North Honored by Hometown Parade but Some Criticize Him

PHILMONT, N.Y. —  Lt. Col. Oliver L. North’s hometown paid tribute to its local hero Saturday with wailing sirens and marching girls, but a group of protesters squared off with North supporters singing “God Bless America.”

Several hundred fans turned out for the parade and a clambake honoring North, but an estimated 100 protesters called a news conference and made a series of statements attacking the key figure in the Iran- contra hearings and President Reagan’s policies toward Nicaragua.

Explains Her Opposition

“I am here because I do not believe that we should teach our children that they can be heroes as they learn to lie, cheat, aid our enemies, evade the laws of the land and show their contempt for democracy,” said Kathy Stumph of Citizens for Prevention of Nuclear War, one of several peace groups represented.

Protesters also marched behind the honorary parade through downtown, carrying signs and releasing balloons reading: “Honesty is the best foreign policy.”

Officials in the village of 1,600, located about 35 miles south of Albany, carried on with their tribute to the former National Security Council official. North sent word earlier in the week that he would not attend for security reasons.

“So much emphasis was put on the political and military part of Oliver North. We wanted everybody to know he was alive before all this happened,” said Sharon Johnson, a village trustee. “This is how we remember him, and we want people to see this is how he grew up. He was a normal human being before he was a superstar.”

Johnson said some residents stayed indoors during the parade, apprehensive over the protesters.

Joseph Raco, who lives in the small white house where North grew up, watched the parade from his front yard.

“We consider him a patriot,” Raco said of North. “We have two sides here, both points of view and it’s very peaceful.”