Boot display canceled because of controversy

[cmd]

http://www.timesreporter.com/left.php?ID=30609&r=2


PORT WASHINGTON – An exhibit of 800 combat boots – to call attention to the loss of life in Iraq – was canceled Wednesday, the day it was to be displayed.
(snip)
Each pair of boots represents a U.S. soldier who has died in Iraq and each pair is labeled with a soldier’s name, rank, age and hometown. Names and pictures of 24 Ohio soldiers who have died are included in the display.
(snip)
“(The exhibit) caused a stir with the veterans in the area, so I denied permission (for Wednesday),” he said
(snip)
According to a news release Wednesday from Rev. Werner Lange, pastor of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ who was instrumental in bringing the display to Port Washington, the primary reason for the cancellation was because of threats of violence and vandalism received by telephone at the church.
(more)

background: The combat boot display is traveling around Ohio this week. It is sponsored by the Friends church and includes a display honoring the troops who were killed in Iraq. Port Washington is a very small village in my county. I thought it was very positive that the boots would be displayed here. Apparently we aren't ready to acknowledge that people get killed in wars.

[phaed]

1. This kind of shit is really

pissing me off!!! The same homegrown terrorists who are calling to pull this very appropriate memorial are the same ones lining up to look at Reagans casket or watching it on TV 24/7. You know, enough already of caving into domestic terrorism.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. Note: Part of a larger exhibit named

"Eyes Wide Open: Beyond Fear, Toward Hope."

I can't find any pictures but I imagine that it's quite effective.

[klook]

5. Info on the exhibit

http://eyes.peacechicago.org/index2.html

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

14. Nice. Thanks for the pics.

Devastating. Reminiscent of military white crosses and Jewish stars, only contrasted in black. Non-violent protest at it's best.

[liberalitch]

3. what a bunch of

PUSSIES!!!!!!

[DenverDem]

4. amerikkka lives in sociopathological denial.

Denial that our poor youth are dying for corporate globalism.

Denial that our recently deceased former leader led death squads in Central America.

Denial that has allowed our country to become the greates pariah state in history.

Denial that will bring America down if allowed to continue unchecked.

[gratuitous]

6. They shut down the display because of threats of violence

Disgusting that some people have such a feeble grip on reality that confronting the actual cost of their "if it feels good, invade it" mentality causes them to react violently.

Hardly supportive of the troops, to dishonor their sacrifice like that. I'm also disappointed in Rev. Lange for backing down because of telephoned "threats."

[benfranklin1776]

8. Agreed.

Caving in to the knuckledraggers who are so base and vile that they would threaten a church with violence will only embolden them. No doubt those same knuckledraggers would have gleefully lynched fervently non-violent Jesus who stated "Blessed are the peacemakers" and "He who lives by the sword dies by the sword."

[livinginphotographs]

7. I don't get it...

why some people are so offended by honoring our dead troops. The same thing with that recent Nightline "controversy." Is the Vietnam Memorial some evil leftwing political move? Is the cemetary by Normandy some evil leftwing political move?

Why someone would want to vandalize a tribute to the soldiers W sent off to die is beyond me....

[gratuitous]

10. If I had to guess . . .

It's because the opponents understand the visceral impact of the boots. A number printed in the newspaper or read off by a talking head is bad, no doubt. But there's really nothing that can be done about that.

The empty boots, in row after row, each affixed with its own name tag, is something else again. It's too easy to imagine a pair of feet in those boots, a person who was formerly living and breathing, and is now dead, and dead forever, in pursuit of Bush's insane foolishness. The opponents understand that their pigeons and patsies will get the message all too clearly; after all, they use the exact same techniques to gull the credulous into thinking the way they want them to think.

The only antidote they have when their own tactics are used against them is violence, threatened or real. That's why it's so unfortunate that Rev. Lange backed down and cancelled the display. Had he gone through with it, he would have found one of two things: The threateners are all bluster and no action; or if there was an action, that he doesn't stand alone, and indeed is more powerful and has more allies than he could have ever dreamed of.

We are not served by playing small.

[saigon68]

9. PRIVATE ARMIES ARE FORMING

HERE IS ONE

http://www.cisworldservices.org/index.html

[struggle4progress]

11. "Better fascism through privatization"

If the Bushistas need military intervention to retain power, they'll use such mercenaries.

[cmd]

12. Want to do something about it? Have an idea?

Here is an e-mail I just received from a friend.

Let me know if you have any ideas on how to solve this problem....PLEASE FORWARD!!!!



JUNE 10, 2004





We all remember what happened when ABC Nightline with Ted Coppell aired a memorial to America‚s lost servicemen and women in April.



Arch conservative media mogul, Sinclair Broadcast Group decided to blackout the tribute on their ABC stations, including Columbus affiliate WSYX.



Senator John McCain harshly criticized Sinclair describing his decision as both „unpatriotic‰ and „a gross disservice to the public.‰



Yesterday, June 9, Port Washington Mayor Bruce Hibinger pulled his own Sinclair by cancelled a display honoring America‚s fallen heroes.



While elected offices in the village of Port Washington are non-partisan in nature, Hibinger is a lifelong registered Republican. As an obvious political move, Hibinger wants to suppress the realities of war. Right wing conservatives like Hibinger fear that honoring our fallen heroes will turn people against our President.



This should not be about partisan politics but about honoring those that have made the ultimate sacrifice. We cannot let people like Hibinger dishonor America‚s fallen heroes.



CALL, WRITE, PROTEST, STAMPEDE!!! Do whatever it takes to ensure that our fallen are not forgotten.



PORT WASHINGTON CONTACT INFO:



MAYOR BRUCE HIBINGER



[phone]



202 MAIN ST
PORT WASHINGTON, OH 43837



PO BX 188
PORT WASHINGTON, OH 43837





For more information about the memorial, check out http://www.afsc.net/default.htm.

The featured article: http://www.timesreporter.com/left.php?ID=30609&r=2





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[KamaAina]

13. Looks like someone needs a...

boot in the a$$, courtesy of the red, white DU!