--- title: Thanks, but NO TANKS Letter to the Editor description: Veterans for Peace advocate for a ban on armored vehicles in parades, emphasizing peace and condemning the normalization of militarism in public celebrations. image: https://www.vfp46.org/hubfs/517712375_1153952680109182_1965328941854796797_n.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://www.vfp46.org/blog/thanks-but-no-tanks-letter-to-the-editor-1#main-content) ![Veterans For Peace Chapter 46 Monterey](https://www.vfp46.org/hs-fs/hubfs/VFP_Monterey_Art_2inch_Slant.jpg?width=300&height=240&name=VFP_Monterey_Art_2inch_Slant.jpg)Homepage - [Home](https://www.vfp46.org) - [Board](https://www.vfp46.org/board-of-directors) - [Blog](https://www.vfp46.org/blog) - [Gallery](https://www.vfp46.org/gallery) - [Current Events & Activities](https://www.vfp46.org/current-activities) - [Operation Northstar](https://www.vfp46.org/operation-northstar) - [Reclaim Armistice Day](https://www.vfp46.org/reclaim-armistice-day-2025) - [Donate](https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VFS7QETBMN9AW) [Join VFP](https://www.veteransforpeace.org/take-action/join) - [Home](https://www.vfp46.org) - [Board](https://www.vfp46.org/board-of-directors) - [Blog](https://www.vfp46.org/blog) - [Gallery](https://www.vfp46.org/gallery) - [Current Events & Activities](https://www.vfp46.org/current-activities) - [Operation Northstar](https://www.vfp46.org/operation-northstar) - [Reclaim Armistice Day](https://www.vfp46.org/reclaim-armistice-day-2025) - [Donate](https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VFS7QETBMN9AW) [Join VFP](https://www.veteransforpeace.org/take-action/join) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ![](https://www.vfp46.org/hs-fs/hubfs/517712375_1153952680109182_1965328941854796797_n.jpg?width=2048&height=1363&name=517712375_1153952680109182_1965328941854796797_n.jpg) Demilitarize Letter-Writting # Thanks, but NO TANKS Letter to the Editor ![Justin Loza](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e) Justin Loza July 29, 2025 This past Fourth of July, our community parade took a disturbing turn. Amidst a joyful celebration of freedom in a peaceful town, we witnessed armored military vehicles rolling through downtown Monterey.   While immigrant families are being hunted down in ICE sweeps and federal troops occupy U.S. cities against the will of local leaders, parading military vehicles through our streets sends a chilling message, that power, not people, defines our democracy. We do not need reminders of state force masquerading as pageantry.  Rather than the machinery of war, we need reminders of what actually makes this country worth celebrating: freedom of speech, community solidarity, and the courage of those who have defended our rights. Honor our veterans with dignity, not with gun turrets. Celebrate democracy by lifting up voices, not rolling out weapons. This is not a war zone. It’s our home. And our parades should reflect our highest values, not our darkest impulses. It’s time for the City of Monterey to ban military vehicles from community celebrations. Keep the tanks off Alvarado Street. - ![](https://www.vfp46.org/hs-fs/hubfs/517397264_1153958613441922_6434570934872863118_n.jpg?width=2048&height=1365&name=517397264_1153958613441922_6434570934872863118_n.jpg) Hover message - ![](https://www.vfp46.org/hs-fs/hubfs/517394283_1153952910109159_8608840076782524721_n.jpg?width=2048&height=1363&name=517394283_1153952910109159_8608840076782524721_n.jpg) Hover message - ![](https://www.vfp46.org/hs-fs/hubfs/517712375_1153952680109182_1965328941854796797_n.jpg?width=2048&height=1363&name=517712375_1153952680109182_1965328941854796797_n.jpg) Hover message   [#VeteransForPeace](https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/veteransforpeace?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZVmuzc2pNcCuq0UZ2uynP0t4sfSxJdvEHKDsfNN1HFMSYPj_RWFCTB-TvRaYGYNvwSFoExIZ9At9L6pmnAm_KGs4OttqpZ9f63RfEmSe54ZA49WZ6j84q4wc1EOp6UxIdcb4SbbZ2adjdu81Z0T9cw3MuF2PJBoLa95j_T-uKdCObbVVqOvRtqt9q3aiAWK9Pt5EIsceWmICud5ofRocNRt&__tn__=*NK-R) [#peaceispatriotic](https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/peaceispatriotic?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZVmuzc2pNcCuq0UZ2uynP0t4sfSxJdvEHKDsfNN1HFMSYPj_RWFCTB-TvRaYGYNvwSFoExIZ9At9L6pmnAm_KGs4OttqpZ9f63RfEmSe54ZA49WZ6j84q4wc1EOp6UxIdcb4SbbZ2adjdu81Z0T9cw3MuF2PJBoLa95j_T-uKdCObbVVqOvRtqt9q3aiAWK9Pt5EIsceWmICud5ofRocNRt&__tn__=*NK-R) [#Demilitarize](https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/demilitarize?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZVmuzc2pNcCuq0UZ2uynP0t4sfSxJdvEHKDsfNN1HFMSYPj_RWFCTB-TvRaYGYNvwSFoExIZ9At9L6pmnAm_KGs4OttqpZ9f63RfEmSe54ZA49WZ6j84q4wc1EOp6UxIdcb4SbbZ2adjdu81Z0T9cw3MuF2PJBoLa95j_T-uKdCObbVVqOvRtqt9q3aiAWK9Pt5EIsceWmICud5ofRocNRt&__tn__=*NK-R) [#fourthofjuly](https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/fourthofjuly?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZVmuzc2pNcCuq0UZ2uynP0t4sfSxJdvEHKDsfNN1HFMSYPj_RWFCTB-TvRaYGYNvwSFoExIZ9At9L6pmnAm_KGs4OttqpZ9f63RfEmSe54ZA49WZ6j84q4wc1EOp6UxIdcb4SbbZ2adjdu81Z0T9cw3MuF2PJBoLa95j_T-uKdCObbVVqOvRtqt9q3aiAWK9Pt5EIsceWmICud5ofRocNRt&__tn__=*NK-R)   Photo credit to Oldtown Monterey ## Share this post [mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vfp46.org%2Fblog%2Fthanks-but-no-tanks-letter-to-the-editor-1](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vfp46.org%2Fblog%2Fthanks-but-no-tanks-letter-to-the-editor-1) ## Keep reading ### [![](https://www.vfp46.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Capital%20Party.png?width=878&height=587&name=Capital%20Party.png) Direct Action News Veterans Against Fascism Following a local veteran’s patriotic evolution to his arrest at the U.S. Capitol.](https://www.vfp46.org/blog/following-a-local-veterans-patriotic-evolution-to-his-arrest-at-the-u.s.-capitol) ### [![](https://www.vfp46.org/hs-fs/hubfs/peaceful%20patriots.jpg?width=1543&height=640&name=peaceful%20patriots.jpg) Operation Northstar News Op Northstar in the news](https://www.vfp46.org/blog/op-ns-news-1) [![Veterans For Peace Chapter 46 Monterey](https://www.vfp46.org/hs-fs/hubfs/VFP_Monterey_Art_2inch_Slant.jpg?width=300&height=240&name=VFP_Monterey_Art_2inch_Slant.jpg "Veterans For Peace Chapter 46 Monterey")](https://vfp46.org) - [Home](https://www.vfp46.org) - [Board](https://www.vfp46.org/board-of-directors) - [Blog](https://www.vfp46.org/blog) - [Gallery](https://www.vfp46.org/gallery) - [Current Events & Activities](https://www.vfp46.org/current-activities) - [Donate](https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VFS7QETBMN9AW) --- Privacy Policy · Legal · © 2025 Veterans For Peace Chapter 46 Monterey Inc. All rights reserved.   **Veteran For Peace Chapter 46 is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible. Tax-exempt id 86-3658953.** Monterey, CA 1364 Fremont Blvd. Seaside, California 93955 ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Justin Loza", "url" : "https://www.vfp46.org/blog/author/justin-loza" }, "dateModified" : "2025-07-29T20:23:28.810Z", "datePublished" : "2025-07-29T20:23:28.000Z", "headline" : "Thanks, but NO TANKS Letter to the Editor", "image" : [ "https://www.vfp46.org/hubfs/517712375_1153952680109182_1965328941854796797_n.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.vfp46.org/blog/thanks-but-no-tanks-letter-to-the-editor-1", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.vfp46.org/hubfs/VFP_Monterey_Art_2inch_Slant.jpg" }, "name" : "Veterans For Peace Chapter 46 Monterey Inc" } } ```