Mangling The Gala Parade, Louise Steinbach Ruins The Gala Parade

Gala Parade 2007
Now that the Gala Parade and Festival are over, what can we say about the Parade?? We know that the Peace Group and the Libertarian Party were not allowed to participate in the parade. This caused the Democratic Party to refuse to participate as well. So, what was in the parade? It was indeed entertaining, but much shorter. Only the Republican point of view was presented. I guess if one is a libertarian or espouses a view that the parade organizers and Louise Steinbach don’t share, then one cannot participate. This resulted in families who watched the parade being presented only one view. The Peace Group did have their float and it was off to the side in someone’s yard, but that hardly attracted anyone’s attention. A better way would be for them to take up their famous signs and bring up the rear of the parade, pretending that they were their own parade! But, this wasn’t done. Which would make anyone watching this parade think there was only one view in McHenry County and Crystal Lake- the Republican. Others just don’t count. One other thing? Supposedly the parade was not supposed to have any political views at all. What happened with that?? A white dove is not alright. Neither is a sign detailing how many young people sacrificed their lives in Iraq. But it WAS ok to have signs on floats asking God to bless the troops, or saying they support the troops. Whats the difference? How is that not political?? That is clearly a political sign showing support of the war effort, not just support of the troops. It would be hard to take it any other way, since it has been used in just such a way by a variety of organizations and political parties. So, that’s ok to have for Louise Steinbach. I guess that doesn’t go against her views.
I think, altogether, Louise Steinbach made a total fool of herself, as did those who supported her in this decision to ban certain groups. I read the letters in the NW Herald and not one person whose letter I read supported her decision.
And then one has to ask: when does it stop? We ban certain people whose views we don’t agree with, even though their peaceful and non-threatening, from participating in a parade. Why not ban spectators whose view we disagree with from watching the parade next year?? Why not ban books and movies that we disagree with the year after that. And so on. In a few years we won’t be any better off than any communist or fascist country. I thought the 4^th of July was about freedoms in this country, such as freedom of speech. I guess to Louise Steinbach and parade organizers, this freedom of speech only entails their own freedom to express only their own views and try to ban and quash any view that doesn’t agree with their limited thinking.

Political Statement!

Political Statement!

Louise Steinbach is Un-American, Gala Parade is run by ignorance, some are disappointed in sponsoring businesses

The people have spoken, but Louise Steinbach is still squashing the Freedom of Speech. Look at the reaction that people in our community have had to the way the parade has been hijacked by Loiuse Steinbach and made into a private event, open only to the views that she herself and the parade organizers espouse. This isn’t freedom. Its a shame to our McHenry County communities who attend the parade. I am also surprised that the sponsors(such as Miller, Holiday Inn, etc.) of the parade have tolerated Louise Steinbach’s ignorance as well. It is bad business to back an orginization of elitist views, more appropriate to pre-colonial England. Maybe next time before I reach for that Miller beer or decide to stay at a Holiday Inn, or to maybe even open up an account at Crystal Lake Bank, I might think twice about it, because they support an event that is against our very values that made America what it is.

Northwest Herald
To the Editor:
I can’t think of a more fitting way to honor the soldiers serving our country than making informed decisions about the true cost of this war – in dollars and human lives.
And for this reason, the Gala committee claims it is banning a peaceful group from participating in the parade. I would expect this type of intolerance in Iraq, not in the United States of America.
Bobbi Pierce
Crystal Lake

Northwest Herald
To the Editor:
As a child, I learned the 4th of July was for celebrating our independence. Our country has been admired for its freedoms, one being the freedom of speech.
I also had the impression that parades held around the Fourth, were for celebrating those liberties we cherish. However, Steinbach, of the Gala Festival, stated in the Northwest Herald: “This is not an Independence Day parade, this is a Gala Parade.” This is news to a great many people in Crystal Lake. The Gala’s Web site certainly looks like a celebration of Independence Day.
Consequently, the McHenry County Peace Group’s float, featuring the Statue of Liberty, was barred from this year’s parade because of last year’s float. It featured a dove, statistics of war dead, and the war’s cost in dollars.
There was no political statement. There is nothing in the Gala’s requirements that indicated statistics were unacceptable.
Last year’s float created no disturbance.
There was positive input along the parade route. It is ironic that a parade, once celebrating a very political act, no longer has anything to do with Independence Day. It appears the purpose of the parade has been hijacked by a small group of people. How sad.
Anthea Estergarad
Crystal Lake

Northwest Herald
To the Editor:
The Gala’s co-chairwoman says, “we like the parade to be, just fun … and things that are going to make people happy.” This is their justification for banning the McHenry County Peace Group from marching in the parade. Apparently the peace group’s signs in last year’s parade made a few people unhappy.
Can’t have that now, can we?
Or should we? The war the peace group reminded us of last year rages on. It continues to take American lives and dollars. To endure a moment of unhappiness seems a small price to pay in comparison to the ultimate sacrifice the parents of more than 3,000 American soldiers have made.
War should make us unhappy. For many Americans, this war is a remote thing, a news item. Most American’s lives have not been affected at all. Perhaps we need the peace group’s factual reminders of the sacrifices and costs of waging a war, for whatever reason.
It’s the Gala’s parade so they can have it their way. Their parade will have flags and fireworks, plenty of red-white-and blue, but apparently no reminders that we are a country at war.
Bill Weller
Crystal Lake

Northwest Herald
To the Editor:
Re: The Northwest Herald’s June 21 editorial “Gala wrong to ban group.”
I agree with the Northwest Herald’s superb editorial about the wrong-headed decision by the Gala organizers to un-invite the McHenry County Peace Group from the parade held every year around the Fourth of July. Each new edict by the Gala to avoid political controversy has left them drenched in it. It’s difficult for the Gala to transform the parade into an nonpolitical event. The theme ensures a political flavor, because it includes a VFW honor guard, bands playing patriotic marches, the waving of countless U.S. flags, and various political candidates (except Democrats this year).
The peace group has been dead right about the Iraq war and that unnerves some people.
Ernest Hemingway once called his Oak Park hometown a community of “broad lawns and narrow minds.”
To modify that expression, the Gala organizers possess “broad misconceptions and narrow minds.”
The organizers have said that the Peace Group’s actions offend military families. I doubt that. Most of them are tired and anxious. They yearn for an end to the Iraq conflict. For example, our family is related to a military one, and we so wish our nephew wasn’t headed back to Iraq for the third time.
Jim Bauman
Crystal Lake

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