The Schrammie: A shameful act of exclusion
Okay, so maybe everybody loves a parade.
But somebody didn't want just anybody to march in their parade.
So if the organizers of Auburn Veterans Day Parade would unfurl the flag, I'd like them to come on down.
The City of Auburn had decided that VFP, Veterans for Peace, should not be allowed to march in what's touted as one of the biggest Veterans Day parades in the country.
Seems parade officials thought their message of peace was offensive and didn't fit with the overall theme of the parade.
Mind you, the Veterans for Peace had marched in the parade for the past several years and the group took exception at being excluded from this year's event.
So, they went to court.
And a judge decided that protecting free speech is part and parcel of what veterans have fought and died for.
And the judge said, let them march.
So the City of Auburn bowed to the law and the constitution and said fine, the Veterans for Peace can take their place in the parade.
Shame on the parade organizers who tried to exclude veterans who see peace as preferable to war.
Shame on the parade organizers who set out to dishonor those men and women who served because they believe in their right to put forward a particular opinion.
So if they would, I'd like those parade organizers to take a bow, because this "Schramie" is for them.
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But somebody didn't want just anybody to march in their parade.
So if the organizers of Auburn Veterans Day Parade would unfurl the flag, I'd like them to come on down.
The City of Auburn had decided that VFP, Veterans for Peace, should not be allowed to march in what's touted as one of the biggest Veterans Day parades in the country.
Seems parade officials thought their message of peace was offensive and didn't fit with the overall theme of the parade.
Mind you, the Veterans for Peace had marched in the parade for the past several years and the group took exception at being excluded from this year's event.
So, they went to court.
And a judge decided that protecting free speech is part and parcel of what veterans have fought and died for.
And the judge said, let them march.
So the City of Auburn bowed to the law and the constitution and said fine, the Veterans for Peace can take their place in the parade.
Shame on the parade organizers who tried to exclude veterans who see peace as preferable to war.
Shame on the parade organizers who set out to dishonor those men and women who served because they believe in their right to put forward a particular opinion.
So if they would, I'd like those parade organizers to take a bow, because this "Schramie" is for them.
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Have something to say to Ken? Login or signup below to post a comment. Just be sure to read the rules and keep things civil. You can also e-mail him at kenschram@komo4news.com. You can also connect with Ken on Facebook.
Sure Ken. I suppose if the "Million Mom March" objected to the NRA marching right behind them you would be just as harsh with them right?
Seattle allows May Day parade, knowing that there will be destruction and chaos, but Auburn won't allow a peaceful group of veterans to march in a parade honoring our military veterans??? Â
How disrespectful for Auburn to try to deny these Veterans a chance to walk in a parade HONORING them! What is the point of fighting for this country when you got dipshidiots (I've been waiting to use that word!) who try to prevent the one thing these people have fought for? Absolutely appalling.
This is sooo typical of Auburn!!
Why can't the organizers decide who marches in their parade and who doesn't? If I were an organizer I would have said no to and this is why. In today's U.S. you MUST agree with and LOVE our troops and LOVE the wars they fight in NO MATTER WHAT. So as an organizer I would have been concerned that a group advocating peace in my parade for war type people would have created some hostility in the war loving type people who came to view the parade therefore creating an unsafe environment. Bottom line is it's their parade they should be able to say who marches and who doesn't. But the bigger question should be. WHERE WERE THE GAYS!?!? Why weren't they in the parade? They fight for our country to right? Where were the animal rights groups? Animals are used in the military to right? Now you see how stupid this can get?
@Barlion And it is people like you why others come up with words like dipshidiots. Just because I fought in a war to keep the likes of you free in this country, does NOT mean I have to "LOVE the wars I fight", whether you throw a parade or not. As a parade organizer, if anyone would be stupid enough to hire you as one, you should allow anyone to march in your parade in honor of your freedom and the vets that continually give it to you.Â
@Barlion I can't imagine that you are a veteran Barlion. If you were there are several things you'd know:
* Veterans Day is not about glorying in war; it's open showing of respect those who have served our nation in war or peace;
* Any group that included veterans who were respectful of the National Colors and the occasion can parade any time they like; we have this thing called the Constitution that spells that out pretty clearly;
* You can support the troops and not support the wars they are ordered to fight; that is the function of the VFP and it isn't a bad one at all.
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So bring on the support group for gay, vegan, pagan war dogs! If they fly the National Colors appropriately then more power to them.
Seriously? Those people who are advocating peace ARE VETERANS! Why should they be rejected to walk in a parade that HONORS them? Because they believe in peace instead of violence?
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Are you a veteran? Have you ever honorably served in our military to fight and protect our country? I HAVE. And I know MANY veterans (including myself) who advocate for PEACE instead of this continued violence. Those in our military follow the orders that are given however we don't have to agree with this ongoing war that has cost countless numbers of lives and an obscene amount of funds.
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Just because they advocate for peace doesn't make them any less a veteran than those "war loving type people." They have marched in this parade in years past without incident. They have served this country and they deserve respect.
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The more you comment the more I see what a hateful troll you are. Zero respect whatsoever.
Ken, I'm a combat veteran and a Civil War Reenactor. My Association marches nearly every year both in uniform [blue and grey] and as civilians of the era. Let me share a few of my observations about all this.
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Firstly, as the VFP marched, they placed the National Colors front and center of their formation in a respectful position. The did not, for example, fly their colors upside down [indicating distress] as a political protest as some Tea Party types have wanted to do. I and the others of my Association rendered honors [by Presenting Arms] to them, just as we did for every marching band, Cub Scout pack, or leather-clad veterans biker club that marched by with their colors.
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The most ardent peace advocates I know are people who have lived through war. And that hasn't changed since organized warfare began, in ancient Sumer 5000 years ago.
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Has anyone noticed that most of the people who are upset by this group are not themselves veterans? I can sort-of understand why military spouses might feel the VFP is disrespectful. They're not, but I can understand why the spouses feel that way.
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Most of the vets that I know are fine with the VFP because of two reasons: a] nobody who has ever been on a battlefield ever wants to be on another one, and b] we are cognizant of our oaths to the Constitution. That Constitution specifically says that groups like the VFP have the right to exist and to speak their minds.
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As for your Schrammy, well, the Auburn Veterans Day Parade [touted as the largest Vets Parade east of the Mississippi] is a private organization. The organizers and the VFP have come to loggerheads in the past because they received complaints from spectators about the VFP's handouts during previous years. Make no mistake, EVERY group involved from Boy Scouts to reenactors, to office candidates had handouts in previous years. But when the organizers went to a no-handouts policy, the VFP was singled out as an offender. This led to a strained relationship that persists to this day.
It is a private parrade the vets if they truely are vets for peace can hold their own parrade and march in it. If Ken wants equal things for all then let us have a Bible thuming anti Gay group march in a gay pride parrade? fair enough right? OH wait that would be asking some people to be tolorant to aome one elses view point right Ken?
Free country,let them march !
They all had sacrificed too much for our country,I don't see why not !
Ken... did you forget the part about the parade being the largest west of the Mississippi? How about this... my kid's Christian school in Auburn couldn't march either... not because we're Christian but because the parade is huge! The kids that marched in scouts had to be there for several hours because there are so many people marching. There is more to this than you're telling.
it's so funny it's sad. it's ok if it's a group people can agree with, but if people don't agree with the group it's ok to keep them out. I don't know why Auburn didn't want veterans for peace in their parade. I feel that's their choice. Just as I wouldn't want to see Westboro Baptist Church in a Christmas parade, but it's free speech? I have no feelings on either side whether they should be in or not be in the parade
Totally agree Ken! Do they really think these guys really want to go to war and don't want peace? They're there to defend us. Supporting a war and supporting the troops are 2 very different things. The best thing to do even if you don't support the war is to support our troops and hope for the best. These guys really screwed that up! At least they got to march.
 @Zoso Name one time since 1941 our troops have truly defended us. Name one time since 1941 that a foreign country attack the U.S. forcing our troops to defend us. Name just one. You can't.
 @Barlion Sounds like someone needs to educate themselves on what it means to defend this country.
 @Barlion  @Zoso warfare has changed, Barlion. It's less about nations attacking other nations and more about "groups" operating within safe-harbor nations or other countries. Our troops defended us after 9.11, although I guess you feel they should have just fought a purely defensive war of containment here in the States after we were bombed a few more times.
 @Barlion  @Zoso Three Aleutian Islands (Attu, Agattu and Kiska) were occupied in 1942 by the Japanese, and were retaken by the 7th Infantry Division.
Rarely happens, but this time I agree with Ken!
I don't want to live in a world where peace is offensive.
And shame on the city for bouncing all emails (I had parade and veterans) in my subject line.
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âThe soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.âGeneral Douglas MacArthur (26 January 1880 - 5 April 1964)
Maybe more to the point Vets are Vets if they have especially volenteered as they do in this era or draftees I don't care these are special people.They all sacrificed Their time at what ever time it was our country asked legitimate or not and they gave of their time, life and family. Thank You. If they don't have the right to parade their opinion you don't have the right to claim your citizenship. They have been there and done that by orders like it or not or just born witness.
As Veterans, they have earned the right to march in the parade.
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After looking at their website, I can see why some might not want them there. There is nothing in their beliefs or mission statement that honors the sacrifice of those who have served our country in the military. There is no recognition of the fact that on occasion, brave patriots must stand up to defend the freedom we all enjoy.
I think as the son of a WWII era vet and speaking as he would. War is not an end all. Thoughtful consideration has hope. He is as some may be a peacenik but our country has gone far and away beyond into war we can barely defend and brought it to our own people of our own accord by our own Gov't. Orwell et al just got the dates wrong.
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It appears to be like they met the Parade criteria. Â http://www.auburnwa.gov/Assets/Parks/AuburnWA/Docs/veterans_day_parade_rules.pdf
Like John Lennon said - "Imagine." Imagine a world in which peace ended all wars, eliminating the need for military and the hiring of highly trained, paid killers. But I guess there are some that would rather have no peace and a world with perpetual war to keep breeding veterans.
Auburn, land of the ignorant bigots.
Totally with you on this one, Ken!
Again I have to ask, how is this a free speech issue?
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It's an organized parade, does that mean they have to let EVERYONE march in it? This isn't about free speech, this is about the VFP bullying the parade organizers. Â Free speech means to say what you want, it doesn't mean you get the right to do whatever you want too. Â
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I'm not against the VFP, but I am against the way they bullied themselves into an organized parade that didn't want them there in the first place. Â
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 @Landshark I'm gonna have to agree with you on this one. If the VFP wanted to do whatever they wanted to do during this parade, they needed to organize their own. That's not denying anyone free speech or the right to peacefully assemble, they just need to peacefully assemble by themselves and not try to encroach on other peoples parade. If I organize a picnic in a public park, that doesn't mean everyone gets some potato salad.
 @Gadsden Thank you, I'm glad someone understand my point.  The VFP were not denied access to parading in general, they were just denied access to participate in that specific parade.  There was no free-speech involved here.
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They could have just as easily created their own parade and denied anyone asking to be a part of it. Â
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So long as that parade is happening on public roads, it's a matter of public decision making.
The group met the criteria of the parade but the city public stated they were taking adverse action against them because of their message. That is what makes it a free speech issue. The government cannot legally do that as the court ruling confirmed. If the Veterans of the KKK (not a real organization that I know of) wanted to march in the parade they likely would have had the same decision handed to them under the first amendment. Free speech is messy. But courts have routinely ruled the government cannot take adverse action against groups because of their "message".  The only times courts have allowed the government to take adverse action against a group because of their speech is if there was some other mitigating factor involved such as a threat to public safety.
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Sorry for picking on the KKK in my example. I think they suck.
@Landshark It this parade was put on by a private organization then perhaps the ruling would have been different. Private organizations are free to discriminate as they see fit. However the city of Auburn is a public entity and does not have those same protections. Not to mention this was about as dumb of a PR move they could have made.
 @floggingnotblogging  @Landshark Ok, again, you try and walk into any publicly funded organization and stand in the middle of it.  I keep using Obama's speech from today.  How about you try and walk onto the stage with Obama and claim free speech?  You can't?  Why not?  Isn't that event paid for by public funds?
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I would imagine it is publicly funded however it is not open to the public and the parade is so they are not really analogous.  You do not meet the criteria needed to be in the same room as the president. This group did meet the criteria for the parade and had been in it before. For the sake of argument, let's say you do meet the criteria to be in the room today because you are a news reporter. If you were excluded simply for what you had to say, you would likely have an argument for a free speech violaton. Obviously, you cannot walk into the pentagon and claim that you pay taxes and you have the right to walk in or your free speech rights have been violated. This event was open to the public and sponsored by the government. The fact that they excluded a group EXCLUSIVELY because of their message/speech is unconstitutional, or at lest courts have ruled that consistently for a long time. Conversely, private groups can discriminate and do not have a standard of free sppech they have to meet, or at least courts have ruled that consistently for a long time as well. As I mentioned, courts have allowed the government to exclude citizens based on their speech if the public's safety is at risk. You (and I and any old average Joe) pose a security risk to the president and the government could use that fact to exclude us if they had to defend that decision. Of course you could never find an attorney to represent that argument for you.
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I think our country is a better place for holding the government to this standard. Allowing the government to exclude citizens simply because they do not agree with their message is a slippery slope and one I suspect that you (or anyone) would not want to be on the wrong side of.
@Landshark It is an organized parade for VETERANS! Which BTWÂ had always allowed them to march in the past! Did you not READ the whole article? Gee--I wonder why NOW their message of peace "doesn't fit the message" they want to convey? And what message would that be?
 @ladylib1  @Landshark I think you missed my point entirely.  Does someone's desire to speak in public give them the right to join every single parade/public display?
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If that were true, then if I wanted to speak during Obama's speech today using the microphones he's using, I should have the right to do. Â Is that right?
 @Landshark I pray you forgot to take your meds..... Because if you were serious that could get you thumped! I wouldn't say that in public. Computer posting is another thing..... :(
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 @Funky-Munky  @Landshark those who would "imply" violence against another poster for voicing their opinion deserve to be flagged (just a thought)
 @Funky-Munky  @Landshark Wheras I don't "completely" agree with everything Landshark says, I am standing with him that he has a right to state his opinion. Having a problem with your :knuckle sandwich" comment, tho. (only because I would be "tempted" to do the same thing, even tho he has a right to his opinion)
 @Funky-Munky I see now, you didn't read my original comment, you only saw what you wanted to see.  I said nothing against the VFP's cause.  I was very specifically stating the route they took the force the parade organizers to let them into the parade was a bullying tactic.
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As I've mentioned below, using their methods I could force myself into Obama's public speech today and claim 'it's free speech!". Â Except I can't, because the organizers won't allow it. Â But, isn't that the same thing that the VFP just did? Â
 @Landshark It's your attitude pertaining to peace and those who seek it. I wouldn't suggest saying it to my face, not a good idea. Those who would advocate against veterans deserve a knuckle sandwich. (just a thought)
It's a symptom of the sickness a majority of the population of this country has when advocating peace in a non threatening way is considered to be an attack
 @bearzooka Imagine that advocating for peace coming from soldiers who have been to war and have the scars inside and out to show for it.... the nerve! <sarcasm off>
This is truly a red letter day....one of the few times I have agreed with Mr. Schram!Â
I agree with you today Ken. Before my service time and after I was a peace advocate. I think that Auburn and the city's parade organizers are confused. American veteran's come from all walks of life, to exclude a veteran's group from a veteran's event because they have a peace agenda sends a strong message that Auburn and the parade organizers are only interested in fighting war. I think most would agree with me that a war should not be endlessly fought and all outcome lead to peace.
Typical city council response from those who more than likely never served their country.... pathetic. I hope the voters of Auburn took notice of the city council and will make better decisions when voting for these types of filth.
I'm not sure I understand. Â An organized parade tried to exclude a certain group from marching in that parade. Â What's wrong with that?
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Ken, do you really believe it's everyone's right to march in every parade? Â Or could it be that the parade organizers have a right to ORGANIZE their parade as they see fit?
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If the Veterans for Peace wanted to march in a parade, why don't they make their own parade? Â
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 @Landshark And if the parade organizers decided no Asian vets should march in the parade, or gay vets, thats ok?
 @marvin Why not?  Those same people could walk down the street (well, the sidewalk) and parade whenever they want to.  In this case it's an organized parade. Â
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Would it be ok if I walked onto the stage with Obama today and started talking into the microphone during his organized speech? Â Why not? Â Isn't that my right to express free speech? Â It's not OK because it's an organized event that isn't available to everyone. Â Except with the VFP they forced themselves into the parade using bullying tactics.
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 @marvin I see you avoided answering my question or responding to my example.
 @Landshark I see. Separate but equal is your thought on that.Â