The Smedley D. Butler Brigade of the Veterans for Peace hosted and organized the Saint Patrick’s Day Peace Parade in Boston this year. When its request to march with the Allied War Veterans in the ‘traditional’ St. Patrick’s Day Parade was denied, as it has been in previous years, the organizers pulled a permit, and reached out to other groups! The William Ladd Chapter of Veterans for Peace came from Maine, New Hampshire’s Chapter, and the Colonel Jeffrey M. Luce Cape Cod Chapter of Veterans for peace marched to the music of the Leftist Marching Band, with some family members carrying enlarged photos of their loved ones who had been lost to war, to honor their memories. The Military Survivors Family organization marched as well.
St. Patrick was a man of peace, and would probably not smile at the tanks bristling with guns marching in his name; but I hope the joy and life and music of the St. Patrick’s Day Peace Parade would make him smile! In fact, a stand in for St. Patrick marched, chasing the “snakes” of racism, sexism, and greed away!
Occupy Boston, Occupy Holyoke, Occupy Quincy, and Occupy Everywhere answered the call as well. Colorful banners, Occupy drummers, and giant puppets marched in the bright sun.
The LGBT community marched, the group that most closely rivaled the Veterans for Peace in size. Their joy at being in the parade, together, and marching was a joy to behold. JoinTheImpactMA had a wonderful banner and decorated trolley.
Several churches marched in the Peace Parade as well. Among them were the Wellesley Friends Meeting Quakers, The Peace Abbey, and Theodore Parker Church of Roxbury.
The only political party to join in the march was the Green Rainbow Party.
Richard Smith and his wife Ann drove at the head of the parade in an open convertible, with a joyous and very senior member of the Veterans for Peace, Severyn Bruyn, leading the way!
More than a thousand revelers marched through the streets of Boston to joyful drumming and the playing of a brass band, with most bystanders making the peace sign and applauding.
Article by Deborah Sirotkin Butler
6 Responses to “More than a thousand march in the St. Patrick’s Day Peace Parade this year”
Thanks so much for being there, Occupy Boston and Occupy Everywhere!
A more complete listing of the faith-based marchers: Community Church of Boston (UU), Dignity/Boston (Catholic), First Church of Somerville (UCC), First Parish in Bedford (UU), Friends Meeting at Cambridge, North Shore Friends Meeting, Old Cambridge Baptist Church, Pax Christi (Catholic), Peace Abbey (multi-faith), Theodore Parker Church of West Roxbury (UU), Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover, Unitarian Universalist Society of Rockport, and Wellesley Friends Meeting. (There were probably others, but these folks were definitely there!)
As a member of VFP, it was a pleasure helping to assemble all of the groups that came on the parade with us. Everyone is welcome to the Peace Parade, the only requirement is being Peaceful. Than you all for coming down and marching with us in Solidarity as we seek to change the status quo and help usher in a new age of Peace and Wisdom.
We had a grand time and look forward to an even larger parade next year!
Add one more (my apologies): The Agape Community (Catholic).
There was also an independent political candidate – Peter White – independent for US Congress for MA 9th district.
Saint Patrick’s Day Peace Parade: A Day When The Words Veterans and Peace Came Together –Came Together Very Nicely- The Struggle Continues –On To May Day 2012
Thanks to all those who helped organize, marched in, donated funds to, donated time to, helped spread the word about, or just gave us their good wishes in the just concluded 2nd Annual Saint Patrick’s Peace Parade through the streets of South Boston on Sunday March 18th. Many of us have been through lots of protests and other street actions in the struggle against war, against inequality, and against injustice but our well-received march through the working-class neighborhoods of Southie ranks very high, very high indeed, in the annals of those struggles.
Of course no one event, even a parade of the army of the righteous to spread the word to the kindred, will turn the swords into plowshares, right the incredible disparity between the rich and poor, or give indignant voice to the oppressed and voiceless so the struggle continues. And continues in other forms on other days. So we throw our very pleasant memories in the back of our minds and roll up our sleeves for the next struggle. And I just happen to have an event for you to focus on- May Day 2012
May Day 2012 is a day, as we have dubbed it, when we want to show a different face of the struggle- the struggle against social and political inequality to the bosses. A day when the 99% shows the 1% that we created the wealth and we are ready to take it. It’s ours. A day when we say no work, no school, no shopping, no banking, and no chores (nobody will have a problem with that last one). More later. For now though-All Out On May Day
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From the General Strike Working Group of Occupy Boston:
Occupy May Day- A Day Without the 99%
On May 1st Occupy Boston calls on the 99% to strike, skip work, walk
out of school, and refrain from shopping, banking and business for a
day without the 99%.
NO WORK.
Request the day off. Call out sick. Small businesses are encouraged to
close for the day and join the rest of the 99% in the streets. If you
must work, don’t worry – there will be actions planned for all
hours of the day.
NO SCHOOL.
Walk out of class. Occupy the universities. Kick out the
administration. Participate in student strike actions or plan your
own. It’s your future. Own it.
BLOCK THE FLOW.
In the early hours on May 1st the 99% will converge on the Boston
Financial district for a day of direct action to demand an
end to corporate rule and a shift of power to the people. The
Financial District Block Party will start at 7:00 AM on the corner of
Federal Street & Franklin Street in downtown Boston. Banks and
corporations are strongly encouraged to close down for the day.
There will be a May Day rally at Boston City Hall Plaza at noon followed by
solidarity marches and other creative actions throughout the day.
EVERYONE TO THE STREETS!
We call upon all of the 99% to join in this day of action to demand an
end to corporate rule and a shift of power to the people. No work. No
school. No chores. No shopping. No banking. Let’s show the 1% that we
have the power. Let’s show the world a day without the 99%.
Thank you to the Vets for Peace and everyone who was a part of the Peace Parade – this is what democracy looks like! It was beautiful and inspiring!! We the People need to build a coalition of peace, human needs and rights, environment, union, and spiritual movements to bring on the non-violent VOTERS REVOLUTION that we need ASAP!! Please vote Green and independent in 2012!!