PARADE WATCH : A Rose Is a Rose

Better late than never, the old saying goes. And that is certainly the case with Pasadena’s Tournament of Roses whose leadership--still overwhelmingly white and male--has finally decided to embark on an effort to recruit more women, Latinos and African-Americans to its ranks.

Some may be cynical about the tournament’s latest, somewhat belated, effort to take note of the real world out there watching its famous parade every New Year’s Day. After all, the tournament has been under pressure from leaders of Pasadena’s black community to make its membership more inclusive since at least the 1960s.

But we prefer to see this particular glass as half full. For the second time in two years the tournament has shown the flexibility to make changes clearly called for.

Last year, of course, there was controversy after a descendant of Christopher Columbus was selected as grand marshal, annoying many Native Americans who don’t consider the explorer a hero. So parade organizers hurriedly invited the only American Indian in Congress, Colorado Rep. (now U.S. Sen.) Ben Nighthorse Campbell to serve as co-grand marshal.

Now, with black Pasadenans threatening to boycott Friday’s parade, tournament leaders have announced the formation of an “ethnic diversity” committee that will try to make sure that in the future the tournament’s membership will not just “look like America,” to use the au courant phrase, but look more like Pasadena, which is a 53% minority city.

Good for the Tournament of Roses and good for Pasadena.