Rumsfeld honored for citizenship amid protests

[Barrett808]

Rumsfeld honored for citizenship amid protests
By Jon Hurdle
Fri Dec 1, 8:11 PM ET

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was honored for citizenship by a patriotic organization on Friday as peace protesters outside criticized his role as one of the architects of the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Rumsfeld, whose departure was announced by President George W. Bush the day after the Republican defeat in the November 7 midterm elections, was awarded a gold medal by the Union League, a Philadelphia organization founded in 1862 to support President Abraham Lincoln during the U.S. Civil War.

Rumsfeld's award outraged some Philadelphians who said the Union League should not be honoring the man who headed the Pentagon during the Abu Ghraib scandal involving the abuse of Iraqi prisoners and who played a leading role in what they said was a misguided and poorly executed war.

"This man is responsible for my son's death, and this place of wealth and privilege has given him an award," said Celeste Zappala, whose son Sgt. Sherwood Baker, a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard, was killed in Baghdad in April 2004.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061202/ts_nm/rumsfeld_dc

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. OMG What a joke!!

And how insulting to our troops.

[Cass]

2. I'm waiting to see if Bush will award him the Medal of Freedom. nt

[Quantess]

3. This is a slap in the face to anyone who has been "honored" for anything.

Rumsfeld is supposed to be on trial for war crimes.

[EFerrari]

4. I just read, last year they honored Tom Kean

It's in something called the "top ten private clubs" so that should tell us something about who is being honored here.

[0rganism]

5. catch the editorial subtext: "patriotic organization" vs. "peace protestors outside"

Rumsfeld is awarded a gold medal by a "patriotic organization... founded in 1862 to support President Abraham Lincoln"

Meanwhile, some Philadelphians are outraged.

At least the reporter had the decency to quote some of "about 25 protesters carrying placards", rather than simply suggest they have their skulls bashed in by Philadelphia's Finest. That much may have been unavoidable, given that the ceremony itself was "closed to the media".

[radfringe]

6. bwaa-haa-haa

here's your medal, there's the door -- what's your hurry?

[NOLADEM]

7. I was wondering last night when the shower of awards would begin for Rumsferatu

These men disgust me to the very core.