OCCUPY the ML King Parade in San Diego
Sunday, January 15 2012
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Alongside the San Diego Harbor
Grape Street and Harbor Blvd
San Diego, CA
Restore the true message of Martin Luther King
The once great San Diego Martin Luther King Parade has fallen in recent years from its noble stature, into a near-perversion of it original purpose. In the parade this year on Sunday, January 15th, OCCUPY will change that with your help.
Since 2005 the liberal forces for peace, justice and Constitutional rights have abandoned the parade as it has become a scandalous promotion for the military-police and government security organizations. In the early days of the Bush Wars, over 1,500 peace marchers dominated the parade. In the last several years the parade has been dominated by every conceivable government organization from local police departments, Homeland Security, CIA, FBI, ROTC bands, and units from all military branches.
In recent years the parade has become dominated by these anti-peace, anti-justice and anti-free speech forces, as progressive organizations have dropped out. The very forces which vilified, harassed, beat, jailed and oppressed Dr. King’s movement now practically dominate the parade.
OCCUPY seeks to restore the parade?s magnanimous purpose, to honor the civil rights movement and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.
We plan to OCCUPY the parade once again and make a strong, positive statement for the principles and causes for which Dr. King fought and died for.
OCCUPY forces in San Diego are asking all who love liberty, peace, justice and respect personal dignity to return en masse and join in the actual parade. Several marching contingents and organizations have made invitations so far, including two colleges, and a couple of churches. The Vets for Peace, ever the valiant supporters of OCCUPY across the country, will also be marching in the San Diego Parade.
More details on the precise meetup point on Harbor Blvd will be forthcoming shortly. Just be prepared: This is general information about the parade .
Hat tip to the Progressive Post
See our earlier post.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
It will be interesting to see.
If only MLK’s message was still alive. What happened to judge a person by their character, not by the color of their skin?
Veteran’s for Peace are hosting a Martin Luther Day Parade and would like all supporters of Martin Luther King and anti-war supporters to join. Here is the info:
Dear Vets, supporters and marchers.
We are officially in the parade. The parade will start at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday Jan. 15. The staging area for the parade will be the County Administrative Bldg. on Harbor Drive. This is the same location for the Vets Parade. We need to be there no later than 1:15-1:30 per Bob Matthews the organizer.
The rules for the Vets Day parade state no protest signs or anything anti-war etc. I do not believe those rules apply here. So signs like “Health Care Not War”, “Jobs Not War” or quotes from MLK are appropriate. Joe Crews is bring a sign that says “Free Bradley Manning”, I believe that is appropriate. Joe is also bring some Occupy folks from North County. Thanks Joe. Dave Gapp will contact local OSD and invite them to march as well. Nonetheless, I believe it necessary that we adhere to the principles of non-violence as stated in our Mission
Statement which is certainly also the message of MLK. So any signs suggesting violence will not be allowed.
Is anyone making signs with MLK quotes?
If I get more info, I will pass it along. Thanks for everyone’s interest. Please be there Sunday to honor Dr. King and our principles.
Barry Ladendorf
President SDVFP
Great article, and aptly describes the militarization of the MLK parade that my wife and I witnessed the last two years. We were so mad after watching 2010 MLK Parade, that we went to protest at the 2011 MLK Parade. There were literally hundreds of Border Patrol, Immigration Customs Enforcement ATV’s & Vehicles/Personnel in “parade formation”, marching alongside the FBI contingent. Scores of Junior ROTC units with all their kids being “brainwashed” by the Security Industrial Complex/State! Come and join the VFP contingent this year to counterbalance this terrible evolution of his ideals, and show that peaceful protest is the best way to remember Dr. King.
I think the parade was at 11. Is it at 2?