I attended the Veterans Day Parade down Van Giesen Street in West Richland on Nov. 5 with my family. We had a good time applauding our veterans and enlisted men and women. My youngest daughter was parked on the curb and eagerly waited for the candy to come flying her way.

The participants in the parade were pretty standard for a smaller city parade. There were veterans of course, classic cars, Boy and Girl scouts, marching bands from local high schools and middle schools, the Shriners in tiny cars and people on horseback.

I saw one group represented in the parade that shocked and angered me, however. A man dressed as Uncle Sam holding a giant sign stating "taxed enough already" walking along side a car touting a sign stating, "Richland Tea Party." How could the parade organizers allow such an obvious political statement into a parade that is meant to celebrate the men and women of our military?

Our vets fight for our freedoms to express ourselves, to have our own political and religious views, but to allow such a slanted view into a celebration of our veterans is absolutely absurd. Those around me shared the same opinion, reflected largely by the sound of their boos.

Joshua Flowers, Kennewick