This parade is administered by a committee composed of representatives of the mayor's office and Mummers Parade divisions. This committee and the mayor's representative, Kevin Feeley, informed the Oregon Club often that the 2 Street String Band was not authorized to march since it had not marched in the previous New Years's parade, and was not represented by either of the string band associations which are afforded opportunities to march. 2 Street refused to join the Penn Jersey String Band Association, even when an offer of membership was extended.
The fact that Vaughan "was under the impression that as long as we did not advertise ourselves as 2 Street String Band, we could provide musical entertainment for Oregon that night" does not hold water. The Oregon Club was told repeatedly 2 Street was prohibited from marching.
To further substantiate the self-serving nature of this ploy, representatives of the Oregon Club repeatedly called the Daily News Mummers reporter on the day of the parade to "encourage him to get out early to see the fiasco." This was a publicity stunt, pure and simple, and ill-advised.
As for preservation of tradition, it was the same people he is attacking now who fought valiantly last year to return this parade to its roots in South Philadelphia. The presidents of the Philadelphia String Band Association were at the forefront of the attempt to preserve this wonderful tradition in its birthplace. Where was the traditionalist Michael Vaughan then?
Vaughan has anointed himself as someone who will fix the "growing problems
destroying the great tradition of Mummery." It seems he is really only concerned with the great problems confronting his own immense ego.
