There was a big Saint Patrick’s Day parade in town (Delray Beach, FL) yesterday that, like almost all cultural events in the U.S. these days, was completely taken over by government bureaucrats and turned into an exercise in state worship and propagandizing. The two-hour parade was composed of almost nothing but scores and scores of cops and firemen. (Why do firemen have to march, by the way? Do they march into house fires?). There was no mention of Saint Patrick, or any hint that the holiday was even named after a saint. Quite the opposite: The crowd was filled with loud, cussing drunks, women dressed like strippers, a few cross dressers, etc. There were of course gigantic American flags everywhere, people singing the Star Spangled Banner, a few soldiers dressed in camouflage.
The biggest spectacle was dozens of grossly overpaid, sweaty, male government bureaucrats dressed in little Catholic school girl skirts blowing hot air through pipes. I refer to all the “firefighters” dressed in kilts playing bagpipes. (Why do so many “firefighters” learn to play the bagpipes? Do they play them while watching houses burn?).
The one entertaining event was a live band composed of some young guys who were really talented musicians. They played in a park where there were many families and children dancing around. Everyone was really enjoying their music. The boorish firemen kept approaching the stage, however, to ask when they were taking a break. I heard the lead singer say they weren’t taking a break, but were paid to play straight through. Well, the “firefighters,” who had just spent two hours playing their bagpipes in the parade, just couldn’t stand that. About 50 of them marched right up to the stage with bagpipes blasting, chased the young band members away, and took over to play “Amazing Grace” as a way to “honor our troops” as well as themselves. Boy, did the woman standing in front of me give me a dirty look when I said, “The hell with all of them.”
6:52 am on March 18, 2012
