[ladybugred]

A new Harvard study says that those who attend 4th of July parades before the age of 18, are more likely to become Republicans.

Does that mean that Parades are the new gateway...exposition????

Interesting Blog post

LBR

[War Admiral]

I saw that study, I call BS.

I was very tight w/ 2 other girls all the way from elementary thru high school. We rode our horses EVERY year in the Memorial Day Parade, the 4th of July Parade, the Veterans Day Parade, whatever else. Carried the flag of the USA and were proud to do it.

That scoresheet as of 2011? 2 Dems, 1 Repub.

[Paragon]

Every single person I know went to 4th of July parades as a matter of course. Nearly every one of them is a Democrat.

So I find that study to be full of lulz.

[fooler]

Not buying that one. I know too many dyed-in-the-wool Democrats who attended more 4th of July celebrations than me. God save us if people join a particular political party because they experienced a 4th of July parade or fireworks as a child.

[horsepoor]

Maybe participating in the parade isn't the same as attending?

I participated in the same fashion as War Admiral (riding horses), and certainly no Republican here. But doubt I ever attended when not participating...so maybe that's the difference...

[ladybugred]

I fully agree.

My conservative views are based on my knoweledge of Economics and Taxation, as opposed to Flags and Sousa marches

LBR

PS- I don't believe I have EVER attended the typical "Small Town" 4th of July Parade, even if MD is RIFE with them!

[dani0303]

Never attended a patriotic parade (we didn't have any where I lived) but I attended the fireworks every year. I would consider myself a Democrat, although I'm not so sure I would count for the study.

I call BS

[IdahoRider]

I happily attended the 4th of July parade many times during my childhood.

I consider myself more of an independent, with a preference towards the Democratic side.
Sheilah

[vacation1]

I wish someone would do a study to see if there's a link between dropping a child on its head in infancy and the later development into a person who registers as either a Democrat or a Republican. Party identification is stupidity masquerading as political conviction.

[Flashy Gray VA]

Party identification is stupidity masquerading as political conviction.

If you lived in another country where identification with a particular political party can mean imprisonment, torture, economic ruination, or even death, you might not be so quick to pass judgement.

Love 'em or hate 'em, transparent, organized and functioning political parties are a benchmark of a free society. They are often a citizen's first and only entree into civic participation.

Being fallible human institutions, they aren't perfect by any stretch, but that doesn't mean one is "stupid" if one chooses to identify with a party.

[seabreeze]

A new Harvard study says that those who attend 4th of July parades before the age of 18, are more likely to become Republicans.

Does that mean that Parades are the new gateway...exposition????

Oh, for the love of heaven...

[Alagirl]

need to book mark this....

(I think it's utter horse poop, though)


not to mention it makes it look like there could be something bad to be found in being republican....(only when you turn politician, and that holds true for both sides, really!)

Anyhow, got a 'special friend' who sees a leftist conspiracy behind everything....this fits perfectly to poke fun at him!

[Guilherme]

A new Harvard study says that those who attend 4th of July parades before the age of 18, are more likely to become Republicans.

Does that mean that Parades are the new gateway...exposition????

Interesting Blog post

LBR

I think it proves that Harvard is staffed by idiots.

G.

[BasqueMom]

Amen, Guilherme!

[SarahandSam]

So what happens to kids who attend the Pride Parade? (;

ETA: And am I a drunkard now due to having attended Buffalo's St. Patrick's Day parade before I was 18? Hmm...

[Alagirl]

So what happens to kids who attend the Pride Parade? (;

ETA: And am I a drunkard now due to having attended Buffalo's St. Patrick's Day parade before I was 18? Hmm...

poor old doomed lush....

[Beverley]

One wonders why Harvard thought this to be something worth studying.

I think it's a nonsensical premise. Who, as a kid, wouldn't go to any available parade? Who, as a kid, wouldn't go to the July 4th parade if there parents decreed, let's all go to the parade?

Now, that said, little old independent me will be riding in two parades tomorrow. I can guarantee you that pretty much every kid under 18 that I see along the parade routes will grow up to be a Republican.

But then, I'm in Utah.

[Emryss]

I went to many a parade on July 4th - it was a tradition in the family, along with attending Memorial Day parades. The very best was Independence Day in 1976 in Marin - what a to-do that was! (Except that it was blessed hot and I was parched.) We had readings of the Declaration of Independence before fireworks, too.

My folks? Staunch Democrats.

Me? Democrat with a few strangely Puritan ideas.

My sister? The outlier of the family, as right a Republican as you can get. But I think she's wrong, usually.

[BuddyRoo]

LOL! That's all I've got.

[kateh]

Blergh. Their methodology sounds shaky to me. If I was actually interested I'd read on to see what confounding variables they looked for. For example, I'd be willing to bet that both parade attendance and political affiliation could be tied to size of town.

I've marched in plenty of small town holiday parades and I hope to never see another chicken hat, dairy queen, or antique car again.