Several years ago when the American Legion failed to obtain a permit in time for the Veterans Day parade, the parade moved from Main Street to Montezuma. I wrote to the Journal hoping to get the parade moved back to Main. Last year a small group of local veterans approached the Legion hoping to persuade them to move to parade back to Main and were turned down. We then formed an organization with a parade committee and set our sights on 2015.
It’s our belief that by having the parade on Main Street, it lets all the schools south of Main attend without students having to cross an uncontrolled major highway. It makes it possible for all Main Street businesses and their customers to show their support for veterans , and gives veterans and their families the respect they deserve.
This month after obtaining all the necessary permits, insurance, city approval and the school board allowing early dismissal on Veterans Day, we contacted the Legion in hopes that they would take an active part in putting on the parade as they have in the past. Their response was to have their own separate parade creating a logistical nightmare for the city police department.
On Aug. 20 Chief Roy Lane called a meeting between the Legion, VFW, DAV, city manager and events coordinator, county service officer and our veterans group. At this meeting John Shriner of the Legion presented his response to our invitation, basically calling our group a bunch of subversive low-lifes trying to divide the citizens of Montezuma County. I asked Legion commander Marv Hermanns, “If I present a petition with 2,000 signatures, would the Legion reconsider?” The response was a flat-out “No.”
The outcome of the meeting was that Chief Lane has agreed to provide our organization and all who care to join us with a police escort from the cemetery down Main to the Greer Memorial and then join the Montezuma parade. I welcome any one to join us on Main and Montezuma to show how unified Montezuma County is in supporting its veterans.
Jim Cooper
Cortez