Another letter to the editor about biased media coverage of the Gathering of Eagles, this one from our next-to-newest Old War Dog:
The piece you published in Sunday's Birmingham News (page 9a) was inaccurate. I realize that this is an LA Times piece, but the Birmingham News printed it.
"The anti-war demonstrators amassed on the North side of the Lincoln Memorial chanting demands for peace now. The counter-protesters, fewer in number but no less vocal, gathered on the East side of the Vietnam Wall and shouted political taunts - many laced with obscenities."
Factual error #1: The entire Lincoln Memorial was occupied by the Gathering of Eagles . In addition to the Vietnam Wall, GoE held the mall from the Independence Ave on the South to Constitution Ave on the North and from Henry Bacon Drive on the West to 17th Street on the East. GoE also protected the WWII and Korean War Memorials from anti-war protesters who threatened to deface again them as they had on 17 January 2007. Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) was confined to a small area bounded by Henry Bacon Drive, 23rd Street, Constitution Ave and the Lincoln Circle.
Factual error #2: ANSWER began the political taunting using loudspeakers to blast their very offensive anti-American propaganda at the GoE. They also flew two American flags upside down and carried red communist banners and Che posters. ANSWER made the first use of profanity. [Swear at a sailor do not be surprised if he swears back.]
Factual error #3: The National Park Service had helicopters circling the area all day taking ariel photographs. According to their preliminary estimates, GoE had 30,000 demonstrators while ANSWER fielded 5,000 to 10,000. "Fewer in number" is just wrong. I know I was there at the Lincoln Memorial and I have photographs and video.
As for the student who "got called a commie". She should avoid marching under placards bearing this image.
17 March 2007 marked a sea change in political demonstrations. The leftist have, for the past 40 years, used violent, destructive, street demonstrations to advance their political agenda. Masked, rock throwing protesters faced little opposition - usually outnumbered riot police or National Guard troops with restrictive rules of engagement. The radical left funds these protests, providing transportation, meals and lodging paid by groups such as George Soros' MoveOn.org. Their political opponents have resisted manning the barricades.
Saturday, all of that changed. With only six weeks of preparation and zero funding, GoE asked for nonpartisan, ex-military volunteers to protect the Vietnam Wall. The response was overwhelming. Veterans' groups including Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Military Order of the Purple Heart and Rolling Thunder responded with boots on the ground. The National Park Police granted GoE permits to assemble on the monuments, denying ANSWER the opportunity to vandalize. The anti-war demonstrators were intimidated. They faced men who went to Vietnam and fought honorably rather than running to Canada or Oxford to avoid serving their country.
GoE is a true grass roots movement. 30,000 people paid their own way to Washington DC from as far away as California. For the first time, violent demonstrators met a trained, disciplined and determined force. They will meet that force again and again. I was proud to stand with this 30,000.
ANSWER will never again go unanswered.
Arch S. Arthur,
Major USAF (retired)
Maylene, AL
