Anne H. Oman
Reporter-At-Large
May 4, 2017 10:06 p.m.
Nobody rained on the 54th Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival’s Pirate Parade, despite a brief but fierce shower that delayed its start by a few minutes. And nobody threw cold water on it either, despite the presence, on the double porches of a yellow house on Ash Street, of members and sympathizers of two groups whose applications to march in the parade were rejected: Indivisible Nassau and the Women’s March.
Sheila Cocchi said she filed applications for both groups to sponsor floats and march in the parade and received one letter rejecting the applications of both groups, only two days after the applications were submitted. The letter, signed by parade director Billie Childers, read: “It is the policy of the Shrimp Festival Committee that our event does not permit the participants to express individual personal political opinions with pro or con. Therefore your parade application has been denied…”
“The point was that we wanted to be included,” Ms. Cocchi said in an interview. “We are people who volunteer in the community – we’re a civic group. But Shrimp Festival Chairman Harry Harrison said to us ‘I know about the march and I know about your agenda.’ In effect, he said we were unwelcome. It’s offensive to my sensibilities that they said we weren’t family-oriented.”
She pointed out that more than a thousand people marched in the January 21 parade, many in family groups. The “not family oriented” charge may have stemmed from an incident in the parade where one young woman removed her shirt to show a bodice in which only the nipples were covered with pasties. Police on the scene made the judgment that the woman was “in compliance.
Indivisible Nassau is one of a national network of some 7,000 local groups set up in the wake of the Trump election. On its website, the local group, which has more than 500 Facebook members, says it is “dedicated to making our members of Congress aware of their constituents’ opposition to Trump’s agenda.”
After some spirited discussion the groups decided not to boycott the parade.
“We support the Shrimp Festival,” said Ms. Cocchi. “It does a lot of good in the community.”
Instead, the groups invited their followers to gather at the Ash Street house “to show our support for our community and our values — Let’s gather and demonstrate our “agenda”: Equality, Justice, Inclusion, the importance of Science and the Environment.”
And gather they did—on the porches draped with rainbow and American flags, plus one depicting the iconic Rosie the Riveter and decorated with colorful, but not overtly political signs: Ultimate Shrimp Need a Clean Environment. Shrimp Are Color Blind. Many Shrimp, One Ocean. Some supporters, their number but not their enthusiasm dampened by the threat of rain, spilled from the porches to the sidewalk that lined the route.
As the Jacksonville Firefighters Club, clad in kilts, blew out “The Wearing of the Green” on their bagpipes, Tom Larsen sat in a beach chair with a sign that read “Quality Men Support Women’s Rights.” His quality wife, Charlotte Fries, wearing a Lorax-themed “I speak for the trees,” shirt, explained that “we were denied the float but thought we should be here anyway.”
The design for the float submitted by Indivisible Nassau showed Abraham Lincoln in pirate gear, two American flags and three shrimp – in red, white and blue. The group planned to have people dressed as shrimp dancing on the float. The Women’s March design incorporated a pink float with rainbow-motif shrimp. No political messages were to be included, according to the organizers.
According to the official Pirate Parade rules, “all entries are required to commemorate the shrimping industry …. The Pirate Parade may not be used as a public forum to air personal or grievances or to protest any issue. This is a family friendly Parade and controversial subjects that could be interpreted as offensive will not be permitted….”
“We read the rules and conformed to them,” said Ms. Cocchi.
Asked for a comment on the rejection, Pirate Parade Director Billie Childers said: “You are confused about the process to enter the Shrimp Festival Pirate Parade. We do not approve or disapprove any entry’s float. We do approve or reject parade applications.”
In an email reply to a follow-up question she said: “I do not make the final decision. I do the research then turn the information over to the Shrimp Festival Executive Board and they vote on accepting or rejecting new applications.”
The members of the executive board who reportedly voted unanimously to reject the applications of the two groups are Harry Harrison, Dawn Lunt, Pat Kaminski, Mary Sikes, Ralph Watson, Hope Harbin, and Roger Wasik.
Controversy is not new to the Pirate Parade. In 2014, the Fernandina Observer reported on a man dressed in black brandishing a bull whip as part of the Sons of Confederate Veterans float. Although the Sons of Confederate Veterans said he represented the Florida “crackers,” who traditionally rounded up cattle with whips, to some parade goers, the man with a whip was reminiscent of slave overseers. Ms. Childers, who was in charge of the parade than as now, told the Observer at that time that she was not aware of the whip and would not have permitted it.
“I certainly do not want to offend anyone attending the parade,” she added.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans did not have a float in the parade this year.
The United Daughters of the Confederacy did sponsor a float: ladies in picture hats and long dresses, gathered around a pitchers of (presumably) ersatz mint juleps floated by, as porch dwellers waved signs saying: Health Care for All Shrimp, Shrimps Love America. And All Shrimp Are =.
Linda Green, an accomplished local artist, held one of the edgier signs: Make Gumbo, Not War.
“I made some more political signs, but I’m keeping them rolled up under my arm,” she said.
The only overtly partisan plumage was an Obama/Biden hat worn by one of the men on the porch, but no one seemed to take umbrage.
Strollers in pirate garb passed out Mardi Gras beads, small American flags, tootsie rolls and toothbrushes, while more conventionally dressed types handed out business cards. Young gymnastics pupils turned cartwheels in the street, and city commissioners waved from self-driven golF carts. As some young habitues of the Fernandina Beach Skate Park careened past, spectators stepped cautiously back on the curb. Mr. Larsen, a Navy Veteran, saluted as a military honor guard marched by.
Some of the members of a contingent from UF Health, sporting blue t-shirts, gave high-fives to the porch people.
Pirates on a ship on wheels shot noisy guns into the air, and other participants blasted the crowed more gently with soap bubbles. Karate kids and flamingo-hatted Women’s Club memberss streamed by, while little mermaids were pulled in wagons.
Sheila Cocchi, arriving late after a full day of work and logistical problems, organized photos on the porch. Asked about next steps, she said: “ My overall point is to make sure this conversation continues. My intent is to reach out to sponsors, like Baptist Medical Center Nassau, after the event. Many big corporate sponsors have diversity programs they adhere to. They may want to rethink their sponsorships.”
In addition to Baptist Medical Center Nassau, which is the Presenting Sponsor, sponsors include Geico, VyStar Credit Union, Challenge Butter, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, Florida Public Utilities, Brett’s, the Residence Inn, Verizon and others.
Editor’s Note: Anne H. Oman relocated to Fernandina Beach from Washington, D.C. Her articles have appeared in The Washington Post, The Washington Star, The Washington Times, Family Circle and other publications.
Ah, ‘family friendly,’ that wonderful catch all phrase used to signal ‘old time values:’ women in the kitchen (preferably barefoot and pregnant), patriarchal rules, and white supremacy. In what alternate universe (here on the island obviously) are mint julips ‘family friendly’ while groups who support women, working mothers, and human rights for all are not ‘family friendly’?
The other reason given for rejecting the two groups was that their floats did not reflect the history of the shrimping industry here. Another alternative universe appears here when we have the Jacksonville Firefighters Club, playing an Irish tune (one written to encourage the rebellion in Ireland) is seen as somehow tied to the shrimping industry and commemorating rebellion/warfare as a ‘family friendly’ value.
Seems as if the parade committee is using its power to further divide our island and push their own ‘agenda.’ Sad.
Agree totally with Nancy’s and other’s comments. The inclusion of other organizations with a controversial history (i.e. UDC) to the exclusion of these two groups just doesn’t pass muster. Heck, one could argue that any pirate theme is not family friendly since the real pirates engaged in murder, smuggling and human trafficing. No, there shouldn’t be political signs on a float, but from what I read about these organization’s design, there was none.
We will see what happens next year but I believe the parade Executive Board needs to examine the parade’s policies and their personal agendas and become more accommodating to others that think somewhat differently.
When the Tea-Party first organized on the Island, they were allowed to have a float in the Shrimp Fest Parade. (I remember because I wrote a letter to the NewsLeader Editor that they published and titled: “Not Her Cup of Tea.” Clever!) How was that not political? On this island it’s always, if it smells Republican, then it’s ok, but if it’s anything else, it’s not allowed. Shame on the Parade committee for adhering to such backward and divisive rules.