Guest blogged by Jon Ponder, Pensito Review.
Just when you think you have inured yourself to Bush-era outrage fatigue comes news that U.S. veterans were denied their free-speech rights to protest the U.S. occupation of Iraq on Veterans Day.
First, the organizers of the 11th Veterans Day Parade in Long Beach, CA, prohibited anti-war veterans groups from participating in the event on Saturday:
“They do not fit the spirit of the parade, the spirit being one of gratitude for what the veterans have done,” said Martha Thuente, coordinator for the nonprofit Veterans Day Parade Committee.
“We do not want groups of a political nature, advocating the troops’ withdrawal from Iraq,” she added.
And in Boston on Sunday, 18 veterans were arrested after they peacefully protested the war at the Veterans Day parade:
“We were exercising our First Amendment rights,” said Winston Warfield of Dorchester, a member of the group. “The First Amendment protects free speech, even when you don’t agree with what’s being said.”
When Boston police asked the demonstrators to move from the front of the podium so that the Veterans Day services could continue, they refused. As the Boston Firemen’s Band played The Marine Hymn, several protesters were placed in plastic handcuffs and led away.
Seven years into the Bush regime, this is where we are. Conservatives view those who support keeping U.S. forces strapped down between warring factions in Islam’s 1,400 year-old sectarian war as patriots.
But people who oppose Bush’s tragic folly — even if they are Iraq war veterans — are seen as unpatriotic and “political.”
It is beyond outrageous.
Jon,
How dare you post this story. Why do you hate our troops? Let freedom reign!
I am sorry but I don’t think they should have been allowed to protest either. I would have thought that way before Bush by the way.
The constitution is useless in this presidential dictatorship. It is so sad that even the veterans of this country cannot act upon the admendment rights that THEY fought for! It is absurd to think that we live in a country with a rebellious past, a country where a rebellion took place and a new government was established, will not allow a PEACEFUL protest to be demonstrated. The government had better be glad people are still protesting peacefully. I fear if they take that away, much longer, the government will get what they want. A revolution, which will not be “just another peaceful protest” stopped. I cannot understand why the government is taking our freedom away, and expect us to sleepily abide by the changes. Thanks for the article.
Robert:
As a veteran, I will defend your right to express an opposing opinion.
Robert,
I served in the US Army for 4 years (1965-1969), and I am ashamed of myself for being stampeded into entering such a criminal enterprise, just because my brothers were also “serving.” Your notion that anyone, let alone real veterans, should be barred from expressing their oposition to this “administration’s” policies, is utterly abhorrent. In fact, freedom of expression was one of the main values we were suckered into believing we were defending, all so that the fat old blood sucking businessmen in the Chamber of Commerce could make big bucks (curiously, they honestly described it as “making a killing”) supplying the military with the tools of the trade. Too bad you weren’t in any position to come home in a box. You, sir, are either an utter idiot or an insidious Nazi. I would bet the farm you never wore the uniform.
Alan,
How could you possibly think something like that? It’s obvious that Jon does not hate our troops at all. I think Jon dearly respects the people who fight to keep our Tyrant president happy. I think that the people who protest the war love our troops, I do, and I wish they wouldn’t have to fight and die for someone else’s revolution. I’m not saying pull out, the Iraq government would crumble and it would be on us, I just wish we wouldn’t have gone in the first place. I’m sure someone saw this coming, but who cares about all the men and women who die every month so that Iraq can be free? Hopefully the Iraqis, because no one else is benefiting from this bloodshed.
Everyone gets freedom of speech, or freedom of speech is just a sham!
Meretrix,
I was being sarcastic. I am all for protesting this war (and try to do so as much as possible) and find the arrest of our veterans for doing so abhorrent. I would, however, disagree with your last sentence about no one benefitting from the bloodshed. My god, the benefit to the elite in this country has been ginormous. The owners of Halliburton, Exxon and private companies like Blackwater have made a killing with all the killing. The entire military industrial complex and big oil have seen year after year of record breaking profits. The wars have cost Americans $1.6 trillion, but Dick Cheney’s fortune has risen by tens of millions of dollars and, quite possibly, more than $100 million. The war kept Bush close enough (6%) of Kerry’s vote total allowing him to steal the 2004 election. And I could go on and on.
The only reason why the war continues is because a small but powerful group of people are benefitting so much.
Our country was founded on protest. It is not only our right to protest, it is our duty. I am very proud of our soldiers – they have gotten rid of Saddam H and terrorists. It is time they come home and Iraqi’s step to the plate.
The Veterans Day 18 need your support.
http://wakeupcall-vfp.blogspot....ns-day-18.html
Hi folks,
The Veterans Day 18 have been arraigned on charges in Boston of disturbing a public assembly, which we did not do. In the description of the charges it is alleged that we were “loudly chanting anti-war slogans” which is absurd since we had gags in our mouths.
I have gotten lots of emails asking how people can help us. At this time the best support you could give us is to write, call, fax, and email the Mayor of Boston, Tom Menino. Or do all four. The thing that is best is regular mail, then calls, then fax, then email. Let’s inundate the Mayor’s office with outrage at our arrests. Please do this in the next day or so, while the story is hot. And please forward this email to friends and political mailing lists, far and wide. If you live outside Massachusetts please write anyway. This story has gone out worldwide.
Mayor Menino’s contact information is given below. And to make it really easy we are including a template of a letter you could write. Feel free to copy and paste it into a Word document and modify it as you see fit, or write your own.
Phone 617.635.4500
Fax 617.635.2851
Email mayor@cityofboston.gov
Address given below in letter
Thanks for taking the time to do this. And apologies if you receive this email more than once.
Best Regards,
Nate Goldshlag
Co-Coordinator, Smedley D. Butler Brigade Chapter 9 Veterans For Peace
http://smedleyvfp.org
P.S. Here are some interesting links:
10 minute video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YnwXHBxD9s
Keith Olbermann’s Countdown show on MSNBC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8-VQbbgCKo
VFP member’s blog on Democratic Underground:
http://tinyurl.com/yr29uk
Mayor Thomas Menino
Mayor’s Office
1 City Hall Plaza
Boston, MA 02201
Dear Mayor Menino,
I am writing to express my outrage at the arrest of 15 veterans and 3 supporters on Veterans Day for silently, peacefully protesting the exclusion of Veterans For Peace from speaking at the city-sponsored Veterans Day event on City Hall Plaza. The pictures of these gagged and silent men and women being carted off, which have gone out around the world, are an embarrassment to a city that calls itself the Cradle of Liberty, and to its Police Department.
What has happened to free speech in Boston? Why is Veterans For Peace being prevented from speaking at this event, which always features pro-war, pro-Bush administration messages? Why are these men and women being charged with “loudly chanting anti-war slogans†when it is obvious to the world that these gagged people did no such thing?
The only thing these real patriots are guilty of is their expression of free speech and dissent against this illegal and immoral war. You were in a position to prevent this travesty from occurring but did nothing. Your lack of intervention serves only the interests of those who would eliminate our constitutional rights – the American Legion and George Bush. Shame on you.
Sincerely,
XXX
Alan,
Sorry I didn’t understand the sarcasem. I feel fairly stupid. But what I meant by no one is benefiting, I mean that in a sence of noting is being accomplished for the better. I know that rich people become more rich every day, but that’s not an accomplishment. When we fight a war to set poor people who don’t have the power to set themselves free and we succeed, that’s an accomplishment. Well this is a little late on the response but maybe you’ll read it =) I apologize for my insolence!