The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns

Michelle Malkin brings us a report on how the Berkeley Veterans Day ceremony was cancelled due to political dissension.

The November 11th ceremony was halted as a result of a proposal by the chairman to

"have Bill Mitchell, a co-founder of Cindy Sheehan's organization, Gold Star Families for Peace, as the keynote speaker".

Committee members were concerned about Mitchell's connection with the Sheehan group and that he might spew unwelcomed political opinions at the event.

"If you want to have an anti-war rally, count me in," said Linda Perry, an aide to City Councilman Laurie Capitelli. "But not on Veteran's Day. It's neither the time nor the place."

Another member, Edwin Harper, stated,

"They have the other 364 days and 23 hours to make their political point. This one hour should be reserved for honoring veterans, period."

Others, however, argued that this would be a censorship of free speech and wanted Mitchell as the speaker.

I'm going to have to side with the non-Mitchell's. Sheehan's camp and groupies have no place amongst the honour of fallen men and living heroes. If they can do something as vile as protest and bother the wounded soldiers at that hospital, what makes anyone think that they won't all collaborate to destroy a solemn moment in respecting the veterans of war?

Not only that, but an organisation has the right to approve and disapprove of who they would like for their keynote speaker. This does not make it censorship; it's called finding the right candidate for the job.

You want someone who's going to respect the significance of the day. It's shameful enough that there is only one day for this respect to the heroes; let's not dishonour it with doofuses who can't see the bigger picture.