“Vets for Freedom is a nonpartisan organization established by combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” explains the group’s website. “Our mission is to educate the American public about the importance of achieving success in these conflicts by applying our first-hand knowledge to issues of American strategy and tactics in Iraq.”
To that end, the organization - led by its executive director and Bronze Star recipient Pete Hegseth - is in the midst of a national bus tour featuring decorated military veterans, including:
* David Bellavia, recipient of both the Silver and Bronze Stars for valor, and the Conspicuous Service Cross, New York State’s highest award for combat valor. Bellavia has also been nominated for both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor for his actions in a fierce urban hand-to-hand fight in the battle of Fallujah in November 2004.
* Marcus Lutrell, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and Petty Officer First Class who was awarded a Purple Heart and the Navy Cross for combat heroism on the front lines in Afghanistan. If you haven’t yet read his book, “Lone Survivor,” get it today. Absolutely unbelievable.
* Marco Martinez, the first Hispanic American since the Vietnam War to be awarded the Navy Cross, the second-highest honor awarded a U.S. Marine. He was recognized for his heroic actions in Iraq where, oblivious to his own safety and armed only with a grenade and a rifle, single-handedly took out a building and the enemy forces within it because it posed a threat to his squad.
* Jeremiah Workman, who lead three assaults to extricate Marines trapped in a besieged building in Fallujah, Iraq, during clearing operations on Dec. 23, 2004. For his actions, Workman was awarded the Navy Cross, an honor second only to the Medal of Honor, for “extraordinary heroism.”
I bring this up because the group was scheduled to stop at Forest Lake High School in Minnesota yesterday, the school from which Pete Hegseth graduated in 1999. “The stop in Forest Lake was supposed to involve about 150 social studies students and was going to be closed to the public but open to the media,” reports the Star-Tribune. However, “the school had received several phone calls from parents and others, some of whom indicated that they may stage a protest if the event took place.”
So the school’s principal bowed to the anti-military pressure and told these American heroes to take a hike. That’s right, Principal Steve Massey cancelled the event, saying it was too political!
“I think it’s extremely unfortunate that a school would bow to the political pressure of outside groups and not bring in a veterans organization,” Hegseth told the Star-Tribune. “Are we saying that patriotism and duty and honor have no place in our public schools?”
Geez, Pete. With all due respect, where have you been?
Oh, that’s right. Fighting a war and getting shot at. Never mind.
Yes, patriotism, duty and honor apparently have no place at Forest Lake High, where Dr. “Blood-and-Guts” Massey, threatened with phone calls and protest signs, as opposed to bullets and grenades, headed for the hills with his tail tucked firmly between his legs, leaving a yellow streak a mile long behind him.
Well, it’s too late for the students of Forest Lake to meet some of our greatest modern-day American heroes, but it’s not too late to tell Steve Massey exactly what you think of his heroic stand against “several phone calls from parents and others.” Here’s the contact information…
Forest Lake Area High School
6101 Scandia Trail N.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-982-8400
Principal Steve Massey
smassey@forestlake.k12.mn.us
Posted on March 26th, 2008 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: National
Good for Forest Lake Area High School. We should respect those who serve in our military, but there is no need to support an organization that seeks “to educate the American public [DISSEMINATE PROPAGANDA] about the importance of achieving success in these conflicts [THROUGH VIOLENCE] by applying our first-hand knowledge to issues of American strategy and tactics in Iraq [MORE WAR].”
After five years of brutal war, my hope is for peace.
Didn’t I just read that the Vice President of the United States of America, Richard Cheney, dismissed the service of our military with the line, “well, they enlisted.”
Yes, it was only last week.
Sad. Too sad.
I believe the same line was used in a response last fall by a United States Senator (a Republican).
My dictionary defines education as: “the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.”
Now I think we make a grave error in going into Iraq, but I also recognize that there are those with different ideas. How can our youth possibly develop powers of reasoning and judgment if they are only allowed to hear one side of the story. Hearing from our military heroes ought to be a requirted part of every high school’s curriculum.
Perhaps principal Massey should add a new curriculum class to include “cowardice under fire”. The decorated men and women who have, and still do, serve in Iraq and Afghanistan should have the opportunity to witness for themselves something they have never seen in their fellow servicemen, but is apparently welcomed and admired in Minnesota.