Comment on Parade recap by Tom Stephan

Tom Stephan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:45:55 +0000

As the emcee of the 4th of July Parade, and as a member of 4th of July Parade Committee (one of the “officials”), I felt compelled to respond to your “Parade recap” posting.
First, thank you for recognizing what many, many people feel about our parade: it IS fantastic.
Second, please don’t use that tired “First Amendment freedom of speech” canard re: covering your campaign materials. I would think that someone so careful about minutiae, as you seem to be, would have carefully read Rule #10 of the Parade Procedures. To wit: “There will be no campaigning by incumbents or candidates running for political office. Candidates for office and current officeholders are NOT to have “elect,” “re-elect,” “vote for” or “for” on their signs, shirts, hats, vehicles, or any other campaign materials. Violators will be escorted from the parade.”
Anyone in any capacity may be in the Stow Parade, and that includes currently-elected members of Stow City Government. Your “incumbent opponents” were advertising nothing more than the office they hold. None of them had any “vote for” or “re-elect” verbiage on anything. You did. Thus, you were asked to cover the unacceptable words.
The Stow 4th of July Parade is unlike so many others: it is non-political. Obviously no one is forced to participate in the Parade. Those who do are expected to follow the rules. It really is that simple.

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Comment on Parade recap by Tom Stephan