Posted on 11/15/2005 8:12:57 AM PST by winterchild
WATERVILLE -- The commander of VFW Post 1285 may lose his membership with the organization after an attempt to tear up a peace group's tribute to the war dead in Iraq landed him and four others in handcuffs....
(Excerpt) Read more at morningsentinel.mainetoday.com ...
Quoting statements is Biased reporting?
Maine gets bluer all the time.
Like most other New England states, near the bottom of the barrel for economic growth last year, that, according to the Federal Reserve Bank.
The 20th Maine would be ashamed.
Tribute?!
Considering the French population of Maine, I guess white flags were expected.
I read this and it pissed me off. These guys can be in the VFW of my dad any day.
Protesters have said repeatedly that the white flags signify "retreat" and "surrender," but peace group members disagreed with these statements.
The flags had been placed there by members of Waterville Area Bridges for Peace and Justice as a tribute to the 2,000 Americans who had died in the war. Project Chairman Arne Springorum said they chose white as the standard color for remembering war dead.
...
As for the 2,000 white flags still waving in the Veterans Memorial Park, they will stay for a bit longer, according to Springorum.
How did this peace group get permission for this? This is akin to putting swatzstickers in a Jewish Cemetery - they are doing this to cause pain...
2000 White flags is an insult, not a memorial, the stone we use is white for that reason only, finding red white and blue natural stone is not easy, but if they had some it sure would have been used I bet.
Worms.
FYI, folks: there was NO 'tearing up' of flags! They were simply pulled up very peacefully! And it seems that an earlier thread the poster who noted the telephone numbers for the Sentinel AND Waterville PD was very effective...obviously many, many calls have been received by the PD office and this is corroborated by Chief Marshall Chitwood Morris's remarks concerning your activism in THIS article!
More activist power to you all and thanks so much for your great responses to this call for unequivocable FAIRNESS in both police action AND the Sentinel articles...as a result we are seeing just whose opinions are most valid in this concern...and the veterans are receiving the short end of the Sentinel's stick...
Oh now this is just wrong.
*White* flags a tribute? I don't think so.
...& stick it where the sun don't shine.
'biased reporting' refers to the overall context of this article...why would it be found necessary to report that anyone had a drink? Does 'a drink' affect the honesty of feelings? No...and furthermore, I was at the PD when Elkins came out after being booked, and he was very well spoken, rational and very much in control. There was no evidence whatsoever that his having had a drink or if he did, that it had any effect on his thinking processes or actions. I'm not sure which ones are being accused of having been drinking...but there were two more I am sure had no alcohol, one being Noel and the second, Williams. That leaves three and they all seemed very much self-controlled throughout the entire process, from arrest to booking and after. I know personally just one of those arrested, spoke at length with Noel after, and Elkins spoke with this group and television news reporters outside. He certainly wasn't affected by alcohol at all, if indeed he had a drink?
How and what? Ideas?
The VFW should petition for a permit to put up some other flags, like "Don't Tread on Me".
Thanks for that suggestion...we will unite here...wish you were all locals!
Let me copy a part of my cousin's email which I received this morning: (Maine native, a veteran, he now lives in Texas)
I find it hard to believe that Waterville has
stooped so low as to allow peace activists to tarnish the memory of fallen heroes. Where do all these gutless wonders come from? They don't have a clue how fragile they really are ...and what damage they are causing the
country. Didn't the 911 terrorists enter the country through Maine and fly out of Portland? Trying to keep that "Bridge" open, aren't they!
The man deserves a medal.
FYI, Check out: http://www.asmainegoes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18406&sid=48fd521d785d7bf8d558de7be7a723e3
On "As Maine Goes".
It seems that a patriotic, "Support Our Troops" demonstration is planned in Waterville Sunday (and for several Sundays thereafter), while "Traitors for Peace" will be gathering nearby.
It ought to be interesting.
I wonder how many of these pacifist "War Heroes" actually have a valid, honorable DD-214... or even know what one IS?!
How many "Surplus Store Heroes" are among them, do you suppose?
Does anyone know of online resources for checking out some of their claims of prior service and exploits?
While Military Recruiters are being routinely BANNED from Maine schools, these "Bridges" guys apparently have full and free access to the classrooms and Students as part of their "Educational Outreach" operations.
Surprised?
Have you noticed how most of them seem to claim to have been "Green Berets", "Rangers", or members of some such elite military force?
I'd like to have a few REAL Spl. Ops Veterans show up and ask these alledged "veterans" a few pointed questions, just out of curiosity.
Also, this recent update; http://www.asmainegoes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18445&sid=48fd521d785d7bf8d558de7be7a723e3
It seems that the "Patriot Fairy" visited the disputed Memorial Park overnight.
Imagine that!
Should the VFW boot the Waterville Five, I'm pretty sure that we could come up with at least that many American Legion applications; the main Administrative AL Post just so happens to be in Waterville.
For God and Country (Legion Motto)
UJ
This man is a hero & I hope conservative talk show hosts everywhere cover this story to get the word out!
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