything more than a parade to celebrate and honor those who have served this country," she said.

Jason Lemieux, a Marine who served three tours of duty in Iraq and is now a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, was one of several veterans who stood on the sidelines last year.

"It feels like I've been betrayed by the very people I fought to serve," he told the Press-Telegram in November.

Lemieux, an Anaheim resident, was one of hundreds of soldiers and Marines to testify in the "Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan" anti-war conference that took place Thursday through Sunday at the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Md.

There he said he testified on atrocities he witnessed in Iraq and called for an immediate withdrawal of troops.

Reached by phone on Sunday, Lemieux praised parade organizers for "making the right decision" and hopes to march this year.

"I think it's exactly what they should have done right from the beginning," he said.

kelly.puente@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1305

www.VetSpeak.org