Military Parades
Matt Seinberg

Everyone loves a good parade. My favourites include the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and most any parade at Walt Disney World. How can we forget parades through New York City's Canyon of Heroes, held when our sports teams, the Yankees, Mets, Rangers, Devils, Island, Nets or Knicks, win.

NYC is due for a championship parade.

Yes, it's been a while since we've had any of these, but our time will soon come. Yet, New York City has held parades for "conquering heroes, such as astronauts and genuine heroes, such as President Dwight Eisenhower.

When I visited Disney World, there were great parades, including the nighttime Main Street Electrical Parade and any parade during the day that celebrates our favourite mice, Mickey and Minnie.

The parades that I am not in favour for are to show the world our military might, such as what President Trump wants to do sometime this year. The cost, of his military parade, estimated at $10-to-30 million dollars, is way out of line. That is an insane amount of money better spent elsewhere.

Military parades are for despots.

The Nazis and Communists held such parades during World War 2. Soviet Russia did so as well during the Cold War. North Korea continues to hold such parades because its Supreme Leader Kim Jung Un is megalomaniac.

What is the justification for our government to have such a parade? To show the world how great we are and that we can't be defeated?

The world already knows that our president is crazy, and can spin on a dime and change his mind on a moment’s notice.

I for one am scared silly that our president is teetering on the precipice of declaring war on some country at any moment for no reason at all. North Korea is his target. I don't believe we will have a summit with them. John Bolton, the new National Security Advisor to the White House, will likely push to get the summit over and move on, quickly, to threatening military action.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff told the president a parade was a bad idea and the logistics of it, along with the cost, isn't worth the fanfare. They also said they would not include tanks, for the simple reason that their treads would tear up the streets of Washington, DC.

I'm sure any Trump supporter is yelling to the stars about supporting our military; about how we should show our support in a big way. Isn't that what Memorial Day is all about? Many towns and cities have their own parades, showing their appreciation for those brave men and women who served in the military.

Do our current soldiers feel the need for a parade? I doubt it. They should know how the public feels about them in protecting our freedom and protecting us from evil forces that want to ruin our way of life.

There are better uses for $30 million.

I say, take that $30 million dollars and use it to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and protect the general population from terrorism. Don't let an egomaniacal president spend a ridiculous amount of money just to glorify his presidency.