The late writer Dorothy Parker had an expression she used with frequency, and it applies perfectly to these times: "What fresh hell is this?" Well, here's today's...
First, a little background...
On Sunday, March 16th, Lt. Pete Hegseth joined us on my radio program to tell of the Vets for Freedom's National Heroes Tour that was launched the previous Friday from the deck of the USS Midway in San Diego. The three-week, 20-city bus is intended to take the message of progress and freedom from coast to coast.
The Vets for Freedom National Heroes Tour is about supporting our troops, honoring their commitment, and rallying the country to complete the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pete Hegseth served in Iraq with the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division for their deployment to Iraq from 2005-2006. Pete served as an infantry Platoon Leader in Baghdad during the nationwide elections in October and December 2005, and as a Civil-Military Operations officer in Samarra. He also served in Guantanamo Bay for a year on a security mission with his National Guard unit and currently serves in the 1-69 Infantry, New York Army National Guard as a Captain. Pete holds the Bronze Star for his time in Iraq. He is a Minnesota native and graduate of Princeton University.
Today, the Heroes were scheduled to spend a couple of hours with high school students at Hegseth's hometown high school in Minnesota. But instead, anti-war, anti-Bush, anti-American, anti-military, anti-anything wholesome and patriotic activists intimidated the Forest Lake High School principal into canceling the event. For that, Principal Steve Massey should be placed in a pillory on the school's front lawn for caving in to the whining bedwetters. Perhaps a polite call from you telling him your thoughts would "educate' him about how to stand up to this type of intimidation?
Tuesday’s planned National Heroes Tour stop at Forest Lake High School under the sponsorship of the Vets for Freedom organization, has been canceled and moved to American Legion Post 225, 355 W. Broadway Ave. The program is slated from 9-11 a.m.
On Monday, Steve Massey, high school principal, said negative calls and e-mail relating to the school’s involvement in the event made it necessary for the school to cancel the appearance. Some 150 social studies students were slated to hear the stories of veterans from a number of U.S. wars and learn about the importance of military service to the country.
Massey said he has received more than a dozen phone calls and e-mails objecting to or questioning the school involvement. As an institution that needs to remain neutral and objective, Massey said he did not want the school placed in a situation where the Iraq War would be the topic of a debate and possibly a protest. Pete Hegseth, executive director of the national organization and a Forest Lake graduate, had arranged the tour, one of many that will take place throughout country. Sixth District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann was also slated to attend.
Chief of Police Clark Quiring said citizens who were putting leaflets on the windshields of vehicles in the high school parking lot on Monday were asked to leave the grounds and did so. The leaflets were in opposition of the Tuesday event.
AMONG THE HEROES TRAVELING ON THE TOUR ARE PETE HEGSETH AND DAVID BELLAVIA ALONG WITH "UNCLE JIMBO" WHO WILL BE WITH US TONIGHT ON MY INTERNET RADIO PROGRAM AT 9 P.M. EST.
BELLAVIA JOINED AMERICA'S most decorated war heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan who have packed their bags and have hit the road on a national bus tour to take their non-partisan message of progress and freedom from coast-to-coast.
Author of the much acclaimed war memoir House to House: An Epic Memoir of War, about door-to-door close combat in Iraq, Bellavia is a former army staff sergeant who served in the First Infantry Division (Task Force 2-2) for six years.
He is the recipient of the both Silver and Bronze Stars for valor, and the Conspicuous Service Cross, New York State's highest award for combat valor. He 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.
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Others posting:
Michelle Malkin
Blackfive
THIRDWAVEDAVE
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Principal Steve Massey
651-982-8401