First round of photos of PAN at the Harrisburg Parade
Here’s the first batch of photos, with captions from Carl Silverman. I’ll be going through the second round and get them captioned and posted tomorrow.
-
- We had 17 members (including 2 kids and 1 dog) in the PA Nonbelievers’ contingent in Harrisburg’s 2010 St. Patrick’s Day Parade, held on Saturday, March 17. (L-R) Julianne Burke (partially out of frame), Ian Fields, Doug Diggens, Mikki Weidman (kneeling), Pam Zerba, Matt Juba, Veronica Taylor, Carl Huber, Shannon Fields, George Zerba, Yolanda Forry, Gail Crow, Jane Kelly, Dennis S. Not shown: Brian Fields, Steve Neubauer, Carl Silverman.
-
- Being a new group to the parade we were placed in the last of 4 sections of the parade. That gave us lots of time to kill until it was time to “move out” to the parade route.
-
- Notice “St. Patrick” immediately behind our event banner. The Green Pope looked sort of disenfranchised, so we told him not to fear us atheists. He said he didn’t.
-
- PA Nonbelievers’ Berks County Director Jane Kelly hand crocheted this sweater and beret. On the back of the sweater: “Atheist Ireland”, crocheted with the scarlet A on “Atheist”. Not long ago Jane was an Old Order Mennonite from rural Pennsylvania Dutch country. Now she is one of the most “militant” atheists in Pennsylvania—and here she looks the part!
-
- Veronica Taylor (left) and Shannon Fields carried our organization banner.
-
![Here, with the Pennsylvania State Capitol in the background, (L-R) Matt Juba, PAN president Steve Neubauer, PAN treasurer Yolanda Forry, former PAN secretary Carl Huber, and PAN vice president George Zerba, under the watchful eye of "St. Patrick" (in the rear [pun intended]).](http://www.panonbelievers.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_4769-150x150.jpg)
- Here, with the Pennsylvania State Capitol in the background, (L-R) Matt Juba, PAN president Steve Neubauer, PAN treasurer Yolanda Forry, former PAN secretary Carl Huber, and PAN vice president George Zerba, under the watchful eye of “St. Patrick” (in the rear [pun intended]).
![Here, with the Pennsylvania State Capitol in the background, (L-R) Matt Juba, PAN president Steve Neubauer, PAN treasurer Yolanda Forry, former PAN secretary Carl Huber, and PAN vice president George Zerba, under the watchful eye of "St. Patrick" (in the rear [pun intended]).](http://www.panonbelievers.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_4769.jpg)
-
- Longtime PAN member Gail Crow (right) is never hesitant to express her opinion.
-
- (L-R) PAN vice president George Zerba, PAN president Steve Neubauer, PAN treasurer Yolanda Forry, former PAN secretary Carl Huber.
-
- As we reached the starting point of the event, parade marshal Charles Shields (center) informed us that when we registered for the parade, some people weren’t sure we should be allowed in the parade. But, Shields, an attorney, told them that we were the most important group in the entire parade, and that it’s time for people to stand up for rational thinking. Shields told us he was the organizer of the parade for the first four years of its existence.
-
- It took about 1 1/4 hr. to reach the starting point and the first glimpse of the crowds.
-
- Our event banner emphasized the brotherhood that PA Nonbelievers (as well as other American atheist groups) have with our “kindred spirits” in Atheist Ireland. Note that the leafs of a three-leafed shamrock normally represents the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We decided that the leaves really stand for more important and rational ideas.
-
- The three young people on the wall cheered loudly for us. We had many people cheering for us, or giving us the “thumbs up” along the route, and only a few hecklers yelling, “You suck.”
-
- Here our group passes the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, site of the infamous Dover “intelligent design” trial of 2005.
-
- Waiting to turn onto Second St., the main section of the parade route. Numerous crowds in front of bars cheered us on–and probably a few sober people too.
-
- Finally on Second St. On the parade lineup we were sequenced between a rugby team and a fire department.
-
- Jane Kelly (wearing her crocheted Atheist Ireland sweater and beret) watches as our event banner catches up.
-
- When we reached the reviewing stand, we turned to the judges for them to see our banners. The man in the black suit is Steve Reed, the past mayor of Harrisburg. Sitting to his left (obscured in this photo) is a bishop (we think) of a local church. The mayor and the bishop were stonefaced in our presence, unlike their smiling reactions to an Irish dance school and the rugby team immediately preceding us. Holding the organization banner are (L-R) Shannon Fields, and Veronica Taylor, accompanied by PAN board member Pam Zerba. Shannon’s brother, Ian Fields, passes behind the banner.
-
- A cheering (and perhaps drunk?) crowd in front of the Firehouse Restaurant, near the end of the parade route.
Written by: Brian
March 21st, 2010 in Activism, Atheism, Church / State Separation, Get involved, Photos | tags: Atheist, Atheist Ireland, Blasphemy, Ireland, PAN, Photos, St. Patrick's Day
March 21st, 2010 in Activism, Atheism, Church / State Separation, Get involved, Photos | tags: Atheist, Atheist Ireland, Blasphemy, Ireland, PAN, Photos, St. Patrick's Day
