George Rebane

We just returned from the annual 4th of July parade in beautiful downtown Nevada City.  It was ‘our’ turn to have the parade this year and next year it will be held in Grass Valley, our neighboring town and Nevada County’s big city.  It was ever thus, and this year it was no different – a glorious affair for all.  The custom around here is that you either watch the parade or march in it.  The whole community is always there, and there is no rule against anyone’s participation. You got a funny old car, belong to a club or group, or just want to show off your patriotic outfit, then just sign up and you’re in.  Actually, there are some minimal rules which you probably learned in kindergarten – keep your place in line, don’t crowd, and don’t bite anybody.

Nevada County loves parades.  Heck, we’ll throw a parade for almost any occasion and have a whole slew of them already lined up in both towns every year – ‘Hey, Sam is retiring from the Fire Department, let’s have a parade!’  But what makes these parades so special is that they include people with some pretty strong and different feelings about what’s wrong with the county and the country, and what to do about it.  When they’re not parading, they’re at some meeting or assembly or writing letters or blogs lambasting the other side, often using language not heard in polite company.  And then suddenly everyone lines up at the top of Broad Street, a band starts playing, and off they go all smiles as if they really loved one another.

I guess our ability to do that on a regular basis is a good indication that we know we’re all neighbors and fellow citizens in the greatest country ever.  Our country works because we all make it work.  Here in Nevada County, and I suspect other places as well, it’s good to have a parade now and then; it keeps tabs on how well we’re all hanging together through thick and thin.

So today we celebrated Uncle Sam’s 232nd birthday in grand style; and all of us hope that in our historic town a hundred years from now people will still stand and choke up a bit when Old Glory goes by at the start of yet another parade.