Auburn parade an ‘apolitical’ event
Reader Input
I wanted to clarify several points in regards to your Nov. 6, Veterans for Peace article. Our Veterans Day Parade Event committee voted to accept the Veterans for Peace application for the parade based upon the fact that they agreed to comply with the parade guidelines. We were not influenced by any outside communications. Our committee works year-round to raise funds for the parade, veterans commendation medals and the complimentary community lunch program. The event is to “Honor All Veterans, Past and Present.” It is an apolitical event. In the past 15 years I have worked with thousands of veterans representing all branches of the military, serving in every war back to World War I, and I have never met a veteran who did not wish for peace. This year’s parade theme is “Welcome Home, Vietnam Vets.” We invite the community to come out and show their gratitude for the men and women who have sacrificed so much so that we may enjoy our everyday freedoms. Cynthia L. Haynes, Auburn area Veterans Day event chairman
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The event is to “Honor All Veterans, Past and Present.” It is an apolitical event.
It should be from the sidelines as well.
Thanks Vets!
Fact is, the VFP is a political organization, not a veterans' organization. They were formed specifically to create political pressure on G.W. Bush and undermine the Republican party in the 2004 elections. If they were not a political organization, like the VFW for example, they would have members from all political parties and share many different political views. That explains why they have gone virtually dormant since Obama became president.
The only reason they are back out from under their rock is to establish a distorted principle, that they can interfere with the Veteran's Day Parade.
The precedent being set suggests that next year, the "Republican Veterans Club" should be allowed to fly a big flag with a Republican party logo on it, and then the next year the Democrat Veterans Club, and so on.
VFP is a political organization. You cannot ask to remove politics while supporting a political organization's entry into the parade.
War and peace are all politics. I never understand why people are all trying to leave politics out of everything. The definition of politics is
"the art or science of government or governing, especially the governing of a political entity, such as a nation, and the administration and control of its internal and external affairs."
What could be more political than war and peace?
The definition of apolitical is "having no interest in or association with politics." So if there were Catholic veterans or Republican veterans or
Democratic veterans marching, why should we care? If they were well behaved and there to show appreciation to those who served, why should anyone care?
Helen, you are the poster child for politicizing events. No one but you created the Democratic veterans. The military is not supposed to side with any political party, they swear to uphold the Constitution.
I agree with rolandmc, politics should not be on the sidelines either. So let's wait and see who makes asses out of themselves during the Parade, I'm sure we will have a good grasp of who lost in the public opinion arena.
So, let the first idiot cast the first stone.
When I returned to civilian life in 1966, the Vietnam war protestors were disgusting to me and so now are the Veterans for Peace.
Y_S yet again the same post... arrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh! Stupid is as stupid does...
Same to you JonGreen...
polly, since apparently the VFP has chosen to fire a barrage of letters to the Editor the same posts that Y-S and Jon have posted should apply, after all they were individually answering the letters written by three different individual expressing the same thing. I fail to see the difference except in the names.
I have decided to stay stay away from the Parade, I believe that some fool or fools will spoil it through some stupid action for both, veterans and spectators alike..
Yosemite_Sam: You've posted your lie yet on a 3rd thread today....regardless of how fond you are of that one & how many times you repeat it, won't make it true.
I don't even see any other anti-VFP backing you on that.
JonGreen: And your line repeated a 3rd time as well, was a tired out after the 1st post.
Peace on you Steely
They're cutting and pasting in a nice cadence, steelybob.
Didn't know their was some sort of 2ndary loyalty oath to the Republican Party to do public appearances once out of active service.
Thank you Ms. Haynes and to your committee for all the behind-the-scenes work you have put in for this event. The reasons, meaning and sentiments are appreciated.
Peace on you Canyon.
Miss Haynes, Thank you for your efforts and for clarifying some things here. We do, however, recognize that the VFP is, in fact, a political organization. They are as involved as one can get working against our military. However, if you and your committee were able to silence them for this parade, I take my hat off to you and the others and look forward to a peaceful event.
Miss Haynes. Big mistake.
Other cities have been strong enough, and smart enough to refuse political activists under the guise of "Veterans for XXX".
Next year, the homosexual brigades will be upon you.
You have allowed this parade to become a political event.
Others: With regard to my error on the "origins of the VFP", lets face it. They did not exist in any visible form until after the war in Iraq started. While they might have existed, they were not active at any level of visibility until the war in Iraq. I have been in this area for 30+ years and never saw the VFP standing on corners protesting, or demanding to be in our parades until the war in Iraq.