Working closely with members of our military and their families across Massachusetts the last 12 years has taught me a few things about the way they see their public service. It shouldn’t surprise any of us that service men and women feel … [Read more...]
How NOT to honor veterans this Veterans Day
By Raquel Ronzone, ACLU of Massachusetts communications content specialist As we pause to honor Veterans Day, ponder this: Boston Police officers assigned to the Boston Regional Intelligence Center---one of dozens of "fusion centers" … [Read more...]
Mitt Romney Insults a Vietnam Veteran with his Heterosexist Assumptions
At a campaign stop at a diner in New Hampshire, presidential candidate Mitt Romney made a bee-line towards a man wearing a Vietnam Veteran cap and "sidled up next to him". Although gays have always served in the military, apparently it … [Read more...]
Now We Can Concentrate On How We Welcome Them Home.
When President Obama re-affirmed his commitment to have all the troops out of Iraq by the end of 2011, my thoughts went to two different groups of veterans and one remarkable project I was recently introduced to. On the Kerry Campaign in … [Read more...]
Veterans: Are we treating them any better?
Steve Inskeep's interview with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Gen. Shinseki would indicate ... maybe not. A few key points: — Steve noted that "it may be startling to some people to realize that the … [Read more...]
Veteran’s Day at BMG…
It's 9:30 PM on Veteran's Day and at BMG it appears to be passing without comment...so lest it be totally lost in the din of politicians, their smooth handlers, their critics and admirers, I thought a reminder was worthy of a post... It Is … [Read more...]
It’s Time to Dump “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” — A Voice Crying in a Different Wilderness
The same census data shows that almost one million gay and lesbian Americans are veterans. (Same reference). There are a total of 23.6 million veterans in the United States. This being the case, over four percent of our veterans are gay or … [Read more...]
The New York Times Gets It Right And Wrong On Veterans.
The stress and toil of multiple deployments, the unprecedented use of the National Guard, the general economic hardship of the county, our new generation of veterans is not only facing enormous challenges but the need is growing every … [Read more...]
Help Restore a WWII Memorial
David Miller was a WWII hero who Fall River honored with a memorial on a small piece of city land in 1946. Cpl. Miller survived the infamous 1942 Bataan Death March in the Phillipines where the Japanese committed atrocities upon the … [Read more...]
John Kerry: “I wish more Americans could be here to share what is happening here today”
As if a daughter receiving her father's medals 26 years later weren't enough, it turns out that both of her sons are serving in the military as well. They took leave to fly back to Massachusetts for this ceremony. Their presence made the … [Read more...]