Rose Parade

As a former 14-year member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, I was appalled at seeing the start of this year’s parade. I was repeatedly told that the tournament was the world’s greatest volunteer organization. Truth be told, it is the world’s most benevolent dictatorship. I guess that’s OK. It has always seemed to work. But I had also been told that it had always been and will always be totally noncommercial. That 111-year-old philosophy has apparently been tossed out with the dirty laundry.

Roy Disney was the grand marshal, but did his agreement to preside include a caveat that Disney would get a free, blatantly commercial five-minute endorsement of the latest animated movie, “Fantasia 2000”? All floats are supposed to be completely covered in flowers or other organic materials. This first-ever “human banner float” of 2,000 students didn’t have so much as a rose in their lapels. What was the point, if not for a huge Disney ad?

PETER ADANALIAN

Thousand Oaks