Veterans For Peace censored by American Legion (Veterans Day)

[unhappycamper]

http://smedleyvfp.org/page8/page18/files/vfp_11_9_veterans_day_pr.pdf


Veterans For Peace censored by American Legion

Peace veterans denied full participation in Veterans Day events but will march anyway

BOSTON –– The American Legion will not permit the Smedley D. Butler Brigade Chapter 9 of
Veterans For Peace to march with signs and chanting cadences in the annual Boston Veterans
Day parade this Sunday, Nov. 11.

Despite this clear violation of the First Amendment right to free speech, the Veterans For Peace
and their supporters will march anyway at the end of the parade behind the street sweepers. The
parade begins at 1 p.m. on Charles St. between the Boston Common and Public Garden and
marches to City Hall Plaza for a speaking event there.

“It is an insult to veterans, some of us veterans of combat, who have an outlook of promoting
peace in an event that honors all veterans,” said Nate Goldshlag, an U.S. Army veteran and cocoordinator
of the Smedley Butler Brigade. “We march with signs against the war in Iraq and
chant cadences with our message, and we are being prevented from exercising our rights of free
speech by the American Legion. All they want is a show of militarism and support for wars of
aggression,” Goldshlag said.

A request to have a speaker at the event on City Hall Plaza following the parade was also
denied by the American Legion, in spite of a City Council hearing called by Boston City
Councillor Chuck Turner and two other councillors titled “Isn’t Veterans Day For All Veterans?”
“The Legion claims the event is non-political, but in fact it is very political – in prior years
speakers have been very pro-war and spouted the Bush Administration’s line,” Goldshlag said.
“As veterans who have been opposed to this war from the beginning, we have the right to be
heard. But apparently suppression of our rights of free speech is on the agenda of the American
Legion.”


http://smedleyvfp.org/page8/page18/files/vfp_11_9_veterans_day_pr.pdf



uhc comment: The IVAW & VFP are congregating at the corner of Charles and Beacon around 12:30pm. If you're not doing anything Sunday, come on down!

[MethuenProgressive]

1. Thanks very much for the tip on the meet up location!

I just might take the kids into town for taht on Sunday, thanks!