On April 14, 2008 Veterans For Peace, Delwin Anderson Memorial chapter of Washington D.C. was officially accepted to join the National Memorial Day parade on May 26, 2008. http://www.nationalmemorialdayparade.com/ On April 28 Veterans For Peace received notice that the organization did not meet the criteria to participate. This notice was sent by the American Veterans Center which is the organizer for the parade. http://www.americanveteranscenter.org
The parade director's revocation of Veterans For Peace participation stated "Unfortunately, we cannot have elements in the parade that have any type of political message or wish to promote a viewpoint." Veterans For Peace responded with a request for reconsideration because there was no agenda for presenting any type of political message or viewpoint. Veterans For Peace has not received any further communication from the parade director or the American Veterans Center.
This chapter has lost three WWII members since July 2007 and there are not many parades left for the two survivors to join. Plans were made to have the WWII veterans and Mrs. Delwin Anderson ride in a convertible and VFP members would march in the front and rear of the convertible with VFP and American flags. It is difficult to express their disappointment.
Veterans For Peace chapters throughout America have been receiving similar treatment from other parade organizers especially this past Veterans Day. Veterans For Peace does not accept veterans trying to keep other veterans from being seen in public. It is in the public interest to be aware that veterans who once took an oath to support and defend the Constitution are participating in efforts to deny their fellow veterans rights that are accorded to us all.
Since 2006 the Delwin Anderson chapter of Veterans For Peace has grown in number and participated in a number of local public events in Virginia including the Prince William County Fair, the Vienna Halloween parade, the Fall For Fairfax festivals and the Vienna Memorial Day weekend festivals. On Veterans Day 2007 the chapter was invited to the Kennedy Center by the Washington Chorus and the occasion was used to officially name the chapter the Delwin Anderson Memorial Chapter. The chapter has also been featured in the Washington Post and local media publications and broadcasts. Veterans For Peace is always warmly accepted by the general public when it participates in mainstream events.
Why does it appear that fellow veterans are trying to block the public's view of Veterans For Peace? Maybe it only seems that way because the major sponsors of the parade include the Ross Perot Foundation, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, the nation of Kuwait, the U.S. Army and the National Rifle Association. If there is a political message in the parade, it comes from the American Veterans Center and not from Veterans For Peace. A closer look into the backgrounds of the staff at the American Veterans Center reveals a very politically oriented viewpoint built from the blood and bones of veterans. http://www.americanveteranscenter.org/AVC_contactus.html
The original acceptance letter and rejection notice are online at www.vfpdc.org.
Contacts: Michael McPhearson National Executive Director Veterans For Peace vfped@veteransforpeace.net TEL: 314 725-6005
Michael Marceau Vice President Veterans For Peace Delwin Anderson Memorial chapter mikemarceau@juno.com TEL: 301-542-9867
Anthony Teolis Veterans For Peace Delwin Anderson Memorial Chapter vfpdc@vfpdc.org TEL: 703-402-1763
Anthony Teolis is a member of the Delwin Anderson memorial chapter of Veterans For Peace. The chapter is composed of members from the Washington D.C. metro area who coordinate national events taking place in D.C. At the grassroots level the organization participates in local fairs, parades and other public events promoting the goals of Veterans For Peace.
(a) Increasing public awareness of the costs of war.
(b) To restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations
(c) To end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons
(d) To seek justice for veterans and victims of war
(e) To abolish war as an instrument of national policy.
We did not choose this time in history but we do get to choose what we do with it.
I said this before we have veterans past and president that can not see their hand in front of there face. These are BUSH supporter's no matter what he does. SMART VETERANS DO NOT SUPPORT A WORTHLESS WAR. plus this war was all set up by Georgie boy Bush and the worthless Republicans even before bush took office. or shall i say STOLE the Presidency of America. I HAVE SAID IT ONE-MILLION TIMES, this war is all about OIL, and WEALTHY OIL CORPORATIONS AND VERY DEEP PROFITS ALONG with the swindlers in Washington to PROFIT. our veterans that support this war have a one tract mind. no matter what happens we defend freedom. suck and screw freedom , what are you figbting for???? 5500 miles away from home. there are more TERRIORIST NOW THE EVER BEFORE BECAUSE George Bush attacked a country that had nothing to do with the attack on New York. 911 was all staged by Bush and company to go to Iraq for oil, and for the wealthy Miltary Industrial complex. (OR CONTRACTOR'S TO PROFIT) why do think we bild new military base's in iraq and other places in the middle east? access to the oil fields in the middle east. all for wealthy oil corporations and people in the oil industries like bush and cheney to profit. THESE REPUBLICANS ALL SHOULD BE TRIED FOR WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. veterans wake up. Bush is using you and then disguard's you when you come back from the crazy, stupid war. look at your military benefits, they were cut along with bush veto or will veto the new G.I. Bill. Bush ha also pushed back the veterans from other wars for the veterans coming back from Iraq with PTSD. HOW CAN YOU VETERANS STILL SUPPORT A COMPLETE NINCOMPOOP PRESIDENT. a lier and a thief.
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vincent passiatore (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 166 comments)
on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 11:26:49 PM
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