Saber Rattling

From Editor & Publisher, via Daily Kos:

The American Legion, which has 2.7 million members, has declared war on antiwar protestors, and the media could be next. Speaking at its national convention in Honolulu, the group's national commander called for an end to all "public protests" and "media events" against the war, constitutional protections be damned.

"The American Legion will stand against anyone and any group that would demoralize our troops, or worse, endanger their lives by encouraging terrorists to continue their cowardly attacks against freedom-loving peoples," Thomas Cadmus, national commander, told delegates at the group's national convention in Honolulu.

The delegates voted to use whatever means necessary to "ensure the united backing of the American people to support our troops and the global war on terrorism."

Cadmus added: "It would be tragic if the freedoms our veterans fought so valiantly to protect would be used against their successors today as they battle terrorists bent on our destruction."

Protesting the war "demoralize[s] our troops, or worse, endanger their lives by encouraging terrorists"? This is fatuous, incendiary rhetoric which doesn't deserve serious discussion.

Why is it so hard to get that supporting the troops shouldn't mean supporting an unjustified war based on fabricated evidence? You know you've hit a new low when you demonize as siding with terrorists Gold Star Mothers like Cindy Sheehan whose son was killed in Iraq .

Instead of trying to muzzle war protestors, the American Legion should get real and stop the saber rattling. They should quit defending an indefensible war and portraying their fellow Americans as the enemy.

If they really want to support the troops and quell terrorism, they should, like Cindy Sheehan and an increasing number of the populace, muster the courage and start demanding answers from the Bush Administration which put us in this mess and keeps digging us in ever deeper.

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