Protesters Try to Remove Maine Peace Flags

MrBadExample

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Fri Nov 11,10:24 AM ET
WATERVILLE, Maine - Protesters led by a veterans post tried to remove a flag display placed by peace activists at a veterans cemetery, and five were charged with criminal trespass.

The display remained intact Friday, Veterans Day, despite a threat by at least one of the protesters to return later to finish yanking up the flags.

The display of 2,000 white flags, meant to remember U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, was set up at Veterans Memorial Park cemetery Oct. 30 under a permit issued to Waterville Area Bridges for Peace and Justice.

Members of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post complained, saying they wanted the flags removed before Veterans Day. The permit allows the flags to remain in place until the first snowfall.

On Thursday, about 10 people went to the cemetery and, under the glare of television camera lights, some began removing the flags as eight peace group members and sympathizers gathered nearby. Police moved in quickly to make the arrests.

Wayne Elkins, the VFW commander who led the protesters and was among those detained, said he had no problem with the peace group, as long as it stays out of the cemetery.

"They desecrated our veterans' grounds. If they want to protest, let them protest. We don't mind. But to desecrate hallowed ground is wrong," he said.

He and the four others were released on the condition that they stay away from the park until Sunday, police said.

The peace activists stayed out of the fracas.

"Obviously, I don't want to fight them for the flags," said Bill Lord, a Vietnam veteran. "Really, I think that the VFW and Bridges for Peace and Justice have a lot in common. I believe in peacefully working things out."
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How is it desecrating veterans to remember the 2000+ soldiers killed?

Edit: Forgot the link
 
I agree with the VFW. They should take their protest elsewhere. Why should you bring something political into a cemetary? I know they are just trying to remember those who have died, but considering the name of the group doing this, all it is trying to do is use it as bait for attention about ending the war.
 
[quote name='CaseyRyback']I agree with the VFW. They should take their protest elsewhere. Why should you bring something political into a cemetary? I know they are just trying to remember those who have died, but considering the name of the group doing this, all it is trying to do is use it as bait for attention about ending the war.[/QUOTE]

Both sides are being political.

It's a whole lotta baseless accusations not steeped in fact.
 
[quote name='CaseyRyback']I agree with the VFW. They should take their protest elsewhere. Why should you bring something political into a cemetary? I know they are just trying to remember those who have died, but considering the name of the group doing this, all it is trying to do is use it as bait for attention about ending the war.[/QUOTE]

I'm with you. They don't want the graves of their comrades being used for political purposes. I think that's pretty fair to expect. I think granting the permit to set up a protest in a cemetary like that was a big mistake.
 
[quote name='elprincipe']I'm with you. They don't want the graves of their comrades being used for political purposes. I think that's pretty fair to expect. I think granting the permit to set up a protest in a cemetary like that was a big mistake.[/QUOTE]

I'd agree with this too. Regardless of your political/religious leanings, graveyards should be recognized as being sacred.
 
I still don't see where white flags commemorating soldiers killed is disrespectful even in a veteran's cemetary. They applied for the proper permit and, as far as I can tell from the article, weren't being offensive.

Would it be acceptible if war supporters put flags there? Why do war supporters seem uncomfortable with acknowledging the number of soldiers killed?

This all reminds me of the guy who was destroying the American flags at the Cindy Sheehan protest in Crawford. I would like to think both sides could agree that losing 2000+ soldiers is lamentable. One side thinks the sacrifice is worth it and the other side doesn't.
 
It's strange, in canada I saw war memorials for the dead which sometimes advocated peace. What's so wrong about that? It's not like they were placing them on the graves, which they should have the families permission for taht.
 
[quote name='MrBadExample']I still don't see where white flags commemorating soldiers killed is disrespectful even in a veteran's cemetary. They applied for the proper permit and, as far as I can tell from the article, weren't being offensive.

Would it be acceptible if war supporters put flags there? Why do war supporters seem uncomfortable with acknowledging the number of soldiers killed?

This all reminds me of the guy who was destroying the American flags at the Cindy Sheehan protest in Crawford. I would like to think both sides could agree that losing 2000+ soldiers is lamentable. One side thinks the sacrifice is worth it and the other side doesn't.[/QUOTE]

I should think that all political demonstrations would be banned from a place like a cemetary. It was certainly legal since they had the permit, but I think the permit shouldn't have been issued. I don't think they should have pro-war protests in a cemetary either. I think either of those things is crass and disrespectful of the deceased.

That said, I would note with interest how you equate placing flags with a pro-war position, as if being patriotic means being pro-war. I thought that's what you liberals were so offended about when the Republicans made these kinds of accusations? Either their continual hounding on the issue is getting to you, or they were right, evidently.

And anyone who knocked down Sheehan's roadside protest stuff is an idiot, especially if they were destroying flags. Sounds pretty hypocritcal to support a war to defend our freedom and then attempt to destroy someone else's peaceful protest.
 
[quote name='elprincipe']That said, I would note with interest how you equate placing flags with a pro-war position, as if being patriotic means being pro-war. I thought that's what you liberals were so offended about when the Republicans made these kinds of accusations? Either their continual hounding on the issue is getting to you, or they were right, evidently.[/QUOTE]
I don't equate placing flags with being pro-war. I was simply asking if a pro-war group were doing the exact same action (placing flags to remember the dead), would they be condemned by the same people that are against the anti-war protestors?

I don't think a veterans cemetary is a proper place for a loud, obnoxious anti-war demonstration on Veterans Day. From what I've read, this protest/memorial was respectful and I don't understand why some people are upset with it.
 
everyone has agenda so I do agree with you that it was most likely a jab at the current administration, though you have no idea if the people who placed the flags also lost someone during Vietnam. That is more of a covert way of showing your politics unlike others who come to my home state during Veterans day and instead of talking exclusively about the Vets decide he should give a campaign speech about how the democrats are liars. Now some Vets should be angry with that. You dont see him pullin that shit during the Easter Egg hunt.
 
[quote name='MrBadExample']I don't equate placing flags with being pro-war. I was simply asking if a pro-war group were doing the exact same action (placing flags to remember the dead), would they be condemned by the same people that are against the anti-war protestors?

I don't think a veterans cemetary is a proper place for a loud, obnoxious anti-war demonstration on Veterans Day. From what I've read, this protest/memorial was respectful and I don't understand why some people are upset with it.[/QUOTE]

I don't think even a "respectful" political demonstration should be in a cemetary. I don't think any political demonstration should be in a cemetary. It's just not the place for them. There are plenty of places other than a cemetary to hold political demonstrations. I think the very act of a political demonstration, no matter how peaceful, in a cemetary is offensive. Take it outside City Hall or somewhere else.
 
The flags are in a grassy area on the edge of Veterans Memorial Park, near the public library. It is absolutely NOT a cemetery.

It has not been a cemetery since 1852, when Revolutionary war veterans and regular people were moved to another site, in order to build a school there, Coburn Classical Institute. The school burned down 100 years later, in 1955. Instead of rebuilding, they left it as an open park, and named it Coburn Park. It was only changed to Veterans Memorial Park in 1999, when veterans petitioned to have the name changed, monuments to most of America's wars, and some antique cannons were placed there.

There are 2000 small white flags, one for each American soldier killed in Iraq.

There are also two anti-war signs, one reads, "War is not the answer", another reads, "2000 Soldiers Killed in Iraq How Many More?". A 3rd sign, which read, "100,000 Iraqis Died as a Result of This War How Many More?", was removed by the peace group.

The problem the veterans group has with the display, is the color of the flags. They feel it signifies surrender. They would like the white flags to be replaced with American flags, and the peace group that made the display is considering doing that as a compromise. They did not intend the white flags to signify surrender, and aren't particularly attached to the color.

This is much ado about nothing.
 
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