Pioneer Day Parade

       Saturday May 3, 2008 was the Pioneer Day Parade. This is always a big deal for Chico, and has a longer tradition than even International Festival. There was a much bigger crowd because the event is not associated with the university anymore and so the whole town knows it is invited. There were many people dressed as pioneers, and even a city bus was dressed up like a wagon in a wagon train. There were many old cars that were fun to look at, and also marching bands and other musicians. It was really interesting seeing floats which are big displays that are put on trucks. I have seen parades in movies and on television but I have never seen one up close, so this was pretty nice for me to experience. The people were so happy all the day. 

      What was so great about the parade was that I could go home and tell my family what I saw. They see Americans on television as only people who voted for Bush twice and support the war in Iraq. They see Americans as only people filled with hate and have no joy or love in their hearts. What I could tell them is that they are people who love their city and their culture and heritage, just as we do back home. They take their kids and have a good day but at the same time I saw people with shirts with sayings on them and heard them talking about how unhappy they were with their government. The Americans do want to change their country back to the hope and promise it had during the pioneer days, but they are not going to have a violent change of government. They believe in the democracy and they believe in America, even though they are discouraged at this time. I saw America as the Americans see it. Bush would call these voices subalterns, but I believe it was a voice that is growing louder every day.