archy

A vet responds to the American Legion
Sean T. Lewis, a disabled veteran of the Persian Gulf War, lets the American Legion think of their recent resolution to stop anti-war protests "by any means necessary."

Despite the Legion's support for European Fascism and Benito Mussolini 70 years ago, I felt that those sympathies of the past were just that: the past -- a dark chapter in the otherwise stalwart history of The American Legion.

Yesterday, you proved me wrong.

That your address to the National Convention this week repeated as fact the lies by which this country was led down the path to war in Iraq is despicable, but of only secondary importance to me. Passage of Resolution #3, and your statement that anti-war demonstrations should be suppressed "by any means necessary" is taken directly from playbooks written by Goebbels, Marcos and Duvalier.

I cannot speak for you, but I enlisted, trained and fought with the ideal and willingness to protect and defend the rights of all Americans, not only the ones who agree with me. First among these rights, enumerated appropriately in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, are the freedoms of Speech, of Assembly, of Association, of Religion and of the Press.

Now The American Legion has taken an official stand against The Constitution of the United States. You should be ashamed.

I hope there are many more vets like Sean Lewis out there who let the Arerican Legion know what America stands for.