I will try to not get arrested today.

[unhappycamper]

The operative word is try.

[Heidi]

1. Lighten' a candle.

And hey, that tallish guy, second from the right: handsome devil.

[livvy]

3. Why, you took the words right out of my keyboard!

Take care, UC.

[hobbit709]

2. If you do, it will be for a good cause.

Good luck

[Jamastiene]

4. Stay safe and stay warm

[leeroysphitz]

5. Give 'em hell man. n/t

[Call Me Wesley]

6. Stay safe!

And thanks for all what you do, my friend!

[Lint Head]

7. True heroes are true to the truth. Thank you for standing up for

the freedoms our precious soldiers die for.

[lonestarnot]

8. Peace brother.

[20score]

9. K&R.

I belong to Veterans For Peace myself.

[bbernardini]

10. Please forgive my ignorance, but could somebody elaborate on this?

I'm not really sure what it's all about (Alfie).

[unhappycamper]

12. Here ya go:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/unhappycamper...

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/unhappycamper...

[boozepusher]

36. I've looked at the links and

I'm not sure what the American Legion has to do with this. Are you mad because they didn't let you interrupt their parade?

[unhappycamper]

41. The American Legion 'owns' Veterans Day parades across the country.

For starters, they won't let us march in their parade unless we obey their rules:

one banner
no signs
be quite


I must admit the Smedley Butler chapter of the Veterans For Peace are a noisy bunch. But we do have a shitload of fun.

Here's an update on today's festivities.

We got to walk behind the street sweepers again and the American Legion canceled speeches. I'd rate that as a Mission Accomplished.

[WolverineDG]

46. What? Are they afraid of old men with bandanas in their mouths?

for your past & present service to our country.

Is there anyway you can get the V-Day parade permit next year?

dg

[dixiegrrrrl]

80. There's a General Smedley butler chapter????

How cool...how appropriate.
Way to go.

So the "official" War Reps are telling you...

[Ghost in the Machine]

57. Let me guess...

you've never served in the military, but you're a warmonger...

Does that about sum it up??

[d_b]

58. pretty much

[NoSheep]

66. Don't forget the ribbon magnet on the SUV.

[TexasObserver]

39. Brother, you're awesome. I'd never read those.

The fiction of veteran treatment versus the reality is a horror story.

It's Tommy this and Tommy that ....


I have never availed myself of veteran health care because I've always been able to afford my health care, and I didn't want to take the time and resources some more needy vet required. I don't know that I'll ever need any vet care of any kind, but there are many who received their injuries in service, and they deserve better.

Thanks for your efforts.

[chknltl]

52. This vet salutes you for your words:

".... I've always been able to afford my health care, and I didn't want to take the time and resources some more needy vet required." Very cool!!!


Alas, I am not so fortunate, I am a vet who can not afford my own health care, I am VERY grateful for the health-care I receive from the Veterans Hospital at American Lake. Those folks at American Lake are the best in my book, overworked and underpaid, and yet they are ALWAYS there for us!

[TexasObserver]

59. Back at you.

Vets get a lot words.

If you haven't seen Stop-Loss, it's worth the time.

[Blues Heron]

11. kick for Veterans for Peace

[babylonsister]

13. Another year...

Thank you as always, uhc, for demonstrating what's right when there's so much wrong out there.

Happy Veterans Day to you.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

14. I hope you don't

and admire your courage. Thank you.

[lostnfound]

15. Awesome, real men.

Guts and brains. I have so much admiration for them.

[mainegreen]

16. K'n'r

Veterans standing up against this crap is vitally important.

I applaud you.

[slampoet]

17. Thank you for the service you did and the one you are about to do.

Because of the first one people will listen to the second more.


You must love this country.

[SpiralHawk]

18. Kick for our veterans

The republicons treat our honorable veterans like shit.

I'm heading out to the cemetery today to honor the many veterans in the family...

[bean fidhleir]

19. Good on you! American Legion = American Fascists (per Smedley Butler)

Don't let them win.

[TahitiNut]

37. Indeed ... there's a big difference between them and the VFW.

While not all VFW's are much better, and the 'national' has done some appalling shit, I know that my local VFW is head'n'shoulders better than the Legion. Even among vets, "ya had to be there" remains true. I've never yet been to a Legion post that was worth shit.

[Chulanowa]

60. My (albeit limited) experience...

Is that the Legion posts are just a place for old men to go to get shitfaced drunk then bitch at each other over who's got the bigger dick.

Like I said, limited, but that's how it looked down in the south.

[tularetom]

69. In the 70's they tried real hard to keep the younger guys out

I remember thinking about joining and going to couple of meetings. It was pretty clear to me that any vet younger than Korean war era was not welcome. I said fuck it and never went back or pressed the issue any further. The wisdom of that policy is becoming clear today as the our local Legion post's average age is about 80 and the members are dropping like flies with no new blood coming in to keep the thing going. They're becoming a victim of their own stupidity.

I'm not happy about it but I'm not particularly sad either.

BTW the same thing is happening to the VFW around here too. My daughter in law's grandfather was a big honcho in it and when he died they could only get like 6 guys out there for the honor guard. The rest were either dead or in nursing homes. I guess these organizations have no appeal for the younger vets.

[TayTay]

20. Is that Wacko on the top of the photo?

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/03/06/ca...

[unhappycamper]

21. I don't know.

I'm hoping Tony comes to the parade today - if he does, I'll ask him.

As usual, we're at the end of the parade after the street sweepers.

[drm604]

22. K&R Thank you

[crickets]

23. Good luck and stay safe. K&R

[JDwho]

24. Thank you for standing up and doing the right thing.

I am humbled by your effort.

[uppityperson]

25. k&r for VFP.

[proud patriot]

26. stending strength my friend

[Stinky The Clown]

27. A perfectly appropriate way to spend Veterans' Day.

[OHDEM]

28. Many thanks for your continued service to this nation.

It's an honor to know you.

[RedLetterRev]

29. K&R

Thanks, brother.

[Vektor]

30. That looks like city hall in Boston's gov't square?

Way, to go, patriot!

[barbtries]

31. damn that's right

it's veterans day. peace.

[rvablue]

32. Since you were at this thing....did you hear that cop?

It looks like he is meanly yelling at that older gentleman vet???

Did you hear what he was saying....it looks like a very peaceful, dignified protest to me???

Thanks for your service and thanks for going out and doing this!

[unhappycamper]

47. That was the third officer coming by to tell us we would be arrested if we stayed there.

The first one came by and told us the same thing. The second one asked if anyone had a heart problem.

In all cases, each police officer stopped in front of each of us and asked their questions.

[DU GrovelBot]

33. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

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GROVELBOT.EXE v4.1
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This week is our fourth quarter 2008 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
a completely independent website. We depend on donations from our members
to cover our costs. Please take a moment to donate! Thank you!

[roody]

34. If you've been to jail for justice, I want to shake your hand.

[unhappycamper]

44. Funny you should mention that.

Here's a few of us in the lockup in Southie




Things were really going slow so they shipped a bunch of us to East Boston. Here we are after paying bail

[The Wizard]

65. This is what Democracy looks like.

Wasn't the American Legion part of the plot to overthrow a duly elected Franklin Roosevelt?
How American of them.
Legion halls are a place where drunk veterans go for cheap drinks.

[BrklynLiberal]

35. You are my hero...and so are all those vets who stand up for peace, so

that perhaps the next generation will not have to fight they way you did..

[JetCityLiberal]

38. Thank you for your service then and now unhappycamper

You are once again putting yourself out there for all of us.

You are the hero.

Paul

[yardwork]

40. Thank you for your service to our country, and your ongoing fight for justice.

[redwitch]

42. I love you!

You rabble-rouser for peace you!

[biermeister]

43. give 'em hell & thanks for your service!!!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

45. If at first you don't succeed

You may be on to something.

That is as powerful an image as I will ever see. Bravo my friend, and Thank You for your service.

[Joe Chi Minh]

48. K&R

[Ladyhawk]

49. Good on you! :) :) :) :) :) nt

[But....]

50. .......

[codjh9]

51. Excellent!

[Edweird]

53. :)

[The Doctor.]

54. I recognize that building well.

One of my favorite places, and the right place to say anything patriotic.

Long history of that.

[The Wielding Truth]

55. Again these brave men stand up for what is right.

[annm4peace]

56. Donate to Veterans for Peace and buy a t-shirt

find your local chapter. even if you aren't a Veteran you can still support their incredible work.
They also support Iraq Veterans Against the War.
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/index.php



STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

We, having dutifully served our nation, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of world peace. To this end we will work, with others

(a) Toward increasing public awareness of the costs of war.
(b) To restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations
(c) To end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons
(d) To seek justice for veterans and victims of war
(e) To abolish war as an instrument of national policy.

To achieve these goals, members of Veterans For Peace pledge to use non-violent means and to maintain an organization that is both democratic and open with the understanding that all members are trusted to act in the best interests of the group for the larger purpose of world peace.

We urge all people who share this vision to join us.

Our membership is comprised of veterans from all wars spanning from The Spanish Civil War to the Gulf War, and the Iraq War. These members are distributed amongst 135 nationwide chapters, and dozens of international affiliations.

Our international activities include working with our affiliations in El Salvador, Russia, Canada, Japan, Guatemala, Viet Nam, the Netherlands, Chiapas (Mexico), France, England, Cuba, Nicaragua, Vieques (Puerto Rico), and numerous others. A member of the Nobel-Peace Prize winning Coalition to Ban the Sale and Use of Landmines, VFP has been undertaking arduous tasks since its inception. From bringing medical aid to Central American nations, to evacuating wounded children from war-torn Bosnian hospitals and securing medical treatment elsewhere around the globe, or just sitting down with American high school kids so that they may make choices for themselves based on reality, and not myth. We remain firmly committed to the abolition of war.

We know the consequences of American foreign policy because once, at a time in our lives, so many of us carried it out. We find it sad that war seems so delightful, so often, to those that have no knowledge of it. We will proudly, and patriotically, continue to denounce war despite whatever misguided sense of euphoria supports it 1985 - 2005 Twenty Years of Waging Peace

[democrank]

61. Thank you and all those like you, UC.

~PEACE~

[shaniqua6392]

62. Blessings and peace to you unhappycamper.

Thank you for what you are doing. Thank you for all of your posts every day that keep us informed on our beloved men and women in uniform too.

[bdamomma]

63. thank you and the other vets my heart and support goes out to you.

[OwnedByFerrets]

64. Kicked

[NoSheep]

67. My favorite new toast: "To Happy Outcomes"

[TBF]

68. Error: you can only recommend threads which were started in the past 24 hours

A little late, so will give this a kick

Please let us know how it goes. My dad's a VietNam Vet. It's deplorable that we don't take care of the people who serve in our military.

[Joszef Pelikan]

70. We had an American Legion guy punch a VFP in the head

right before our Veterans Day parade.


Punches thrown during parade fracas auburnjournal.com

[redqueen]

71. That's a beautiful picture.

Sorry I'm too late to rec it... but thank you. For then and now.

[duhneece]

72. And if you do, I wish I were there to bail you out! nt

[Richard Steele]

73. Too late to rec; I'll have to settle for a kick. nm

[trickyguy]

74. You are as brave as anyone on a battlefield. Keep going.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

75. Thank you, Unhappycamper...

Thank you for your service then and now.

[debunkthelies]

76. K&R

[Swamp Rat]

77. Thank you unhappycamper

[beac]

78. Thank you for your service, then and now.

[Dystopian]

79. Thank you, unhappycamper...

VFP rocks! Keep on keepin' on...



peace~

[RedCappedBandit]

81. you guys rock

thank you

[rasputin1952]

82. Proud to see you all out there...and glad you avoided arrest...

(this time)...