The following was forwarded to me by Debey, known to all of us at Soldiers' Angels as Gunnar's Mom...
There is a War Protest with a cemetery display at my son's college here in St Louis. They have tomb stones with the names of those that were killed in the war. Alex went through and removed the names of those he know who would not want to be associated with this type of protest. As he told the student who organized this you do not have the permission of those killed or of their families to use their name to represent your cause, I am needing this out so that any family who has a loved in who was killed in Iraq if you want to call or write the Dean of Students and let them know how upsetting this is to you please do so or email me and I will with your premission remove the name for you please email me privately...
That email was sent by Jan Lang, founder of Marine Comfort Quilts, and the mother of a Marine Hero who has safely returned from duty in Iraq. Marine Comfort Quilts has completed over 1700 quits that have been sent to the families who have lost a loved one in Iraq. Please contact me for Jan's email address.
Need to know how disgusting this display is? Here is a picture of the referenced display (from a previous event), organized by the St. Louis Instead of War Coalition:
This is typical of the response that has been received to requests for removal:
Dear Ms. M---:
Per your request, I have seen to it that the tombstone with the name of your loved one has been taken down.
Please let me say that I am extremely sorry for your loss. The students who set up the memorial on our campus did not mean to add to your pain. They were simply trying to bring honor to those soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve those freedoms that we enjoy.
Hmmmmmm...somehow, I don't think so. This hero's widow didn't think so, either:
Mr. Brady,
I am responding to your comment "They were simply trying to bring honor to those soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve those freedoms that we enjoy."
It is my understanding that there was a tombstone with simply D----- M---- on it. (Name withheld pending permission from this hero's widow) No branch of service, no rank. Exactly how were you honoring a "soldier" when you excluded his military experience? My husband EARNED his rank by being in the Marine Corps for 13 years and doing his job well. His intention was to be in for 20 years. Your students erased his dedication to defending their freedoms by erasing his military background. Your students have made him just a name. Really I can't even dream up something as distasteful. I would not have called if I didn't feel this was truly just a display for visual impact....by no means "honoring" anyone. Please save your empty condolences and sarcasm.
Deborah M------
Proud Wife of SSgt. D----- M------, Jr.
KIA on March 25, 2003
And if you haven't lost your lunch yet, not only do these "tombstones" completely eliminate any reference to rank or branch of service, but our Heroes are sharing space on them with Iraqi names, as well.
Some are particularly disturbing - like this one removed from the display. This is how these people saw fit to "honor" a member of the Soldiers' Angels family:
For the record, that's PFC Gunnar Becker, 2nd Platoon "Bandits," Bravo Company 2/63 AR Battalion, US Army Another picture of the display:
Freedom of expression is one thing. This is...I don't know what this is. Wrong, is all I can come up with. Wrong, wrong, wrong. This kind of thing needs to be addressed. The Respect for Fallen Heroes Act is a start - more information on that below.
The two pictures above come from Jan's album of photos of the display and some of the stones they've been able to remove:
I spent 3 hours at the College today removing tombstones. I do not know the name of the person who I spoke with from this group but they "OWN" the tombstone and I was told that the Pentagon release the name so that makes the name available to them for their use. SO while the school is removing the names per the families wishes if they send the school a email, the school would not allow me to take them with me. I have a picture of every one that I was able to get taken down. The display was missing 300 names as we were told they are on permanent display where the exit started. The display does come down on Thursday March 30, 2006 at 3:30 after Taps is played...
Here's some background:
It appears that the tombstone display actually is borrowed from this group: http://www.insteadofwar.org There is a picture of the display at a previous event.
Here is their contact info:
St. Louis Instead of War Coalition
438 N. Skinker Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314) 725-5303
staff@insteadofwar.org
So at this point I think everyone needs to email the group and also email their Senator and Congressman regarding the pending legislation regarding the upcoming Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act to have these such displays be added to that legislation. Below is a copy of what I have been sending, plus the link to sign the petition.
Petitions can be signed at www.mikerogers.house.gov/fallenheroes.aspx
I encourage you to forward this site to your friends and family and ask them to help protect military families.
Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act is upcoming legislation, I do not feel this bill goes far enough. I believe that it should also include the use of our Fallen's names on crosses and tombstone in protest against the war without the family’s written permission. The visual impact would be the same if they put up 2400+ cross/tombstones without the names. Our men and women have died to protect the right of free speech but they have not given them the right to assume those who have died agree with their protest. The use of the names of our fallen give the impression they would have supported the protest.
Jan Lang, Founder, Marine Comfort Quilts
www.marinecomfortquilts.us
Honoring or Fallen one Quilt at a time
If you have a family member or loved one whose name may be on one of these, and you would like to have their name removed from the display (which, as I understand it, is a travelling display), please either use the contact information above, or email me, and I'll put you in touch with someone who can help.
The anti-war crowd, unfortunately, never ceases to sicken me with the complete lack of respect they show our Heroes and their families. Just one more reason I don't buy the "I'm anti-war, not anti-troop" line.
Here is further information on the Respect for Fallen Heroes Act (forwarded by Sara of Soldiers' Angels:
Rogers Proposes the Respect for Fallen Heroes Act
While attending the funeral of a Michigan soldier who died of combat wounds suffered in Iraq, protestors attempted to disrupt the funeral by shouting vile and harassing slogans at the family and other mourners. Military families mourning the loss of a loved one killed in the defense of our nation deserve the right to say their final goodbyes in peace. America honors and respects our soldiers, and none more than those who die defending freedom and our nation.
Next week, I will be introducing federal legislation to protect grieving military families by banning protestors from military funerals. This legislation, the Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act, will prohibit demonstrating one hour before and one hour after the service for a fallen solider and keep the protesters 500 feet from the grieving family. No family burying a son or daughter, a husband or wife, a brother or sister, should be faced with the insults, verbal attacks, and intimidation that these protestors were screaming or displaying on signs. This common sense legislation will help to protect military families in their most difficult hour and is narrowly tailored to fit within the time and place restrictions consistently upheld by the Supreme Court.
Giving citizens an opportunity to participate in the process and support the legislation, I launched an on-line petition. The petition will allow citizens to express honor and respect for our American soldiers who make the ultimate sacrifice for the nation, as well as support for the people they love and leave behind. The petition and comments from citizens will be presented to the House Veterans Affairs Committee at an April 6 hearing in Washington. Petitions can be signed at www.mikerogers.house.gov/fallenheroes.aspx
I encourage you to forward this site to your friends and family and ask them to help protect military families.
Further info from Jan:
The exhibit comes down this afternoon and after talking with the students involved yesterday I think they understand the families side better. As I told them, I just don't think they thought this all out very well. They failed to see how this could effect a Vet's attending school there and failed to think of the Families feelings. If nothing else it allowed dialog on the subject. The person from http://www.insteadofwar.org told me this exhibit was the same as the Traveling Viet Nam Wall in the sense that it was honoring those that were killed.
My signature is already on the Petition. I urge you to do the same. I echo Jan's sentiments, though - there are other exploitations of our nation's Heroes which should be dealt with. Freedom of speech can be exercised without harming the families of the fallen. I also think that certain actions against military members (ex., spitting on them) need to be specifically addressed in legislation. My personal opinion is that the military should be treated, in these siutations, in the same way that antidiscrimination's protected classes are treated. Can you imagine what would happen if the KKK showed up at the funeral of an African-American to make similar displays? Hurling the type of drivel that Phelps' crew does? Racial slurs and racially motivated attacks aren't freedom of speech / expression - they're hate crimes. Certain actions aimed at our military heroes should be treated the same way.
Linked at Mudville's Open Post
This post stays at the top of the blog today.
Labels: Anti-War protests, Gunnar Becker, Left-Wingnuts, Moonbats
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