Scranton held its annual Amerd Forces parade Saturday morning. As you can see from this shot on Courthouse Square, few people were there to watch. Weather was no excuse. There was just a slight chill in the air, but it was mostly sunny. Just a few big puffy clouds drifted over downtown.
What does the poor turnout, something that happens year after year, tell us?
A parade is great, and it's wonderful that we honor the men and women of the military, past and present, but perhaps, there's a better way to do it.
Block off a couple streets. Display military equipment. Have concerts. Ice cream. Hot dogs. Flags. Make it an all day affair, rather than just an hour long celebration. Do it near the Veterans home on Penn Avenue, so they can enjoy the show, and we can drop by to say "thank you."
The bottom line is that a poorly attended parade is better than none at all. However, when I look at the crowd, I have a nagging feeling that we can do something different and better.
