Several weeks ago, an Occupy offshoot announced plans to “Occupy the Rose Parade.”

Today the group is boasting that the dowdy old Tournament of Roses has given “permission” to Occupy to “join the parade.”

Victory! Except, no.

Reading on, it appears that what the “occupiers” have been given permission to do is march at the end of the parade.

“There are 43 official floats,” (spokesman Pete) Thottam said. “We have the permission of the TofR Parade and the police department to follow the 43rd float and join the parade.”

Hate to break it to you, Pete, but you've been tricked. Nobody needs “permission” to march at the end.

Every year, a motley group of kooks and crazies follows the last “parade unit.” It's a tradition. You know the parade is over when you see the bearded guy with the “God Hates Fags” placard.

So if that's where the Tournament of Roses has “permitted” you to be, then know that they don't see any difference between you and the guys with the pictures of aborted fetuses. Also, those folks never make it onto the TV broadcast, so if the purpose of “occupying” the Rose Parade is to get media exposure, then think again.

The local Tea Party was planning to stage a counter-demonstration, but seems to have backed off.

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