NOT TO BE mean-spirited, but did anyone else find parts of Tuesday’s Christmas parade a little noisy?
It’s always been a loud parade, from the early days when many of the entries were semi-trailer trucks gussied up with Christmas lights and blaring their air horns. But this year, it seemed even louder.
Perhaps the problem is the proliferation of floats with amplified music systems. They seem to be in competition to see who can be the loudest. Meanwhile, the live singers that are riding other floats are drowned out. Put an overamplified float next to a couple of trucks and the resulting din sounds like gridlock in midtown Manhattan — the one in New York, not the one in Riley County.
It used to be that the loudest units in any Christmas parade were the bands, playing their bright march versions of carols and winter songs. That seemed just about the right noise level for the occasion. After all, nobody wants to go to a silent parade in the dark, unless it’s a spooky Halloween procession. But nobody wants Emporia’s children deafened, either.
Next year, let’s tone it down. That wouldn’t be difficult. Just take a meter and find out how loud the Spartan Marching Pride is when it plays “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and make that noise level the top end for all entries in the parade. Groups and business entries could still play amplified music — they’d just have to turn it down a few notches. Truck drivers would have to temper their enthusiasm on the horns.
Then, maybe people standing 10 feet away would be able to hear the carolers and to hear the bands approaching a couple of blocks away. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Sorry, I can’t hear you. You’ll have to speak up.
create (anonymous) says...
Ahhhh, first second-hand smoke, now noise pollution.
December 4, 2008 at 5:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I hate to say it, "But I told you so", the complaining about what other people do or do not do, according to an individuals, group of individuals and their followers way of thinking, has started, next will come more bans and loss of more "RIGHTS and FREEDOMS". The day of " BIG BROTHER" is upon us all and the sad thing is, once it starts, there will be no stopping it.
The only consolation is, at my age I will probably not live long enough to see or experience the worst of it. The only thing is, I feel very sorry for my children, grand children and everyone else's future generations that will experience the absolute insanity that is to come and not be able to experience the rights and freedoms that the founders of this country fought for, sacrificed much for and believed that each and every citizen of this country should have, was and is entitled to through the "BILL OF RIGHTS" and the "CONSTITUTION".
December 4, 2008 at 9:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
Sadly, Methusla, you are absolutely correct.
"We cannot expect the Americans to jump from capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving Americans small doses of socialism until they suddenly awake to find they have Communism."
- Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushchev, 1959
December 4, 2008 at 10:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Most parades are celebrations and most celebrations are noisy affairs and have been for decades. If you don't like the noise, you will have to stay at home and watch the parade on t.v..
OOOPS ! I forgot that would be depriving you of your "RIGHT" to "FREEDOM OF CHOICE".
GEEE, maybe noisy parades or parades in general will be the next ban on someones agenda or Fourth of July, or the County Fair or maybe even New Years and so on and so on !
December 5, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
Time for a little
"Silent PATRICK KELLY"
My God man do you have nothing better to write about than complaints about Emporia's Christmas Parade?
Are you going to complain that the fireworks next 4th of July are to bright and they might blind someone next?
December 5, 2008 at 10:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
EmporiaMom3 (anonymous) says...
Well, I do apologize if our music was a bit loud on our float. However, I watched a lot of people as we went by, both young and old, smiling and dancing to the music. Seemed to me that more people were enjoying the festive occassion than covering their ears.
December 5, 2008 at 8:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slipandslide (anonymous) says...
I liked this years parade, every entry was interesting.
December 10, 2008 at 1:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )