Anyone depressed, discouraged, or bewildered by the present state of the national psyche ought to attend a parade in Vermont.
I’ve been attending the parade on Memorial Day in Middlebury most years for more than four decades, and it’s still what it is meant to be: a celebration of community and an expression of pride.
There was the Middlebury Union High School band, stepping smartly to a tune by Stevie Wonder arranged for marching band. Their uniforms were hot, and their hats were awkward to wear. But they were in tune and together, and they started off the parade with spirit and style.
What followed was a procession of community members presenting themselves to fellow community members as if to say: Look at us. This is what we do. We’re good at it. We enjoy it. And here’s some candy.
These included the fire departments from several towns, fire trucks polished to brilliant red, kids riding in the cab, waving to their friends. The firefighters are proud of what they do, and they were showing us that they were, and the parade watchers could appreciate it.
There was the Little League team. There was the youth hockey association. There was the Zamboni.
There were fewer politicians than usual. Sen. Bernie Sanders wasn’t there, though over the years he has been a frequent marcher. Rep. Becca Balint wasn’t there, though when she was running last year, she was an enthusiastic shaker of hands. There were a couple of state senators, plus the state treasurer and secretary of state, though it was uncertain if anybody knew who they were. Local Democrats showed themselves, but not the Republicans.
But politics was not the point. The anger, nastiness and cynicism that pervade the national dialogue were absent and seemed irrelevant. To those who form their identity out of their hostility toward some other group or faction, the parade had an answer: Get real; there’s a place for all of us.
That included the tuneful corps of bagpipers and the young members of the fife and drum corps. It included Miss Vermont USA, a role that might seem anachronistic — but there she was, smiling and waving, in tiara and sparkly blue gown. There was a whole corps of little kids on skateboards and scooters, scooting by to promote a skatepark project.
Kids in parades feel looked at, which sometimes makes them feel awkward, self-conscious, embarrassed. But their parents are proud, which is good for them to know. My daughter felt embarrassed in her hot uniform and awkward hat with the Middlebury band some years ago, but she was part of a strong and dependable trumpet section, and I was one of those picture-taking parents.
People bring old cars to parades. They’re proud of them. That included the gleaming black 1952 Cadillac that reminded me of the black 1950 Buick that was the first car I remember. It included a vintage antique, presumably from the 1920s, with a trunk strapped to the back.
More massively, there was the giant John Deere tractor and the two impressive shiny-coated draft horses pulling the antique fire wagon.
The largest representation in numbers was probably the contingent from the Friends of the Ilsley Library. The library! That’s something to be proud of.
The ambulance services were there. And so were people from the elderly services. And the Lions Club and the Rotary Club, which was celebrating its campaign against polio.
Of course, the Shriners were there with their silly little cars, celebrating silliness but calling attention to themselves and the good works that they do. The kids among the spectators must have been surprised and delighted to see the grown-ups behaving like kids. The marchers and spectators were joined by the good humor and pride animating the whole event.
The nation and world are contending with numerous grievous ills. They remain to be addressed. But if people at the grass roots could see all the ways that bonds of community unite us — working together to drive the fire trucks and ambulances, coach baseball and hockey, staff the library, raise the crops, serve the elderly, and educate the children — we’d have a solid foundation for taking on those ills, arguing among ourselves in good faith about the best way to proceed but remembering first of all that we are a community.
Memorial Day is about remembering those who have fallen in battle. But the day’s parades are about remembering those still serving, which in one way or another is nearly all of us. It’s worth celebrating.