Had Norman Rockwell ever spent the Fourth of July in the mountains of North Carolina, I suspect he would have found his way to Montreat.
Each year, a surprisingly large crowd gathers for Montreat’s Independence Day parade. Clubs groups paint faces and wear costumes while decorated bicycles and vintage cars navigate the route and crowds. Neighbors and friends greet one another along sidewalks lined with chairs. Thousands watch, celebrating a tradition that reminds us of what can be sustained – relationships, community, patriotism – by simple rituals repeated year after year.
Preserving that spirit is not always as simple as it sounds. Several years ago, a group of young adults registered to participate in the parade, arriving in a classic convertible and taking their assigned place in line. Only after the parade began, when campaign signs were unfurled, did we realize they were promoting a then-little-known presidential candidate (Bernie Somebody, as I recall…). I received a grumpy email or two about the float’s inclusion but otherwise, the “controversy” passed about as quickly as the parade itself.
On one level, concerns were understandable. Overt campaigning would change the character of the event, shifting the focus from a shared celebration of community to partisan persuasion.
And yet, ten years later I still remember feeling a little uncomfortable with the paradox – among the freedoms we celebrate on the holiday is the freedom to express one’s convictions, even when others disagree. In fact, the parade itself is its own political expression of civic values and aspirations. Anyone who has lived for a time in a country where such freedoms are severely limited understands that gathering publicly for a parade can be a bold and meaningful political statement.
This year, prompted by a couple of inquiries, I looked at our parade application guidelines for the first time in years. Yes, commercial and political advertising are prohibited; I was grateful to observe that language. Also prohibited, however, are “entries that might be considered offensive to any groups or individuals.”
If asked, I’d be mightily reluctant to enforce this second provision except in the most extreme circumstances. Reasonable people often disagree about what is offensive, making such judgments inherently subjective. My sense is that we should err on the side of allowing expression rather than restricting it. A healthy community makes room for both celebration and expression. Neither is well served if the other disappears.
Do these questions regularly come to my desk? No, thank goodness. Our parade committee, representing not only the conference center but other groups and institutions, does an excellent job of managing things so that, as our sweet little parade winds through town, you can enjoy it, delight in the painted faces and the floats, hear the familiar music, and the revel in the gathering along the streets.
As you do, just be mindful that our gathering also points to a country still striving toward the promise of “a more perfect Union.” Celebrate the freedoms we have with humility about the work that remains. Happy Fourth of July!
Richard DuBose
President, Montreat Conference Center