Anti-War Veterans In Veterans Day Parade Jeered, Cheered

[babylonsister]

Anti-War Veterans In Veterans Day Parade Jeered, Cheered
by Valerie Richardson


DENVER - Antiwar veterans passed out leaflets and carried signs opposing the war in Iraq yesterday after winning a last-minute right to march in this city’s annual Veterans Day parade.About 50 marchers displayed peace signs and banners with messages like “Iraq is Just Vietnam in the Desert,” “Bring Our Troops Home Where They Belong,” and “Bush Lies.”

They were greeted with bursts of applause by some parade-watchers and shouts of criticism by others.

“Go find another parade!” yelled one man.

“Leave your politics at home! This is about veterans, not politics,” shouted Alex Cuellar, who attended the event with his wife and two young children.

He called the eleventh-hour decision to include the antiwar veterans groups in the parade “disgraceful.”

“This is supposed to be for the veterans. It’s not about whether the war was right. The soldiers don’t choose the war,” said Mr. Cuellar.

The United Veterans Council of Denver had excluded the antiwar groups, citing complaints about disruptions during last year’s parade, until the city brokered a deal Friday afternoon allowing Veterans for Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War to participate.

more...

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/11/11/5157/

[fenriswolf]

1. as a veteran i applaud the veterans marching

just my two cents

[babylonsister]

2. I applaud them loudly, and can't believe there are people out there

who would jeer them. My mind can't process that at all.

[fenriswolf]

3. alot of people dont like politics just because its

a wake up call from their sheepish state, and paradas are great because their are not alot of things for us to be proud of anymore but pride in our soldiors is always their. so to have veterans being political on a day that is supposed to uplift their spirit is like having water thrown on them, they dont like being reminded that america is a failing state.

[ILoveAmericaveryMuch]

7. They weren't jeered their politics were

What was jeered was the inclusion of a political group into a parade intended to be a simple "Thank You" to those who served. Not pro-war not anti-war just "Thank you".

[B Calm]

6. Make that two veterans applauding!

[ILoveAmericaveryMuch]

12. One veteran dissapointed

They have every right to exercise their right to free speech. What was at issue was the place and time they choose to send their message. If you choose to march in a Veterans day parade you are typically proud of your service and are giving people the opportunity to say "Thanks". If you are watching a Veterans day parade you come out to express your gratitiude to those in uniform. A debate about war is wholly inappropriate at a veterans day parade. The wrong venue was chosen.

[lonestarnot]

15. "HOGFUCKINGWASH!"

You would silence any opposition. What are you, embarrassed because you fucking swallowed the bushitler lie?

[Democrats_win]

4. Sounds like something Repubs would do: jeer veterans in Veterans Day Parade.

Truly shameful.

[ILoveAmericaveryMuch]

9. They weren't jeered their politics were

What was jeered was the inclusion of a political group into a parade intended to be a simple "Thank You" to those who served. Not pro-war not anti-war just "Thank you".

[noamnety]

16. If you don't think THAT's political

you are mistaken.

Flag waving yaytroops parades are political; clapping for people because they went to Iraq and killed people there is political. It's naive to think otherwise.

[Squatch]

5. War is politics by other means

"Leave your politics at home! This is about veterans, not politics"

[ILoveAmericaveryMuch]

8. You are correct

War is politics by other means. A veterans day parade on the other hand is just a "Thank you" to those who served. In my opinion it should be nothing more and nothing less.

[negativenihil]

10. "It’s not about whether the war was right."

was?!? did i miss something? did we pull our troops out of iraq?!

[lonestarnot]

11. Well Mr. Cellulite, they do choose whether or not to swallow the lie fuckwad.

Good on you Denver!

[ILoveAmericaveryMuch]

13. Elaborate

Not sure what your comment means.

[lonestarnot]

14. Here you go.

I marched with Phoenix Vets for Peace yesterday. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2267901&mesg_id=2267901