At Annapolis parade, press gets big cheers
Present, former Capital Gazette staff welcomed at July 4 celebration
On the holiday when American freedoms are celebrated, spectators at the Annapolis Independence Day parade reserved their biggest cheers for freedom of the press — specifically, as practiced by their hometown newspaper.
A few dozen current and former journalists from the Capital Gazette — some with tears in their eyes — marched down Main Street to the sound of supportive whistles, hollers and applause.
Last week the newspaper offices became the scene of the nation’s latest mass shooting when a Laurel man with a grudge against the paper attacked the newsroom with a shotgun, killing five employees, according to police.
On Wednesday night, the newspaper staff chose to march in the parade as a
show of solidarity with a community.
Rick Hutzell, The Capital’s editor, said journalists don’t usually participate in community events — they document them. But he felt it was right to march in the parade this time. He was heartened by the show of support. “We know this is not just our tragedy,” Hutzell said. “We are part of Annapolis and we are part of Anne Arundel County. The faces I saw and the friends I saw convinced me it was the right decision to be out there, and to be with our wider family, and it felt good.”
Three current journalists, photographer Paul Gillespie, copy editor Erin Hardy and editor Jimmy DeButts, led The Capital’s group by carrying a blue banner with the newspaper’s logo that Gillespie had found in his home.
They were joined by other employees, including some who were in the newsroom during the June 28 attack. Several wore T-shirts reading “Journalism matters.”
Others in the parade paid tribute to the newspaper staff, wearing T-shirts with the saying “Press on.”
Local artist Aaron Yealdhall designed the shirts and is working with a team to sell them. The profits will benefit the Capital Gazette Families Fund, which was set up by the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County and tronc, the parent company of The Baltimore Sun, which owns The Capital.
The Annapolis Sons of the Signers organization came down Main Street in an historic fire truck. A banner on the front Ada Dougherty and Nylah Dougherty, 6, wait for the Annapolis parade to start. It included fire and police departments, a band from the Naval Academy and politicians galore. quoted Thomas Jefferson: “The only security of all is in a free press.”
Tony Metz, a Lutheran pastor visiting from West Columbia, S.C., with his wife, Christina, said he felt it was important to celebrate America’s freedoms on Independence Day.
Metz recently visited Germany during a freedom celebration there and was moved by the Germans’ devotion to the concept — something still fresh for those in former East Germany.
Asked what the holiday means to him, Metz answered: “One word: Freedom. That sums it up. Freedom of the press. Freedom of religion. Free speech. Free, free, free. Love it and want to keep it.”
Some of the parade’s smallest audience members weren’t quite so sure.
Jamie Cowan tried to coax her children, 6-year-old Flynn and 9-year-old Hannah, to explain the holiday.
“We celebrate the Fourth of July because …” Cowan said.
Hannah wasn’t really sure. So Cowan explained the concept of independence — that America separated from England so it could decide for itself how to govern its citizens.
Flynn, who was practicing waving his American flag before the parade, had a ready answer: “My daddy’s in the parade!” he announced.
Their father, Lt. Robert Cowan Jr., was marching with the Annapolis Fire Department’s Honor Guard.
The parade was full of the traditional pageantry: fire and police departments, a band from the Naval Academy playing the fight song, and politicians galore.
With the primary elections held last week, many current and aspiring politicians walked the brick streets.
Both Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and his Democratic challenger, Ben Jealous, were in the parade — with several other groups between them.
Hogan was trailed by his giant “Change Maryland” campaign bus, while Jealous’ team handed out water bottles.
Ray Leone had hoped to be a happy political candidate, but he lost out in the primary election for a chance to be on the county’s school board, which is elected for the first time.
Instead, the Edgewater man and his wife, Deanna, staked out a spot on Church Circle.
Leone said he’s been coming to the Annapolis parade since he was a child as a reminder of the brave patriots from all those years ago.
“It’s a celebration of liberty,” he said.